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Psalm 34

1  I will bless the Lord at all times; ♦︎
   his praise shall ever be in my mouth.
2  My soul shall glory in the Lord; ♦︎
   let the humble hear and be glad.
3  O magnify the Lord with me; ♦︎
   let us exalt his name together.
4  I sought the Lord and he answered me ♦︎
   and delivered me from all my fears.
5  Look upon him and be radiant ♦︎
   and your faces shall not be ashamed.
6  This poor soul cried, and the Lord heard me ♦︎
   and saved me from all my troubles.
7  The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him ♦︎
   and delivers them.
8  O taste and see that the Lord is gracious; ♦︎
   blessed is the one who trusts in him.
19  Many are the troubles of the righteous; ♦︎
   from them all will the Lord deliver them.
20  He keeps all their bones, ♦︎
   so that not one of them is broken.
21  But evil shall slay the wicked ♦︎
   and those who hate the righteous will be condemned.
22  The Lord ransoms the life of his servants ♦︎
   and will condemn none who seek refuge in him.

Nehemiah

Nehemiah Prays for His People

1The words of Nehemiah son of Hacaliah. In the month of Chislev, in the twentieth year, while I was in Susa the capital, ²one of my brothers, Hanani, came with certain men from Judah; and I asked them about the Jews that survived, those who had escaped the captivity, and about Jerusalem. ³They replied, ‘The survivors there in the province who escaped captivity are in great trouble and shame; the wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been destroyed by fire.’

4 When I heard these words I sat down and wept, and mourned for days, fasting and praying before the God of heaven. ⁵I said, ‘O Lord God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments; ⁶let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer of your servant that I now pray before you day and night for your servants the people of Israel, confessing the sins of the people of Israel, which we have sinned against you. Both I and my family have sinned. ⁷We have offended you deeply, failing to keep the commandments, the statutes, and the ordinances that you commanded your servant Moses. ⁸Remember the word that you commanded your servant Moses, “If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the peoples; ⁹but if you return to me and keep my commandments and do them, though your outcasts are under the farthest skies, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place at which I have chosen to establish my name.” ¹⁰They are your servants and your people, whom you redeemed by your great power and your strong hand. ¹¹O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give success to your servant today, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man!’

At the time, I was cupbearer to the king.

Another Priest, Like Melchizedek

11 Now if perfection had been attainable through the levitical priesthood—for the people received the law under this priesthood—what further need would there have been to speak of another priest arising according to the order of Melchizedek, rather than one according to the order of Aaron? ¹²For when there is a change in the priesthood, there is necessarily a change in the law as well. ¹³Now the one of whom these things are spoken belonged to another tribe, from which no one has ever served at the altar. ¹⁴For it is evident that our Lord was descended from Judah, and in connection with that tribe Moses said nothing about priests.

15 It is even more obvious when another priest arises, resembling Melchizedek, ¹⁶one who has become a priest, not through a legal requirement concerning physical descent, but through the power of an indestructible life. ¹⁷For it is attested of him,
‘You are a priest for ever,
   according to the order of Melchizedek.’
¹⁸There is, on the one hand, the abrogation of an earlier commandment because it was weak and ineffectual ¹⁹(for the law made nothing perfect); there is, on the other hand, the introduction of a better hope, through which we approach God.

20 This was confirmed with an oath; for others who became priests took their office without an oath, ²¹but this one became a priest with an oath, because of the one who said to him,
‘The Lord has sworn
   and will not change his mind,
“You are a priest for ever” ’—
²²accordingly Jesus has also become the guarantee of a better covenant.