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Psalms 28-30 (Listen)

The Lord Is My Strength and My Shield

Of David.

28:1 To you, O Lord, I call;
  my rock, be not deaf to me,
lest, if you be silent to me,
  I become like those who go down to the pit.
Hear the voice of my pleas for mercy,
  when I cry to you for help,
when I lift up my hands
  toward your most holy sanctuary. [1]

Do not drag me off with the wicked,
  with the workers of evil,
who speak peace with their neighbors
  while evil is in their hearts.
Give to them according to their work
  and according to the evil of their deeds;
give to them according to the work of their hands;
  render them their due reward.
Because they do not regard the works of the Lord
  or the work of his hands,
he will tear them down and build them up no more.

Blessed be the Lord!
  For he has heard the voice of my pleas for mercy.
The Lord is my strength and my shield;
  in him my heart trusts, and I am helped;
my heart exults,
  and with my song I give thanks to him.

The Lord is the strength of his people; [2]
he is the saving refuge of his anointed.
Oh, save your people and bless your heritage!
Be their shepherd and carry them forever.

Ascribe to the Lord Glory

A Psalm of David.

29:1 Ascribe to the Lord, O heavenly beings, [3]
ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;
worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness. [4]

The voice of the Lord is over the waters;
  the God of glory thunders,
  the Lord, over many waters.
The voice of the Lord is powerful;
  the voice of the Lord is full of majesty.

The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars;
the Lord breaks the cedars of Lebanon.
He makes Lebanon to skip like a calf,
and Sirion like a young wild ox.

The voice of the Lord flashes forth flames of fire.
The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness;
the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.

The voice of the Lord makes the deer give birth [5]
and strips the forests bare,
and in his temple all cry, “Glory!”

The Lord sits enthroned over the flood;
the Lord sits enthroned as king forever.
May the Lord give strength to his people!
May the Lord bless [6] his people with peace!

Joy Comes with the Morning

A Psalm of David. A song at the dedication of the temple.

30:1 I will extol you, O Lord, for you have drawn me up
  and have not let my foes rejoice over me.
O Lord my God, I cried to you for help,
  and you have healed me.
O Lord, you have brought up my soul from Sheol;
  you restored me to life from among those who go down to the pit. [7]

Sing praises to the Lord, O you his saints,
  and give thanks to his holy name. [8]
For his anger is but for a moment,
  and his favor is for a lifetime. [9]
Weeping may tarry for the night,
  but joy comes with the morning.

As for me, I said in my prosperity,
  “I shall never be moved.”
By your favor, O Lord,
  you made my mountain stand strong;
you hid your face;
  I was dismayed.

To you, O Lord, I cry,
  and to the Lord I plead for mercy:
“What profit is there in my death, [10]
  if I go down to the pit? [11]
Will the dust praise you?
  Will it tell of your faithfulness?
Hear, O Lord, and be merciful to me!
  O Lord, be my helper!”

You have turned for me my mourning into dancing;
  you have loosed my sackcloth
  and clothed me with gladness,
that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent.
  O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever!

Acts 21:1-14 (Listen)

Paul Goes to Jerusalem

21:1 And when we had parted from them and set sail, we came by a straight course to Cos, and the next day to Rhodes, and from there to Patara. [12] And having found a ship crossing to Phoenicia, we went aboard and set sail. When we had come in sight of Cyprus, leaving it on the left we sailed to Syria and landed at Tyre, for there the ship was to unload its cargo. And having sought out the disciples, we stayed there for seven days. And through the Spirit they were telling Paul not to go on to Jerusalem. When our days there were ended, we departed and went on our journey, and they all, with wives and children, accompanied us until we were outside the city. And kneeling down on the beach, we prayed and said farewell to one another. Then we went on board the ship, and they returned home.

When we had finished the voyage from Tyre, we arrived at Ptolemais, and we greeted the brothers [13] and stayed with them for one day. On the next day we departed and came to Caesarea, and we entered the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him. He had four unmarried daughters, who prophesied. While we were staying for many days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. And coming to us, he took Paul's belt and bound his own feet and hands and said, “Thus says the Holy Spirit, ‘This is how the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’” When we heard this, we and the people there urged him not to go up to Jerusalem. Then Paul answered, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be imprisoned but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” And since he would not be persuaded, we ceased and said, “Let the will of the Lord be done.”

Footnotes

[1] 28:2 Hebrew your innermost sanctuary
[2] 28:8 Some Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint, Syriac; most Hebrew manuscripts is their strength
[3] 29:1 Hebrew sons of God, or sons of might
[4] 29:2 Or in holy attire
[5] 29:9 Revocalization yields makes the oaks to shake
[6] 29:11 Or The Lord will give . . . The Lord will bless
[7] 30:3 Or to life, that I should not go down to the pit
[8] 30:4 Hebrew to the memorial of his holiness (see Exodus 3:15)
[9] 30:5 Or and in his favor is life
[10] 30:9 Hebrew in my blood
[11] 30:9 Or to corruption
[12] 21:1 Some manuscripts add and Myra
[13] 21:7 Or brothers and sisters; also verse 17