Job 9 - 10 - Legacy Standard Bible

Job 9 - 10

Job Replies There Is No Adjudicator

Then Job answered and said, 2

“In truth I know that this is so;

But how can a man be in the right before God?

If one desired to contend with Him,

He could not answer Him once in a thousand times.

Wise in heart and mighty in power,

Who has stiffened his neck against Him and been at peace?

God is the One who removes the mountains, they know not how,

When He overturns them in His anger;

The One who shakes the earth out of its place,

And its pillars tremble;

The One who says for the sun not to shine,

And sets a seal upon the stars;

Who alone stretches out the heavens,

And tramples down the waves of the sea;

Who makes the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades,

And the chambers of the south;

Who does great things, unsearchable,

And wondrous works, innumerable.

Were He to sweep by me, I would not see Him;

Were He to move past me, I would not perceive Him.

Were He to snatch away, who could turn Him back?

Who could say to Him, ‘What are You doing?’

“God will not turn back His anger;

Beneath Him crouch the helpers of Rahab.

How then can I answer Him,

And choose my words before Him?

For though I were right, I could not answer;

I would have to plead for the grace of my judge.

If I called and He answered me,

I could not believe that He was giving ear to my voice.

For He bruises me with a tempest

And multiplies my wounds without cause.

He will not allow me to get my breath,

But saturates me with bitterness.

If it is a matter of power, behold, He is the mighty one!

And if it is a matter of justice, who can make Him testify?

Though I am righteous, my mouth will condemn me;

Though I am blameless, He will declare me perverse.

I am blameless;

I do not know my soul;

I reject my life.

It is all one; therefore I say,

‘He consumes the blameless and the wicked.’

If the scourge puts to death suddenly,

He mocks the despair of the innocent.

The earth is given into the hand of the wicked;

He covers the faces of its judges.

If it is not He, then who is it?

“Now my days are swifter than a runner;

They flee away; they do not see good.

They sweep by like reed boats,

Like an eagle that swoops on its food.

Though I say, ‘I will forget my musing,

I will forsake my sad countenance and be cheerful,’

I am afraid of all my pains;

I know that You will not acquit me.

I am accounted wicked;

Why then should I toil in vain?

If I should wash myself with snow

And cleanse my hands with lye,

Yet You would plunge me into the pit,

And my own clothes would abhor me.

For He is not a man as I am that I may answer Him,

That we may go to court for judgment together.

There is no adjudicator between us,

Who may lay his hand upon us both.

Let Him remove His rod from me,

And let not dread of Him terrify me.

Then I would speak and not fear Him;

But I am not like that in myself.

Job Cries Out to God

“My soul is loathed by my life;

I will abandon all restraint in myself to my complaint;

I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.

I will say to God, ‘Do not account me as wicked;

Let me know why You contend with me.

Is it good to You that You oppress,

That You reject the labor of Your hands,

And cause the counsel of the wicked to shine forth?

Have You eyes of flesh?

Or do You see as a mortal man sees?

Are Your days as the days of a mortal man,

Or Your years as man’s years,

That You should seek for my guilt

And search after my sin?

According to Your knowledge I am indeed not wicked,

Yet there is no deliverer from Your hand.

‘Your hands fashioned and made me altogether,

And would You swallow me up?

Remember now, that You have made me as clay;

And would You turn me into dust again?

Did You not pour me out like milk

And curdle me like cheese,

Clothe me with skin and flesh,

And knit me together with bones and sinews?

You have made alongside me life and lovingkindness;

And Your care has kept my spirit.

Yet these things You have concealed in Your heart;

I know that this is within You:

If I sin, then You would take note of me

And would not acquit me of my guilt.

If I am wicked, woe to me!

And if I am righteous, I dare not lift up my head.

I am sated with disgrace—so see my misery!

Should my head be set on high, You would hunt me like a lion;

And again You would show Your wonders against me.

You renew Your witnesses against me

And increase Your vexation toward me;

Hardship after hardship is with me.

‘Why then have You brought me out of the womb?

Would that I had breathed my last and no eye had seen me!

I should have been as though I had not been,

Carried from womb to tomb.’

Would He not cease for a few of my days?

Withdraw from me that I may have a little cheer

Before I go—and I shall not return—

To the land of darkness and shadow of death,

The land of utter gloom as the thick darkness itself,

Of the shadow of death, without order,

And which shines as the thick darkness.”

Luke 1

Luke’s Account of Things Fulfilled

Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, 2 just as those, who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word, handed them down to us, 3 it seemed fitting for me as well, having investigated everything carefully from the beginning, to write it out for you in orderly sequence, most excellent Theophilus, 4 so that you may know the certainty about the things you have been taught.

John the Baptist’s Birth Foretold

5 In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, of the division of Abijah, and he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 6 And they were both righteous in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and righteous requirements of the Lord. 7 But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both advanced in years. 8 Now it happened that while he was performing his priestly service before God in the order of his division, 9 according to the custom of the priestly office, he was chosen by lot to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and burn incense. 10 And the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of the incense offering. 11 And an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the altar of incense. 12 And Zechariah was troubled when he saw the angel, and fear fell upon him. 13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will call his name John. 14 And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. 15 For he will be great in the sight of the Lord; and he will not drink any wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit while yet in his mother’s womb. 16 And he will turn many of the sons of Israel back to the Lord their God. 17 And he will go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers back to the children, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” 18 And Zechariah said to the angel, “How will I know this? For I am an old man and my wife is advanced in years.” 19 And the angel answered and said to him, “I am Gabriel, who stands before God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. 20 And behold, you shall be silent and unable to speak until the day when these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their proper time.” 21 And the people were waiting for Zechariah, and were wondering at his delay in the sanctuary. 22 But when he came out, he was unable to speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary. And he kept making signs to them, and remained mute. 23 And it happened that when the days of his priestly service were fulfilled, he went back home. 24 After these days Elizabeth his wife conceived, and she kept herself in seclusion for five months, saying, 25 “This is the way the Lord has dealt with me in the days when He looked upon me to take away my disgrace among men.”

Jesus’ Birth Foretold

26 Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee called Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And coming in, he said to her, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” 29 But she was very perplexed at this statement, and was pondering what kind of greeting this was. 30 And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David, 33 and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and there will be no end of His kingdom.” 34 But Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” 35 The angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God. 36 And behold, your relative Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.” 38 And Mary said, “Behold, the slave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

Mary Visits Elizabeth

39 Now at this time Mary arose and went in a hurry to the hill country, to a city of Judah, 40 and entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41 And it happened that when Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 And she cried out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43 And how has it happened to me, that the mother of my Lord would come to me? 44 For behold, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy. 45 And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her by the Lord.”

Mary Magnifies the Lord

46 And Mary said:

“My soul magnifies the Lord,

And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.

For He has looked upon the humble state of His slave,

For behold, from this time on, all generations will count me blessed.

For the Mighty One has done great things for me,

And holy is His name.

And His mercy is upon generation after generation

Toward those who fear Him.

He has done a mighty deed with His arm;

He has scattered those who were proud in the thoughts of their heart.

He has brought down rulers from their thrones,

And has exalted those who were humble.

He has filled the hungry with good things,

And sent away the rich empty‑handed.

He has given help to Israel His servant,

In remembrance of His mercy,

As He spoke to our fathers,

To Abraham and his seed forever.”

56 And Mary stayed with her about three months, and then returned to her home.

John the Baptist Is Born

57 Now the time was fulfilled for Elizabeth to give birth, and she gave birth to a son. 58 And her neighbors and her relatives heard that the Lord had magnified His great mercy toward her, and they were rejoicing with her. 59 And it happened that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to call him Zechariah, after the name of his father. 60 But his mother answered and said, “No, but he shall be called John.” 61 And they said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who is called by this name.” 62 And they were making signs to his father, as to what he wanted him called. 63 And he asked for a tablet and wrote as follows, “His name is John.” And they all marveled. 64 And at once his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he began to speak, blessing God. 65 And fear came on all those living around them, and all these matters were being talked about in all the hill country of Judea. 66 And all who heard these things put them in their heart, saying, “What then will this child be?” For the hand of the Lord was indeed with him.

Zechariah’s Prophecy

67 And his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying: 68

“Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,

For He visited and accomplished redemption for His people,

And raised up a horn of salvation for us

In the house of David His servant—

As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from of old—

Salvation from our enemies,

And from the hand of all who hate us,

To show mercy toward our fathers,

And to remember His holy covenant,

The oath which He swore to Abraham our father,

To grant us that we, being rescued from the hand of our enemies,

Might serve Him without fear,

In holiness and righteousness before Him all our days.

And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High,

For you will go on before the Lord to make ready His ways,

To give to His people the knowledge of salvation

By the forgiveness of their sins,

Because of the tender mercy of our God,

With which the Sunrise from on high will visit us,

To shine upon those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death,

To direct our feet into the way of peace.”

80 And the child continued to grow and to become strong in spirit, and he lived in the desolate regions until the day of his public appearance to Israel.

Psalm 31

Into Your Hand I Commit My Spirit

For the choir director. A Psalm of David.

In You, O Yahweh, I have taken refuge;

Let me never be ashamed;

In Your righteousness protect me.

Incline Your ear to me, deliver me quickly;

Be to me a rock of strength,

A fortress to save me.

For You are my high rock and my fortress;

For Your name’s sake You will lead me and guide me.

You will bring me out of the net which they have secretly laid for me,

For You are my strength.

Into Your hand I commit my spirit;

You have ransomed me, O Yahweh, God of truth.

I hate those who regard worthless idols,

But I trust in Yahweh.

I will rejoice and be glad in Your lovingkindness,

Because You have seen my affliction;

You have known the troubles of my soul,

And You have not given me over into the hand of the enemy;

You have set my feet in a large place.

Be gracious to me, O Yahweh, for I am in distress;

My eye is wasted away from grief, my soul and my body also.

For my life is worn down with sorrow

And my years with sighing;

My strength fails because of my iniquity,

And my bones waste away.

Among all my adversaries, I have become a reproach,

Especially to my neighbors,

And an object of dread to my acquaintances;

Those who see me in the street flee from me.

I am forgotten like a dead man—out of mind—

I am like a broken vessel.

For I have heard the bad report of many,

Terror is on every side;

While they took counsel together against me,

They schemed to take my life.

But as for me, I trust in You, O Yahweh,

I say, “You are my God.”

My times are in Your hand;

Deliver me from the hand of my enemies and from those who pursue me.

Make Your face to shine upon Your slave;

Save me in Your lovingkindness.

O Yahweh, let me not be put to shame, for I call upon You;

Let the wicked be put to shame, let them be silent in Sheol.

Let the lying lips be mute,

Which speak arrogantly against the righteous

With lofty pride and contempt.

How great is Your goodness,

Which You have stored up for those who fear You,

Which You have worked for those who take refuge in You,

Before the sons of men!

You hide them in the secret place of Your presence from the conspiracies of man;

You keep them secretly in a shelter from the strife of tongues.

Blessed be Yahweh,

For He has made marvelous His lovingkindness to me in a besieged city.

As for me, I said in my alarm,

“I am cut off from before Your eyes”;

Nevertheless, You heard the voice of my supplications

When I cried to You for help.

Oh, love Yahweh, all you His holy ones!

Yahweh guards the faithful

But repays fully the one who acts in lofty pride.

Be strong and let your heart take courage,

All you who wait for Yahweh.