The Lord is my light and my salvation–whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life–of whom shall I be afraid?

I took you from the ends of the earth, from its farthest corners I called you. I said, ‘You are my servant’; I have chosen you and have not rejected you.

For the director of music. Of David the servant of the Lord. He sang to the Lord the words of this song when the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. He said: I love you, O Lord, my strength.

I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.

Therefore He is able to save completely those who come to God through Him, because He always lives to intercede for them.

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.

Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble.

Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.

This is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.

Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole [duty] of man.

But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because He suffered death, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone.

It was He who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless.

This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir.

“My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.”

But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand.

Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God.

May the favor of the Lord our God rest upon us; establish the work of our hands for us–yes, establish the work of our hands.

He does not treat us as our sins deserve
or repay us according to our iniquities.

For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is His love for those who fear Him;

as far as the east is from the west,
so far has He removed our transgressions from us.

As a father has compassion on His children,
so the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him;

for He knows how we are formed,
He remembers that we are dust.

Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you!

No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,” declares the LORD. “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”

And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us.

Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”

He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.

He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”

“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?

Leave your simple ways and you will live; walk in the way of understanding.

In Him and through faith in Him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God–this is your spiritual act of worship.