Lamentations 5 - Legacy Standard Bible

Lamentations 5

O Yahweh, Remember Us!

Remember, O Yahweh, what has happened to us;

Look, and see our reproach!

Our inheritance has been turned over to strangers,

Our houses to foreigners.

We have become orphans without a father;

Our mothers are like widows.

We drink our water by means of silver;

Our wood comes to us at a price.

Our pursuers are at our necks;

We are worn out; there is no rest for us.

We have given over our hands to Egypt and Assyria to get enough bread.

Our fathers sinned; they are no more;

It is we who have borne their iniquities.

Slaves rule over us;

There is no one to tear us away from their hand.

We get our bread at the risk of our lives

Because of the sword in the wilderness.

Our skin has become as hot as an oven

Because of the burning heat of famine.

They violated the women in Zion,

The virgins in the cities of Judah.

Princes were hung by their hands;

Elders were not respected.

Young men lifted up the stone at the grinding mill,

And youths stumbled down under loads of wood.

Elders have ceased from being at the gate,

Young men from their music.

The joy of our hearts has ceased;

Our dancing has been turned into mourning.

The crown has fallen from our head;

Woe to us, for we have sinned!

Because of this our heart is faint;

Because of these things our eyes are dim;

Because of Mount Zion which lies desolate,

Foxes walk about in it.

You, O Yahweh, sit enthroned forever;

Your throne is from generation to generation.

Why do You forget us forever?

Why do You forsake us so long?

Cause us to return to You, O Yahweh, that we may be returned;

Renew our days as of old,

Even if You have utterly rejected us

And are exceedingly angry with us.

Galatians 3 - 4

The Righteous Shall Live by Faith

O foolish Galatians, who bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified? 2 This is the only thing I want to learn from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith? 3 Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? 4 Did you suffer so many things for nothing—if indeed it was for nothing? 5 So then, does He who provides you with the Spirit and works miracles among you, do it by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith? 6 Just as Abraham believed God and it was counted to him as righteousness, 7 so know that those who are of faith, those are sons of Abraham. 8 And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, proclaimed the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “All the nations will be blessed in you.” 9 So then those who are of faith are blessed with Abraham, the believer. 10 For as many as are of the works of the Law are under a curse, for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not abide by all things written in the book of the law, to do them.” 11 Now that no one is justified by the Law before God is evident, for “The righteous shall live by faith.” 12 However, the Law is not of faith; rather, “He who does them shall live by them.” 13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”— 14 in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we would receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

The Promise by Faith

15 Brothers, I speak in human terms: even though it is only a man’s covenant, yet when it has been ratified, no one sets it aside or adds conditions to it. 16 Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as referring to many, but rather to one, “And to your seed,” that is, Christ. 17 And what I am saying is this: the Law, which came 430 years later, does not invalidate a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to abolish the promise. 18 For if the inheritance is by law, it is no longer by promise, but God has granted it to Abraham through promise. 19 Why the Law then? It was added because of trespasses, having been ordained through angels by the hand of a mediator, until the seed would come to whom the promise had been made. 20 Now a mediator is not for one person only, whereas God is one. 21 Is the Law then contrary to the promises of God? May it never be! For if a law had been given which was able to impart life, then righteousness would indeed be by law. 22 But the Scripture has shut up everyone under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. 23 But before faith came, we were held in custody under the Law, being shut up for the coming faith to be revealed. 24 Therefore the Law has become our tutor unto Christ, so that we may be justified by faith. 25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. 26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, heirs according to promise.

Sonship in Christ

Now I say, as long as the heir is a child, he does not differ at all from a slave although he is owner of everything, 2 but he is under guardians and stewards until the date set by the father. 3 So also we, while we were children, were enslaved under the elemental things of the world. 4 But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, 5 so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. 6 And because you are sons, God sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” 7 Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God. 8 However at that time, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those which by nature are no gods. 9 But now, having known God, or rather having been known by God, how is it that you turn back again to the weak and worthless elemental things, to which you want to be enslaved all over again? 10 You observe days and months and seasons and years. 11 I fear for you, that perhaps I have labored over you for nothing. 12 I beg of you, brothers, become as I am, for I also have become as you are. You have done me no wrong. 13 But you know that it was because of a bodily illness that I proclaimed the gospel to you the first time; 14 and that which was a trial to you in my bodily condition you did not despise or loathe, but you received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus Himself. 15 Where then is that sense of blessing you had? For I testify to you that, if possible, you would have plucked out your eyes and given them to me. 16 So have I become your enemy by telling you the truth? 17 They zealously seek you, not commendably, but they wish to shut you out so that you will zealously seek them. 18 But it is good always to be zealously sought in a commendable manner, and not only when I am present with you. 19 My children, with whom I am again in labor until Christ is formed in you— 20 but I could wish to be present with you now and to change my tone, because I am perplexed about you.

An Allegory of Two Covenants

21 Tell me, you who want to be under law, do you not listen to the Law? 22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the servant-woman and one by the free woman. 23 But the son by the servant-woman had been born according to the flesh, while the son by the free woman through the promise. 24 This is spoken with allegory, for these women are two covenants: one from Mount Sinai bearing children into slavery; she is Hagar. 25 Now this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. 26 But the Jerusalem above is free; she is our mother. 27 For it is written,

“Rejoice, barren woman who does not give birth;

Break forth and shout, you who are not in labor;

For more numerous are the children of the desolate one

Than of the one who has a husband.”

28 And you brothers, in accordance with Isaac, are children of promise. 29 But as at that time he who was born according to the flesh was persecuting him who was born according to the Spirit, so it is now also. 30 But what does the Scripture say?

“Cast out the servant‑woman and her son,

For the son of the servant‑woman shall not be an heir with the son of the free woman.”

31 So then, brothers, we are not children of a servant-woman, but of the free woman.

Psalm 133 - 134

How Good and Pleasant Is Unity

A Song of Ascents. Of David.

Behold, how good and how pleasant it is

For brothers to dwell together in unity!

It is like the good oil upon the head,

Coming down upon the beard,

Aaron’s beard,

Coming down upon the edge of his robes.

It is like the dew of Hermon

Coming down upon the mountains of Zion;

For there, Yahweh commanded the blessing—life forever.

Behold, Bless Yahweh

A Song of Ascents.

Behold, bless Yahweh, all you slaves of Yahweh,

Who stand in the house of Yahweh by night!

Lift up your hands to the sanctuary

And bless Yahweh.

May Yahweh bless you from Zion,

Who made heaven and earth.