Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Blessedness of Forgiveness and of Trust in God.
A Psalm of David. A [a]Maskil.
32 (A)How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven,
Whose sin is covered!
2 How blessed is the man to whom the Lord (B)does not impute iniquity,
And in whose spirit there is (C)no deceit!
3 When (D)I kept silent about my sin, (E)my [b]body wasted away
Through my [c](F)groaning all day long.
4 For day and night (G)Your hand was heavy upon me;
My [d](H)vitality was drained away as with the fever heat of summer. [e]Selah.
5 I (I)acknowledged my sin to You,
And my iniquity I (J)did not hide;
I said, “(K)I will confess my transgressions to the Lord”;
And You (L)forgave the [f]guilt of my sin. Selah.
6 Therefore, let everyone who is godly pray to You [g](M)in a time when You may be found;
Surely (N)in a flood of great waters they will not reach him.
7 You are (O)my hiding place; You (P)preserve me from trouble;
You surround me with [h](Q)songs of deliverance. Selah.
8 The (A)sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord,
But (B)the prayer of the upright is His delight.
9 The way of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord,
But He loves one who (C)pursues righteousness.
10 Grievous punishment is for him who forsakes the way;
He who hates reproof will die.
11 [a](D)Sheol and [b]Abaddon lie open before the Lord,
How much more the (E)hearts of [c]men!
24 The (A)path of life leads upward for the wise
That he may keep away from [a]Sheol below.
25 The Lord will (B)tear down the house of the proud,
But He will (C)establish the boundary of the (D)widow.
26 Evil plans are an abomination to the Lord,
But pleasant words are pure.
27 He who (E)profits illicitly troubles his own house,
But he who (F)hates bribes will live.
28 The heart of the righteous (G)ponders how to answer,
But the (H)mouth of the wicked pours out evil things.
29 The Lord is (I)far from the wicked,
But He (J)hears the prayer of the righteous.
30 [b]Bright eyes gladden the heart;
Good news puts fat on the bones.
31 He whose ear listens to the life-giving reproof
Will dwell among the wise.
32 He who (K)neglects discipline (L)despises himself,
But he who (M)listens to reproof acquires [c]understanding.
33 The [d]fear of the Lord is the instruction for wisdom,
And before honor comes humility.
Introduction
1 Paul, (A)an apostle of (B)Christ Jesus (C)by the will of God, and (D)Timothy our brother,
To (E)the church of God which is at (F)Corinth with all the [a]saints who are throughout (G)Achaia:
2 (H)Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 (I)Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and (J)God of all comfort, 4 who (K)comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in [b]any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 5 For just (L)as the sufferings of Christ are [c]ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ. 6 But if we are afflicted, it is (M)for your comfort and salvation; or if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which is effective in the patient enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer; 7 and our hope for you is firmly grounded, knowing that (N)as you are sharers of our sufferings, so also you are sharers of our comfort.
8 For (O)we do not want you to be unaware, brethren, of our (P)affliction which came to us in [d](Q)Asia, that we were burdened excessively, beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of life; 9 [e]indeed, we had the sentence of death within ourselves so that we would not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead; 10 who (R)delivered us from so great a peril of death, and will deliver us, [f]He (S)on whom we have set our hope. And He will yet deliver us, 11 you also joining in (T)helping us through your prayers, so that thanks may be given by (U)many persons on our behalf for the favor bestowed on us through the prayers of many.
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