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Psalm 5

1  Give ear to my words, O Lord; ♦︎
   consider my lamentation.
2  Hearken to the voice of my crying, my King and my God, ♦︎
   for to you I make my prayer.
3  In the morning, Lord, you will hear my voice; ♦︎
   early in the morning I make my appeal to you, and look up.
4  For you are the God who takes no pleasure in wickedness; ♦︎
   no evil can dwell with you.
5  The boastful cannot stand in your sight; ♦︎
   you hate all those that work wickedness.
6  You destroy those who speak lies; ♦︎
   the bloodthirsty and deceitful the Lord will abhor.
7  But as for me, through the greatness of your mercy,
      I will come into your house; ♦︎
   I will bow down towards your holy temple in awe of you.
8  Lead me, Lord, in your righteousness,
      because of my enemies; ♦︎
   make your way straight before my face.
9  For there is no truth in their mouth,
      in their heart is destruction, ♦︎
   their throat is an open sepulchre,
      and they flatter with their tongue.
10  Punish them, O God; ♦︎
   let them fall through their own devices.
11  Because of their many transgressions cast them out, ♦︎
   for they have rebelled against you.
12  But let all who take refuge in you be glad; ♦︎
   let them sing out their joy for ever.
13  You will shelter them, ♦︎
   so that those who love your name may exult in you.
14  For you, O Lord, will bless the righteous; ♦︎
   and with your favour you will defend them as with a shield.

²¹ The wise of heart is called perceptive,
   and pleasant speech increases persuasiveness.
²² Wisdom is a fountain of life to one who has it,
   but folly is the punishment of fools.
²³ The mind of the wise makes their speech judicious,
   and adds persuasiveness to their lips.
²⁴ Pleasant words are like a honeycomb,
   sweetness to the soul and health to the body.
²⁵ Sometimes there is a way that seems to be right,
   but in the end it is the way to death.
²⁶ The appetite of workers works for them;
   their hunger urges them on.
²⁷ Scoundrels concoct evil,
   and their speech is like a scorching fire.
²⁸ A perverse person spreads strife,
   and a whisperer separates close friends.
²⁹ The violent entice their neighbours,
   and lead them in a way that is not good.
³⁰ One who winks the eyes plans^* perverse things;
   one who compresses the lips brings evil to pass.
³¹ Grey hair is a crown of glory;
   it is gained in a righteous life.
³² One who is slow to anger is better than the mighty,
   and one whose temper is controlled than one who captures a city.
³³ The lot is cast into the lap,
   but the decision is the Lord’s alone.

The Tradition of the Elders

15Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, ²‘Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands before they eat.’ ³He answered them, ‘And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? ⁴For God said,^* “Honour your father and your mother,” and, “Whoever speaks evil of father or mother must surely die.” ⁵But you say that whoever tells father or mother, “Whatever support you might have had from me is given to God”,^* then that person need not honour the father.^{* 6}So, for the sake of your tradition, you make void the word^* of God. ⁷You hypocrites! Isaiah prophesied rightly about you when he said:
⁸ “This people honours me with their lips,
   but their hearts are far from me;
⁹ in vain do they worship me,
   teaching human precepts as doctrines.” ’