Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

A Psalm of David, Maschil.

¹ ¶ Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.

² Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD does not impute iniquity and in whose spirit there is no guile.

³ When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long.

⁴ For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: my green growth is turned into the drought of summer. Selah.

⁵ I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and I have not hid my iniquity. I said, I will confess (against myself) my rebellions unto the LORD, and thou shalt forgive the iniquity of my sin. Selah.

⁶ For this shall every one that is merciful pray unto thee in the time when thou may be found; surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come near unto him.

⁷ ¶ Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Selah.

⁸ ¶ The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD, but the prayer of the upright is his delight.

⁹ ¶ The way of the wicked is an abomination unto the LORD, but he loves him that follows after righteousness.

¹⁰ ¶ Chastening is grievous unto him that forsakes the way, but he that hates reproof shall die.

¹¹ ¶ Sheol and hell are before the LORD; how much more then the hearts of men?

²⁴ ¶ The way of life is uphill to the wise, that he may separate himself from Sheol below.

²⁵ ¶ The LORD will destroy the house of the proud, but he will establish the inheritance of the widow.

²⁶ ¶ The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the LORD, but the speech of the pure is pure.

²⁷ ¶ He that is greedy of gain troubles his own house, but he that hates gifts shall live.

²⁸ ¶ The heart of the righteous studies to answer, but the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things.

²⁹ ¶ The LORD is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayer of the righteous.

³⁰ ¶ The light of the eyes rejoices the heart, and a good report makes the bones fat.

³¹ ¶ The ear that hears the reproof of life shall abide among the wise.

³² ¶ He that refuses chastening despises his own soul, but he that hears reproof has an understanding heart.

³³ ¶ The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom, and before honour is humility.

1 ¶ Paul, apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, unto the congregation {Gr. ekklesia – called out ones} of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints who are in all Achaia:

² Grace be to you and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

³ ¶ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;

⁴ who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

⁵ For in the same manner that the sufferings of the Christ abound in us, so also our consolation abounds by Christ.

⁶ And if we are afflicted, it is for your consolation and saving health, which is effected in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer; or if we are comforted, it is for your consolation and saving health.

⁷ ¶ And our hope of you is steadfast, being certain, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation.

⁸ Because, brothers, we would not have you ignore our tribulation which was done unto us in Asia, that we were burdened beyond our strength, in such a manner that we despaired even of life:

⁹ But we had the sentence of death in ourselves that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead;

¹⁰ who delivered us from so great a death and does deliver; in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;

¹¹ ye also helping us with prayer, that for the gift bestowed upon us by the means of many persons, thanks may be given by many on our behalf.