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Psalm 37

Exhortation to Patience and Trust

Of David.
¹ Do not fret because of the wicked;
   do not be envious of wrongdoers,
² for they will soon fade like the grass,
   and wither like the green herb.

³ Trust in the Lord, and do good;
   so you will live in the land, and enjoy security.
⁴ Take delight in the Lord,
   and he will give you the desires of your heart.

⁵ Commit your way to the Lord;
   trust in him, and he will act.
⁶ He will make your vindication shine like the light,
   and the justice of your cause like the noonday.

⁷ Be still before the Lord, and wait patiently for him;
   do not fret over those who prosper in their way,
   over those who carry out evil devices.

⁸ Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath.
   Do not fret—it leads only to evil.
⁹ For the wicked shall be cut off,
   but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land.

¹⁰ Yet a little while, and the wicked will be no more;
   though you look diligently for their place, they will not be there.
¹¹ But the meek shall inherit the land,
   and delight in abundant prosperity.

¹² The wicked plot against the righteous,
   and gnash their teeth at them;
¹³ but the Lord laughs at the wicked,
   for he sees that their day is coming.

¹⁴ The wicked draw the sword and bend their bows
   to bring down the poor and needy,
   to kill those who walk uprightly;
¹⁵ their sword shall enter their own heart,
   and their bows shall be broken.

¹⁶ Better is a little that the righteous person has
   than the abundance of many wicked.
¹⁷ For the arms of the wicked shall be broken,
   but the Lord upholds the righteous.

¹⁸ The Lord knows the days of the blameless,
   and their heritage will abide for ever;
¹⁹ they are not put to shame in evil times,
   in the days of famine they have abundance.

²⁰ But the wicked perish,
   and the enemies of the Lord are like the glory of the pastures;
   they vanish—like smoke they vanish away.

²¹ The wicked borrow, and do not pay back,
   but the righteous are generous and keep giving;
²² for those blessed by the Lord shall inherit the land,
   but those cursed by him shall be cut off.

²³ Our steps^* are made firm by the Lord,
   when he delights in our^* way;
²⁴ though we stumble,^* we^* shall not fall headlong,
   for the Lord holds us^* by the hand.

²⁵ I have been young, and now am old,
   yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken
   or their children begging bread.
²⁶ They are ever giving liberally and lending,
   and their children become a blessing.

²⁷ Depart from evil, and do good;
   so you shall abide for ever.
²⁸ For the Lord loves justice;
   he will not forsake his faithful ones.

The righteous shall be kept safe for ever,
   but the children of the wicked shall be cut off.
²⁹ The righteous shall inherit the land,
   and live in it for ever.

³⁰ The mouths of the righteous utter wisdom,
   and their tongues speak justice.
³¹ The law of their God is in their hearts;
   their steps do not slip.

³² The wicked watch for the righteous,
   and seek to kill them.
³³ The Lord will not abandon them to their power,
   or let them be condemned when they are brought to trial.

³⁴ Wait for the Lord, and keep to his way,
   and he will exalt you to inherit the land;
   you will look on the destruction of the wicked.

³⁵ I have seen the wicked oppressing,
   and towering like a cedar of Lebanon.^*
36 Again I^* passed by, and they were no more;
   though I sought them, they could not be found.

³⁷ Mark the blameless, and behold the upright,
   for there is posterity for the peaceable.
³⁸ But transgressors shall be altogether destroyed;
   the posterity of the wicked shall be cut off.

³⁹ The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord;
   he is their refuge in the time of trouble.
⁴⁰ The Lord helps them and rescues them;
   he rescues them from the wicked, and saves them,
   because they take refuge in him.

Unity in the Body of Christ

4I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, ²with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, ³making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. ⁴There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, ⁵one Lord, one faith, one baptism, ⁶one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.

28 ‘Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. ²⁹Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’

Hearing and Doing the Word

19 You must understand this, my beloved:^* let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger; ²⁰for your anger does not produce God’s righteousness. ²¹Therefore rid yourselves of all sordidness and rank growth of wickedness, and welcome with meekness the implanted word that has the power to save your souls.

12 As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. ¹³Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord^* has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. ¹⁴Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.

Psalm 147

Praise for God’s Care for Jerusalem

¹ Praise the Lord!
How good it is to sing praises to our God;
   for he is gracious, and a song of praise is fitting.
² The Lord builds up Jerusalem;
   he gathers the outcasts of Israel.
³ He heals the broken-hearted,
   and binds up their wounds.
⁴ He determines the number of the stars;
   he gives to all of them their names.
⁵ Great is our Lord, and abundant in power;
   his understanding is beyond measure.
⁶ The Lord lifts up the downtrodden;
   he casts the wicked to the ground.

⁷ Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving;
   make melody to our God on the lyre.
⁸ He covers the heavens with clouds,
   prepares rain for the earth,
   makes grass grow on the hills.
⁹ He gives to the animals their food,
   and to the young ravens when they cry.
¹⁰ His delight is not in the strength of the horse,
   nor his pleasure in the speed of a runner;^*
11 but the Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him,
   in those who hope in his steadfast love.