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AUGUST 26
Psalm 102:1–11 can be made free, rather use it. For he who is
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called in the Lord while a slave is the Lord’s
A Prayer of the afflicted, when he is overwhelmed
and pours out his complaint before the LORD. freedman. Likewise he who is called while free
is Christ’s slave. You were bought at a price; do
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H ear my prayer, O LORD, not become slaves of men. Brethren, let each
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And let my cry come to You.
Do not hide Your face from me in the was called.
2 one remain with God in that state in which he
day of my trouble; 25 Now concerning virgins: I have no com-
Incline Your ear to me; mandment from the Lord; yet I give judgment
In the day that I call, answer me as one whom the Lord in His mercy has made
speedily. trustworthy. I suppose therefore that this is
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3 good because of the present distress—that it is
For my days are consumed like smoke, 27
And my bones are burned like a good for a man to remain as he is: Are you
hearth. bound to a wife? Do not seek to be loosed. Are
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My heart is stricken and withered like
4 you loosed from a wife? Do not seek a wife. But
grass, even if you do marry, you have not sinned; and
So that I forget to eat my bread. if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. Never-
Because of the sound of my groaning
5 theless such will have trouble in the flesh, but I
My bones cling to my skin. would spare you.
I am like a pelican of the wilderness;
6 29 But this I say, brethren, the time is short, so
I am like an owl of the desert. that from now on even those who have wives
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7 should be as though they had none, those
I lie awake,
And am like a sparrow alone on the who weep as though they did not weep, those
housetop. who rejoice as though they did not rejoice,
those who buy as though they did not possess,
My enemies reproach me all day long; 31 and those who use this world as not misusing
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Those who deride me swear an oath it. For the form of this world is passing away.
against me. 32 But I want you to be without care. He who
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For I have eaten ashes like bread, is unmarried cares for the things of the
And mingled my drink with weeping, Lord—how he may please the Lord. But he
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Because of Your indignation and Your
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wrath;
For You have lifted me up and cast me
away.
My days are like a shadow that
11 7:25–40 Having already established that both
lengthens, marriage and singleness are good and right
And I wither away like grass. before the Lord (vv. 1–9), and for the person
who has the gift of singleness (v. 7), that state
has many practical advantages, Paul contin-
ued to answer the questions about which the
Corinthians had written him. Paul gives 6 rea-
102:10,11 a shadow that lengthens. The sons for never marrying, in relationship to the
time of sunset is used to describe the downside of marriage, but remaining single
psalmist’s desperate sense that his life will end (virgins): 1) pressure from the system (vv.
shortly because God has punished him by 25–27);2) problems of the flesh (v.28);3) pass-
withdrawing His presence and strength. ing of the world (vv.29–31);4) preoccupations
of marriage (vv. 32–35); 5) promises from
fathers (vv.36–38);and 6) permanency of mar-
riage (vv. 39,40).
Proverbs 24:1–2
Do not be envious of evil men, 7:26 present distress. An unspecified,current
24 Nor desire to be with them; calamity. Perhaps Paul anticipated the immi-
For their heart devises violence,
2 nent Roman persecutions which began within
And their lips talk of troublemaking. 10 years after this epistle was written. remain
as he is. Persecution is difficult enough for a
1 Corinthians 7:20–40 single person to endure, but problems and
pain are multiplied for those who are married,
Let each one remain in the same calling in especially if they have children.
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which he was called. Were you called while a
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slave? Do not be concerned about it; but if you
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