Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

The Lord—Our Helper

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 as long as I live. ³ Do not put your trust in princes, in a son of a man, who cannot save us. ⁴ When his spirit leaves, he returns to the earth. His thoughts end on that day. ⁵ Happy is he whose help is the God of Jacob, and whose hope is in the Lord his God. ⁶ The Lord made heaven and earth, the sea and all that is in them. He is faithful forever. ⁷ He helps those who have a bad power over them. He gives food to the hungry. And He sets those in prison free.

⁸ The Lord opens the eyes of the blind. The Lord raises up those who are brought down. The Lord loves those who are right and good. ⁹ The Lord keeps the strangers safe. He takes care of the children who have no father and the woman whose husband has died. But He destroys the way of the sinful. ¹⁰ The Lord will rule forever. Your God, O Zion, will rule over all people for all time. Praise the Lord!

¹¹ The rich man is wise in his own eyes, but the poor man who has understanding sees through him.

¹² When those who are right with God win, there is great honor, but when the sinful rule, men hide themselves.

¹³ It will not go well for the man who hides his sins, but he who tells his sins and turns from them will be given loving-pity.

¹⁴ Happy is the man who always fears the Lord, but he who makes his heart hard will fall into trouble.

¹⁵ A sinful ruler over poor people is like a lion making noise or a bear running to fight.

¹⁶ A ruler who takes much from the people who have little does not have understanding. But he who hates wanting something that belongs to someone else will live a long time.

¹⁷ A man who is loaded down with the guilt of human blood will run in fear until death. Let no one help him.

¹⁸ He who walks without blame will be kept safe, but he who is sinful will fall all at once.

¹⁹ He who works his land will have more than enough food, but he who wastes his time will become very poor.

²⁰ A faithful man will have many good things, but he who hurries to be rich will be punished for it.

²¹ To show favor is not good, because a man will sin for a piece of bread.

²² A man with a sinful eye hurries to be rich. He does not know that he will be in need.

²³ He who speaks strong words to a man will later find more favor than he who gives false respect with his tongue.

²⁴ He who robs his father or his mother, and says, “It is not a sin,” is the friend of a man who destroys.

²⁵ A proud man starts fights, but all will go well for the man who trusts in the Lord.

²⁶ He who trusts in his own heart is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom will be kept safe.

²⁷ He who gives to the poor will never want, but many bad things will happen to the man who shuts his eyes to the poor.

²⁸ When the sinful rule, men hide themselves, but when they pass away, those who do what is right become many.

Jesus Tells of His Death the Second Time ^(A)

⁴³ They were all surprised at the great power of God. They all were thinking about the special things Jesus had done. And Jesus said to His followers, ⁴⁴ “Remember these words. For the Son of Man will be given over into the hands of men.” ⁴⁵ They did not understand these words because it was hidden from them. They did not know what Jesus meant and were afraid to ask Him.

Jesus Teaches about the Faith of a Child ^(B)

⁴⁶ The followers argued among themselves about which of them would be the greatest. ⁴⁷ Jesus knew what they were thinking. He put a child beside Him. ⁴⁸ He said to the followers, “Whoever receives this child in My name, receives Me. Whoever receives Me, receives Him Who sent Me. The one who is least among you is the one who is great.”