Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Honest People Are Blessed
112 Praise the Lord!
Happy are those who respect the Lord,
who want what he commands.
2 Their descendants will be powerful in the land;
the children of honest people will be blessed.
3 Their houses will be full of wealth and riches,
and their goodness will continue forever.
4 A light shines in the dark for honest people,
for those who are merciful and kind and good.
5 It is good to be merciful and generous.
Those who are fair in their business
6 will never be defeated.
Good people will always be remembered.
7 They won’t be afraid of bad news;
their hearts are steady because they trust the Lord.
8 They are confident and will not be afraid;
they will look down on their enemies.
9 They give freely to the poor.
The things they do are right and will continue forever.
They will be given great honor.
10 The wicked will see this and become angry;
they will grind their teeth in anger and then disappear.
The wishes of the wicked will come to nothing.
13 Happiness makes a person smile,
but sadness can break a person’s spirit.
14 People with understanding want more knowledge,
but fools just want more foolishness.
15 Every day is hard for those who suffer,
but a happy heart is like a continual feast.
16 It is better to be poor and respect the Lord
than to be wealthy and have much trouble.
17 It is better to eat vegetables with those who love you
than to eat meat with those who hate you.
Suffering for Doing Right
8 Finally, all of you should be in agreement, understanding each other, loving each other as family, being kind and humble. 9 Do not do wrong to repay a wrong, and do not insult to repay an insult. But repay with a blessing, because you yourselves were called to do this so that you might receive a blessing. 10 The Scripture says,
“A person must do these things
to enjoy life and have many happy days.
He must not say evil things,
and he must not tell lies.
11 He must stop doing evil and do good.
He must look for peace and work for it.
12 The Lord sees the good people
and listens to their prayers.
But the Lord is against
those who do evil.” Psalm 34:12–16
The Holy Bible, New Century Version®. Copyright © 2005 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.