Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Song of Thanks for Being Kept Safe
18 I love You, O Lord, my strength. 2 The Lord is my rock, and my safe place, and the One Who takes me out of trouble. My God is my rock, in Whom I am safe. He is my safe-covering, my saving strength, and my strong tower. 3 I call to the Lord, Who has the right to be praised. And I am saved from those who hate me.
20 The Lord has paid me because of my being right with Him. Because of my clean hands He has paid me. 21 For I have kept the ways of the Lord. And I have not sinned by turning from my God. 22 All His Laws are in front of me. I have not set His Laws aside. 23 Before Him I was without blame. And I have kept myself from sin. 24 So the Lord has paid me back for being right with Him, and for my hands being clean in His eyes.
25 To the faithful, You show Yourself faithful. To those without blame, You show Yourself without blame. 26 With the pure, You show Yourself pure. With the sinful You show Yourself to be against them. 27 You save those who are suffering, but You bring low those who have pride in their eyes. 28 You make my lamp bright. The Lord my God lights my darkness. 29 With Your help I can go against many soldiers. With my God I can jump over a wall.
30 As for God, His way is perfect. The Word of the Lord has stood the test. He is a covering for all who go to Him for a safe place. 31 For Who is God, but the Lord? And who is a rock except our God? 32 It is God Who covers me with strength and makes my way perfect.
18 You did not think of the Rock Who gave you birth. You forgot the God Who gave you birth.
19 “The Lord saw this, and hated them. His sons and daughters made Him angry. 20 Then He said, ‘I will hide My face from them. I will see what their end will be. For they are a sinful people, children who are not faithful.
28 “For they are a nation without wise teaching. There is no understanding in them. 29 If they were wise, they would understand this. They would know their future! 30 How could one run after a thousand? How could two make ten thousand run away, unless their Rock had sold them, and the Lord had given them up? 31 For their rock is not like our Rock. Even those who hate us judge this. 32 Their vine is from the vine of Sodom, and from the fields of Gomorrah. Their grapes are grapes of poison. Their fruit tastes bitter. 33 Their wine is the poison of snakes that kill.
34 ‘Are they not kept in store with Me, shut in with My stores of riches? 35 It is Mine to punish when their foot makes a false step. The day of their trouble is near. Their fall is coming fast upon them.’ 36 For the Lord will judge His people. He will have loving-pity on His servants when He sees their strength is gone, and none are left of those who are free or of those who are not free. 37 Then He will say, ‘Where are their gods? Where is the rock where they went to be safe? 38 Who ate the fat of their burnt gifts and drank the wine of their drink gifts? Let them come and help you. Let them be your hiding place! 39 See now that it is I. I am He. There is no god except Me. It is I Who kills and gives life. I hurt, and I heal. And there is no one who can take from My hand.
33 God’s riches are so great! The things He knows and His wisdom are so deep! No one can understand His thoughts. No one can understand His ways. 34 The Holy Writings say, “Who knows the mind of the Lord? Who is able to tell Him what to do?” (A) 35 “Who has given first to God, that God should pay him back?” (B) 36 Everything comes from Him. His power keeps all things together. All things are made for Him. May He be honored forever. Let it be so.
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