Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Prayer for the Lord’s Help.
A Song of Ascents.
Zophar Says the Rejoicing of the Wicked Is Short
20 Then Zophar the Naamathite responded,
2 “Therefore my disquieting thoughts make me [a]respond,
Even because of my [b]inward agitation.
3 I listened to (A)the reprimand which insults me,
And the spirit of my understanding makes me answer.
4 Do you know this from (B)ancient times,
From the establishment of mankind on earth,
5 That the (C)rejoicing of the wicked is short,
And (D)the joy of the godless momentary?
6 Though his arrogance [c](E)reaches the heavens,
And his head touches the clouds,
7 He (F)perishes forever like his refuse;
Those who have seen him (G)will say, ‘Where is he?’
8 He flies away like a (H)dream, and they cannot find him;
Like a vision of the night he is (I)chased away.
9 The (J)eye which saw him sees him no longer,
And (K)his place no longer beholds him.
10 His (L)sons [d]favor the poor,
And his hands (M)give back his wealth.
11 His (N)bones are full of his youthful strength,
But it lies down with him [e]in the dust.
Eyewitnesses
16 For we did not follow cleverly devised (A)tales when we made known to you the (B)power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were (C)eyewitnesses of His majesty. 17 For when He received honor and glory from God the Father, such a [a](D)declaration as this was made to Him by the (E)Majestic Glory: “This is [b]My beloved Son with whom I am well pleased”— 18 and we ourselves heard this [c]declaration made from heaven when we were with Him on the (F)holy mountain.
19 And so we have (G)the prophetic word made more (H)sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to (I)a lamp shining in a dark place, until the (J)day dawns and the (K)morning star arises (L)in your hearts. 20 But (M)know this first of all, that (N)no prophecy of Scripture [d]becomes a matter of [e]someone’s own interpretation, 21 for (O)no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men (P)moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.
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