Mem
97 Oh how xI love your law!
It is my ymeditation all the day.
98 Your commandment makes me zwiser than my enemies,
for it is ever with me.
99 I have more understanding than all my teachers,
for ayour testimonies are my meditation.
100 I understand more than bthe aged,1
for I ckeep your precepts.
101 I dhold back my feet from every evil way,
in order to keep your word.
102 I do not turn aside from your rules,
for you have taught me.
103 How esweet are your words to my taste,
sweeter than honey to my mouth!
104 Through your precepts I get understanding;
therefore fI hate every false way.
Nun
105 gYour word is a lamp to my feet
and a light to my path.
106 I have hsworn an oath and confirmed it,
to keep your irighteous rules.
107 I am severely jafflicted;
kgive me life, O Lord, according to your word!
108 Accept lmy freewill offerings of praise, O Lord,
and mteach me your rules.
109 I hold my life nin my hand continually,
but I do not oforget your law.
110 The wicked have laid pa snare for me,
but qI do not stray from your precepts.
111 Your testimonies are rmy heritage forever,
for they are sthe joy of my heart.
112 I tincline my heart to perform your statutes
Samekh
113 I hate vthe double-minded,
but I love wyour law.
114 You are my xhiding place and my yshield;
I zhope in your word.
115 aDepart from me, you evildoers,
that I may bkeep the commandments of my God.
116 Uphold me caccording to your promise, that I may live,
and let me not be dput to shame in my ehope!
117 fHold me up, that I may be safe
and have regard for your statutes continually!
118 You gspurn all who hgo astray from your statutes,
for their cunning is in vain.
119 All the wicked of the earth you discard like idross,
therefore jI love your testimonies.
120 My flesh ktrembles for fear of you,
and I am afraid of your judgments.
Ayin
121 I have done what is just and right;
do not leave me to my oppressors.
122 Give your servant la pledge of good;
let not mthe insolent oppress me.
123 My neyes long for your salvation
and for the fulfillment of your righteous promise.
124 Deal with your servant according to your steadfast love,
and oteach me your statutes.
125 I am your pservant; qgive me understanding,
that I may know your testimonies!
126 It is time for the Lord to act,
for your law has been broken.
127 Therefore I rlove your commandments
above gold, above fine gold.
128 Therefore I consider all your precepts to be right;
I hate every sfalse way.
Pe
129 Your testimonies are twonderful;
therefore my soul ukeeps them.
130 The unfolding of your words gives light;
it imparts vunderstanding to the simple.
131 I wopen my mouth and xpant,
because I ylong for your commandments.
132 zTurn to me and be gracious to me,
as is your way with those who love your name.
133 aKeep steady my steps according to your promise,
and let no iniquity bget dominion over me.
134 cRedeem me from man’s oppression,
that I may keep your precepts.
135 dMake your face shine upon your servant,
and eteach me your statutes.
136 My eyes fshed streams of tears,
because people gdo not keep your law.
Submission to the Authorities
1 Let every person pbe subject to the governing authorities. For qthere is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you rwill receive his approval, 4 for she is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, tan avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also ufor the sake of conscience. 6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. 7 vPay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.
Fulfilling the Law Through Love
8 wOwe no one anything, except to love each other, for xthe one who loves another has fulfilled the law. 9 For the commandments, y“You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: z“You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore alove is the fulfilling of the law.
11 Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you bto wake from sleep. cFor salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. 12 dThe night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us ecast off fthe works of darkness and gput on the armor of light. 13 hLet us walk properly as in the daytime, inot in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, jnot in quarreling and jealousy. 14 But kput on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, lto gratify its desires.
