詩篇17:1-15

17:1 （大衛的祈禱。）耶和華啊，求你聽聞公義，側耳聽我的呼籲！求你留心聽我這不出於詭詐嘴唇的祈禱！
17:2 願我的判語從你面前發出；願你的眼睛觀看公正。
17:3 你已經試驗我的心；你在夜間鑒察我；你熬煉我，卻找不著甚麼；我立志叫我口中沒有過失。
17:4 論到人的行為，我藉著你嘴唇的言語自己謹守，不行強暴人的道路。
17:5 我的腳踏定了你的路徑；我的兩腳未曾滑跌。
17:6 上帝啊，我曾求告你，因為你必應允我；求你向我側耳，聽我的言語。
17:7 求你顯出你奇妙的慈愛來；你是那用右手拯救投靠你的脫離起來攻擊他們的人。
17:8 求你保護我，如同保護眼中的瞳人；將我隱藏在你翅膀的蔭下，
17:9 使我脫離那欺壓我的惡人，就是圍困我要害我命的仇敵。
17:10 他們的心被脂油包裹；他們用口說驕傲的話。
17:11 他們圍困了我們的腳步；他們瞪著眼，要把我們推倒在地。
17:12 他像獅子急要抓食，又像少壯獅子蹲伏在暗處。
17:13 耶和華啊，求你起來，前去迎敵，將他打倒！用你的刀救護我命脫離惡人。
17:14 耶和華啊，求你用手救我脫離世人，脫離那只在今生有福分的世人！你把你的財寶充滿他們的肚腹；他們因有兒女就心滿意足，將其餘的財物留給他們的嬰孩。
17:15 至於我，我必在義中見你的面；我醒了的時候，得見（或譯：著）你的形像就心滿意足了。

A prayer of David.

¹ Hear me, Lord, my plea is just;
    listen to my cry.
Hear my prayer—
    it does not rise from deceitful lips.
² Let my vindication come from you;
    may your eyes see what is right.

³ Though you probe my heart,
    though you examine me at night and test me,
you will find that I have planned no evil;
    my mouth has not transgressed.
⁴ Though people tried to bribe me,
    I have kept myself from the ways of the violent
    through what your lips have commanded.
⁵ My steps have held to your paths;
    my feet have not stumbled.

⁶ I call on you, my God, for you will answer me;
    turn your ear to me and hear my prayer.
⁷ Show me the wonders of your great love,
    you who save by your right hand
    those who take refuge in you from their foes.
⁸ Keep me as the apple of your eye;
    hide me in the shadow of your wings
⁹ from the wicked who are out to destroy me,
    from my mortal enemies who surround me.

¹⁰ They close up their callous hearts,
    and their mouths speak with arrogance.
¹¹ They have tracked me down, they now surround me,
    with eyes alert, to throw me to the ground.
¹² They are like a lion hungry for prey,
    like a fierce lion crouching in cover.

¹³ Rise up, Lord, confront them, bring them down;
    with your sword rescue me from the wicked.
¹⁴ By your hand save me from such people, Lord,
    from those of this world whose reward is in this life.
May what you have stored up for the wicked fill their bellies;
    may their children gorge themselves on it,
    and may there be leftovers for their little ones.

¹⁵ As for me, I will be vindicated and will see your face;
    when I awake, I will be satisfied with seeing your likeness.

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    標題是「大衛的祈禱」，而一開頭就說到：「耶和華啊，求你聽聞公義，側耳聽我的呼籲！求你留心聽我這不出於詭詐嘴唇的祈禱！」接這就列出上帝必須聽他禱告的理由：「你已經試驗我的心；你在夜間鑒察我；你熬煉我，卻找不著甚麼；我立志叫我口中沒有過失。論到人的行為，我藉著你嘴唇的言語自己謹守，不行強暴人的道路。論到人的行為，我藉著你嘴唇的言語自己謹守，不行強暴人的道路。」

    然而這麼好的人，卻是被惡人欺負。這些惡人的行徑是：「他們的心被脂油包裹；他們用口說驕傲的話。他們圍困了我們的腳步；他們瞪著眼，要把我們推倒在地。他像獅子急要抓食，又像少壯獅子蹲伏在暗處。」

    詩人這樣描述，就是要我們真真實實的檢討自己和仇敵，不可以加油添醋，不可以意氣用事，因為這一切上帝都知道、都明白！也透過這樣的述說，才能讓我們可議真真實實的原諒人，讓上帝來處理我們和仇敵之間的事情。這也才是真正請上帝伸冤。也唯有這樣清楚的述說，我們才有理由請求上帝打倒不義的仇敵，使我們得拯救！

    當然，在這樣的檢討中，我們才能清楚認識自己和仇敵的狀態，才會的上帝的安慰，正如詩人最後說：「至於我，我必在義中見你的面；我醒了的時候，得見（或譯：著）你的形像就心滿意足了。」

    你敢這樣的禱告？或是能這樣的禱告嗎？相信除非聖靈用上帝的道更新我們，我們才敢如此禱告！上帝拯救我們的最後的目的，也是要讓祂的榮耀在我們身上彰顯，享受救恩的喜樂！

約翰福音10:14-15

10:14 我是好牧人；我認識我的羊，我的羊也認識我，
10:15 正如父認識我，我也認識父一樣；並且我為羊捨命。

¹⁴ “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— ¹⁵ just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep.

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    主耶穌是好的牧人，是用上帝的位格來宣告，因為祂用到「我是」，表示祂與一般的領導者不一樣，祂是真正如詩篇23篇1節所說的「耶和華是我的牧者」的那一位。也因為這樣，祂可以說：「我認識我的羊，我的羊也認識我，正如父認識我，我也認識父一樣！」

    主耶穌這樣說道是要我們知道，雖然祂以人的樣式顯現，也就是道成肉身，依然是「神人二性一位格」，是完全的上帝也是完全的人，是我們的創造主，並且被上肉身活在人的中間，以人的話語來宣告自己，甚至最後願意為人的罪來捨命，好使上帝與人有真正的和好，使人可以享受上帝的賜福，正如大衛所宣告:「耶和華是我的牧者，我必不致缺乏。」(詩篇23篇1節）還可以成就「我一生一世必有恩惠慈愛隨著我；我且要住在耶和華的殿中，直到永遠。」(詩篇23篇6節）

    我們惟有透過耶穌基督才能與上帝建立永遠的關係，也因為如此耶穌基督的捨命，是完成上帝的旨意，使我們進入上帝為我們預備的救恩之中，使我們有永生得確據，相信上帝必成就！因為耶穌基督的死不是殉道，是獻上挽回祭，也只要一次就可以，正如希伯來書所說：「因為他一次獻祭，便叫那得以成聖的人永遠完全。」（10:14）

民數記4:21-49

4:21 耶和華曉諭摩西說：
4:22 「你要將革順子孫的總數，照著宗族、家室，
4:23 從三十歲直到五十歲，凡前來任職、在會幕裡辦事的，全都數點。
4:24 革順人各族所辦的事、所抬的物乃是這樣：
4:25 他們要抬帳幕的幔子和會幕，並會幕的蓋與其上的海狗皮，和會幕的門簾，
4:26 院子的帷子和門簾（院子是圍帳幕和壇的）、繩子，並所用的器具，不論是做甚麼用的，他們都要經理。
4:27 革順的子孫在一切抬物辦事之上都要憑亞倫和他兒子的吩咐；他們所當抬的，要派他們看守。
4:28 這是革順子孫的各族在會幕裡所辦的事；他們所看守的，必在祭司亞倫兒子以他瑪的手下。」
4:29 「至於米拉利的子孫，你要照著家室、宗族把他們數點。
4:30 從三十歲直到五十歲，凡前來任職、在會幕裡辦事的，你都要數點。
4:31 他們辦理會幕的事，就是抬帳幕的板、閂、柱子，和帶卯的座，
4:32 院子四圍的柱子和其上帶卯的座、橛子、繩子，並一切使用的器具。他們所抬的器具，你們要按名指定。
4:33 這是米拉利子孫各族在會幕裡所辦的事，都在祭司亞倫兒子以他瑪的手下。」
4:34 摩西、亞倫與會眾的諸首領將哥轄的子孫，照著家室、宗族，
4:35 從三十歲直到五十歲，凡前來任職、在會幕裡辦事的，都數點了。
4:36 被數的共有二千七百五十名。
4:37 這是哥轄各族中被數的，是在會幕裡辦事的，就是摩西、亞倫照耶和華藉摩西所吩咐數點的。
4:38 革順子孫被數的，照著家室、宗族，
4:39 從三十歲直到五十歲，凡前來任職、在會幕裡辦事的，共有二千六百三十名。
4:40 【併於上節】
4:41 這是革順子孫各族中被數的，是在會幕裡辦事的，就是摩西、亞倫照耶和華藉摩西所吩咐數點的。
4:42 米拉利子孫中各族被數的，照著家室、宗族，
4:43 從三十歲直到五十歲，凡前來任職、在會幕裡辦事的，共有三千二百名。
4:44 【併於上節】
4:45 這是米拉利子孫各族中被數的，就是摩西、亞倫照耶和華藉摩西所吩咐數點的。
4:46 凡被數的利未人，就是摩西、亞倫並以色列眾首領，照著家室、宗族所數點的，
4:47 從三十歲直到五十歲，凡前來任職、在會幕裡做抬物之工的，共有八千五百八十名。
4:48 【併於上節】
4:49 摩西按他們所辦的事、所抬的物，憑耶和華的吩咐數點他們；他們這樣被摩西數點，正如耶和華所吩咐他的。

²¹ The Lord said to Moses, ²² “Take a census also of the Gershonites by their families and clans. ²³ Count all the men from thirty to fifty years of age who come to serve in the work at the tent of meeting.

²⁴ “This is the service of the Gershonite clans in their carrying and their other work: ²⁵ They are to carry the curtains of the tabernacle, that is, the tent of meeting, its covering and its outer covering of durable leather, the curtains for the entrance to the tent of meeting, ²⁶ the curtains of the courtyard surrounding the tabernacle and altar, the curtain for the entrance to the courtyard, the ropes and all the equipment used in the service of the tent. The Gershonites are to do all that needs to be done with these things. ²⁷ All their service, whether carrying or doing other work, is to be done under the direction of Aaron and his sons. You shall assign to them as their responsibility all they are to carry. ²⁸ This is the service of the Gershonite clans at the tent of meeting. Their duties are to be under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron, the priest.

²⁹ “Count the Merarites by their clans and families. ³⁰ Count all the men from thirty to fifty years of age who come to serve in the work at the tent of meeting. ³¹ As part of all their service at the tent, they are to carry the frames of the tabernacle, its crossbars, posts and bases, ³² as well as the posts of the surrounding courtyard with their bases, tent pegs, ropes, all their equipment and everything related to their use. Assign to each man the specific things he is to carry. ³³ This is the service of the Merarite clans as they work at the tent of meeting under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron, the priest.”

³⁴ Moses, Aaron and the leaders of the community counted the Kohathites by their clans and families. ³⁵ All the men from thirty to fifty years of age who came to serve in the work at the tent of meeting, ³⁶ counted by clans, were 2,750. ³⁷ This was the total of all those in the Kohathite clans who served at the tent of meeting. Moses and Aaron counted them according to the Lord’s command through Moses.

³⁸ The Gershonites were counted by their clans and families. ³⁹ All the men from thirty to fifty years of age who came to serve in the work at the tent of meeting, ⁴⁰ counted by their clans and families, were 2,630. ⁴¹ This was the total of those in the Gershonite clans who served at the tent of meeting. Moses and Aaron counted them according to the Lord’s command.

⁴² The Merarites were counted by their clans and families. ⁴³ All the men from thirty to fifty years of age who came to serve in the work at the tent of meeting, ⁴⁴ counted by their clans, were 3,200. ⁴⁵ This was the total of those in the Merarite clans. Moses and Aaron counted them according to the Lord’s command through Moses.

⁴⁶ So Moses, Aaron and the leaders of Israel counted all the Levites by their clans and families. ⁴⁷ All the men from thirty to fifty years of age who came to do the work of serving and carrying the tent of meeting ⁴⁸ numbered 8,580. ⁴⁹ At the Lord’s command through Moses, each was assigned his work and told what to carry.

Thus they were counted, as the Lord commanded Moses.

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    從利未支派的分支與工作分配中可以看見會幕的事務是有所分別的，然而這一切都是為了支持亞倫家族可以侍立在上帝面前，在上帝和人的中間，成為上帝和人的中保。

    然而耶穌基督成為中保，並不需要一個龐大的組織來支持，正如教會是被基督拯救的人，不是支持基督人的人，與利未支派是支持亞倫家族不同！正如希伯來書7章所說:「那些成為祭司的，數目本來多，是因為有死阻隔，不能長久。這位既是永遠常存的，他祭司的職任就長久不更換。凡靠著他進到上帝面前的人，他都能拯救到底；因為他是長遠活著，替他們祈求。」（23-25）

    也因為這樣，所以保羅宣告：「因為只有一位上帝，在上帝和人中間，只有一位中保，乃是降世為人的基督耶穌；他捨自己作萬人的贖價，到了時候，這事必證明出來。」（提摩太前書:2:5-6）

    今日教會也是祭司的團體，是因為基督的救贖大功所支持，是代表基督在這個世代，呼召人來歸向基督，不是歸向一個人為的組織，這個組織雖是人的集合，不是要宣揚自己，而是要宣揚基督，完成耶穌基督的大使命:「所以，你們要去，使萬民作我的門徒，奉父、子、聖靈的名給他們施洗（或譯：給他們施洗，歸於父、子、聖靈的名）。」（馬太福音28:19）