1 A psalm of David. O Lord, hear my prayer. Pay attention to my plea for help. Because of your faithfulness and justice, answer me. 2 Do not sit in judgment on your servant, for no one alive is innocent before you. 3 Certainly my enemies chase me. They smash me into the ground. They force me to live in dark regions, like those who have been dead for ages. 4 My strength leaves me; I am absolutely shocked. 5 I recall the old days. I meditate on all you have done;I reflect on your accomplishments. 6 I spread my hands out to you in prayer; my soul thirsts for you in a parched land.(Selah) 7 Answer me quickly, Lord. My strength is fading. Do not reject me, or I will join those descending into the grave. 8 May I hear about your loyal love in the morning, for I trust in you. Show me the way I should go, because I long for you. 9 Rescue me from my enemies, O Lord. I run to you for protection. 10 Teach me to do what pleases you, for you are my God. May your kind presence lead me into a level land. 11 O Lord, for the sake of your reputation, revive me. Because of your justice, rescue me from trouble. 12 As a demonstration of your loyal love, destroy my enemies. Annihilate all who threaten my life, for I am your servant.

19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world may be held accountable to God. 20 For no one is declared righteous before him by the works of the law, for through the law comes the knowledge of sin. 21 But now apart from the law the righteousness of God (although it is attested by the law and the prophets) has been disclosed— 22 namely, the righteousness of God through the faithfulness of Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. 24 But they are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. 25 God publicly displayed him at his death as the mercy seat accessible through faith. This was to demonstrate his righteousness because God in his forbearance had passed over the sins previously committed. 26 This was also to demonstrate his righteousness in the present time, so that he would be just and the justifier of the one who lives because of Jesus’ faithfulness.