Psalm 79

A psalm of Asaph.

8 “‘At that time, declares the Lord, the bones of the kings and officials of Judah, the bones of the priests and prophets, and the bones^(A) of the people of Jerusalem will be removed^(B) from their graves. ² They will be exposed to the sun and the moon and all the stars of the heavens, which they have loved and served^(C) and which they have followed and consulted and worshiped.^(D) They will not be gathered up or buried,^(E) but will be like dung lying on the ground.^{(F) 3} Wherever I banish them,^(G) all the survivors of this evil nation will prefer death to life,^(H) declares the Lord Almighty.’

Sin and Punishment

⁴ “Say to them, ‘This is what the Lord says:

More Than Conquerors

³¹ What, then, shall we say in response to these things?^(A) If God is for us,^(B) who can be against us?^{(C) 32} He who did not spare his own Son,^(D) but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? ³³ Who will bring any charge^(E) against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. ³⁴ Who then is the one who condemns?^(F) No one. Christ Jesus who died^(G)—more than that, who was raised to life^(H)—is at the right hand of God^(I) and is also interceding for us.^{(J) 35} Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?^(K) Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?^{(L) 36} As it is written:

³⁷ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors^(N) through him who loved us.^{(O) 38} For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,^[b] neither the present nor the future,^(P) nor any powers,^{(Q) 39} neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God^(R) that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.^(S)

Psalm 113

¹⁷ Then the word of the Lord came to me: ¹⁸ “Son of man, the people of Israel have become dross^(A) to me; all of them are the copper, tin, iron and lead left inside a furnace.^(B) They are but the dross of silver.^{(C) 19} Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: ‘Because you have all become dross,^(D) I will gather you into Jerusalem. ²⁰ As silver, copper, iron, lead and tin are gathered into a furnace to be melted with a fiery blast, so will I gather you in my anger and my wrath and put you inside the city and melt you.^{(E) 21} I will gather you and I will blow^(F) on you with my fiery wrath, and you will be melted inside her.^{(G) 22} As silver is melted^(H) in a furnace, so you will be melted inside her, and you will know that I the Lord have poured out my wrath^(I) on you.’”^(J)

²³ Again the word of the Lord came to me: ²⁴ “Son of man, say to the land, ‘You are a land that has not been cleansed or rained on in the day of wrath.’^{(K) 25} There is a conspiracy^(L) of her princes^[a] within her like a roaring lion^(M) tearing its prey; they devour people,^(N) take treasures and precious things and make many widows^(O) within her. ²⁶ Her priests do violence to my law^(P) and profane my holy things; they do not distinguish between the holy and the common;^(Q) they teach that there is no difference between the unclean and the clean;^(R) and they shut their eyes to the keeping of my Sabbaths, so that I am profaned^(S) among them.^{(T) 27} Her officials^(U) within her are like wolves^(V) tearing their prey; they shed blood and kill people^(W) to make unjust gain.^{(X) 28} Her prophets whitewash^(Y) these deeds for them by false visions and lying divinations.^(Z) They say, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says’—when the Lord has not spoken.^{(AA) 29} The people of the land practice extortion and commit robbery;^(AB) they oppress the poor and needy and mistreat the foreigner,^(AC) denying them justice.^(AD)

³⁰ “I looked for someone among them who would build up the wall^(AE) and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found no one.^{(AF) 31} So I will pour out my wrath on them and consume them with my fiery anger,^(AG) bringing down^(AH) on their own heads all they have done, declares the Sovereign Lord.^(AI)”