Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Praise for God’s Help
146 Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord, O my soul!
2 I will praise the Lord as long as I live;
I will sing praises to my God while I have being.
3 Put not your trust in princes,
in a son of man, in whom there is no help.
4 When his breath departs he returns to his earth;
on that very day his plans perish.
5 Happy is he whose help is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the Lord his God,
6 who made heaven and earth,
the sea, and all that is in them;
who keeps faith for ever;
7 who executes justice for the oppressed;
who gives food to the hungry.
The Lord sets the prisoners free;
8 the Lord opens the eyes of the blind.
The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down;
the Lord loves the righteous.
9 The Lord watches over the sojourners,
he upholds the widow and the fatherless;
but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.
10 The Lord will reign for ever,
thy God, O Zion, to all generations.
Praise the Lord!
11 A rich man is wise in his own eyes,
but a poor man who has understanding will find him out.
12 When the righteous triumph, there is great glory;
but when the wicked rise, men hide themselves.
13 He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper,
but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.
14 Blessed is the man who fears the Lord always;
but he who hardens his heart will fall into calamity.
15 Like a roaring lion or a charging bear
is a wicked ruler over a poor people.
16 A ruler who lacks understanding is a cruel oppressor;
but he who hates unjust gain will prolong his days.
17 If a man is burdened with the blood of another,
let him be a fugitive until death;
let no one help him.
18 He who walks in integrity will be delivered,
but he who is perverse in his ways will fall into a pit.[a]
19 He who tills his land will have plenty of bread,
but he who follows worthless pursuits will have plenty of poverty.
20 A faithful man will abound with blessings,
but he who hastens to be rich will not go unpunished.
21 To show partiality is not good;
but for a piece of bread a man will do wrong.
22 A miserly man hastens after wealth,
and does not know that want will come upon him.
23 He who rebukes a man will afterward find more favor
than he who flatters with his tongue.
24 He who robs his father or his mother
and says, “That is no transgression,”
is the companion of a man who destroys.
25 A greedy man stirs up strife,
but he who trusts in the Lord will be enriched.
26 He who trusts in his own mind is a fool;
but he who walks in wisdom will be delivered.
27 He who gives to the poor will not want,
but he who hides his eyes will get many a curse.
28 When the wicked rise, men hide themselves,
but when they perish, the righteous increase.
43 And all were astonished at the majesty of God.
Jesus Again Foretells His Death
But while they were all marveling at everything he did, he said to his disciples, 44 “Let these words sink into your ears; for the Son of man is to be delivered into the hands of men.” 45 But they did not understand this saying, and it was concealed from them, that they should not perceive it; and they were afraid to ask him about this saying.
True Greatness
46 And an argument arose among them as to which of them was the greatest. 47 But when Jesus perceived the thought of their hearts, he took a child and put him by his side, 48 and said to them, “Whoever receives this child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me; for he who is least among you all is the one who is great.”
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1946, 1952, and 1971 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.