Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
7 I have been put to shame because of You. Shame has covered my face. 8 I have become a stranger to my brothers, a stranger to my mother’s sons. 9 For the strong desire for Your house has burned me up. And the bad things said about You have fallen on me. 10 When I cried and went without food, I was put to shame.
11 When I put on clothes made from hair, they made fun of me. 12 Those who sit by the gate talk about me. And I am the song of those who drink too much.
13 But as for me, my prayer is to You at the right time, O Lord. Answer me with Your saving truth in Your great loving-kindness, O God. 14 Take me out of the mud and do not let me go down in it. Take me away from those who hate me and from the deep waters. 15 Keep the flood water from covering me. Do not let the sea swallow me up. Do not let the deep hole close its mouth over me.
16 Answer me, O Lord, for Your loving-kindness is good. Turn to me because of Your great loving-pity. 17 Do not hide Your face from Your servant, for I am in trouble. Hurry to answer me. 18 Come near to me and save me. Pay the price to set me free from those who hate me.
12 But they will say, ‘There is no hope! For we are going to follow our own plans. Each of us will act in the strong-will of his sinful heart.’
The People Turn from the Lord
13 “So the Lord says, ‘Ask now among the nations: Who has heard such things? Pure Israel has done a very sinful thing. 14 Does the snow of Lebanon ever leave its rocky mountains? Does the cold flowing water of other lands ever dry up? 15 But My people have forgotten Me. They burn special perfume to false gods of no worth. They have fallen in their ways, from the old paths, and have gone on side roads, not on the straight road. 16 They make their land a waste, a thing that is spoken against forever. Everyone who passes by it will be surprised and shake his head. 17 I will send them out everywhere like an east wind in front of those who hate them. I will show them My back and not My face in the day of their trouble.’”
Jesus, the Way to Heaven
5 God did not make angels to be the leaders of that world to come which we have been speaking about. 6 Instead, the Holy Writings say, “What is man that You think of him and the son of man that You should remember him?” (A) 7 “You made him so he took a place that was not as important as the angels for a little while. You gave him the crown of honor and shining-greatness. *You made him the head over everything You have made. 8 You have put everything under his feet.” (B) There is nothing that does not obey him, but we do not see all things obey him yet. 9 But we do see Jesus. For a little while He took a place that was not as important as the angels. But God had loving-favor for everyone. He had Jesus suffer death on a cross for all of us. Then, because of Christ’s death on a cross, God gave Him the crown of honor and shining-greatness.
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