Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
A Song of Ascents
The Guardian of God’s People
121 I lift up my eyes toward the mountains—
from where will my help come?
2 My help is from the Lord,
maker of heaven and earth.
3 He will never let[a] your foot slip,
nor[b] will[c] your guardian become drowsy.
4 Look! The one who is guarding Israel
never sleeps and does not take naps.
5 The Lord is your guardian;
the Lord is your shade at your right side.
6 The sun will not ravage you by day,
nor the moon by night.
Who is like God?
18 Is there any God like you,
forgiving iniquity,
passing over transgressions by the survivors who are your[a] heritage?[b]
He is not angry forever,
because he delights in gracious love.
19 He will again show us compassion;
he will subdue our iniquities.
You will hurl all their sins into the deepest sea.
20 You will remain true to Jacob,
and merciful to Abraham,
as you promised our ancestors long ago.
God Gives Us Righteousness through Faith
21 But now, apart from the Law, God’s righteousness is revealed and is attested by the Law and the Prophets— 22 God’s righteousness through the faithfulness of Jesus[a] the Messiah[b]— for all who believe. For there is no distinction among people,[c] 23 since all have sinned and continue to fall short of God’s glory. 24 By his grace they are justified freely through the redemption that is in the Messiah[d] Jesus, 25 whom God offered as a place where atonement by the Messiah’s[e] blood would occur through faith. He did this[f] to demonstrate his righteousness, because he had waited patiently to deal with sins committed in the past. 26 He wanted[g] to demonstrate at the present time that he himself is righteous and that he justifies anyone who has the faithfulness of Jesus.[h]
27 What, then, is there to boast about? That has been eliminated. On what principle? On that of actions? No, but on the principle of faith. 28 For[i] we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the actions prescribed by the Law. 29 Is God the God of the Jews only? Is he not the God of the gentiles, too? Yes, of the gentiles, too, 30 since there is only one God who will justify the circumcised on the basis of faith and the uncircumcised by that same faith. 31 Do we, then, abolish the Law by this faith? Of course not! Instead, we uphold the Law.
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