Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Psalm 26
Prayer for Vindication
Of David.
1 Vindicate me, Lord,
because I have lived with integrity
and have trusted in the Lord without wavering.(A)
2 Test me, Lord, and try me;
examine my heart and mind.(B)
3 For your faithful love guides me,[a]
and I live by your truth.(C)
4 I do not sit with the worthless
or associate with hypocrites.
5 I hate a crowd of evildoers,
and I do not sit with the wicked.(D)
6 I wash my hands in innocence(E)
and go around your altar, Lord,(F)
7 raising my voice in thanksgiving(G)
and telling about your wondrous works.(H)
8 Lord, I love the house where you dwell,
the place where your glory resides.(I)
The Lord’s Negative Response
15 Then the Lord said to me, “Even if Moses and Samuel(A) should stand before me,(B) my compassions would not reach out to these people. Send them from my presence, and let them go.(C) 2 If they ask you, ‘Where will we go?’ tell them: This is what the Lord says:
Those destined for death,(D) to death;
those destined for the sword, to the sword.
Those destined for famine, to famine;
those destined for captivity, to captivity.
3 “I will ordain four kinds[a] of judgment for them”—this is the Lord’s declaration—“the sword to kill, the dogs to drag away,(E) and the birds of the sky and the wild animals of the land(F) to devour and destroy. 4 I will make them a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth because of Manasseh(G) son of Hezekiah, the king of Judah, for what he did in Jerusalem.
5 Who will have pity on you, Jerusalem?(H)
Who will show sympathy toward you?(I)
Who will turn aside
to ask about your well-being?
6 You have left me.”(J)
This is the Lord’s declaration.
“You have turned your back,
so I have stretched out my hand against you
and destroyed you.
I am tired(K) of showing compassion.
7 I scattered them with a winnowing fork
at the city gates of the land.
I made them childless; I destroyed my people.
They would not turn from their ways.(L)
8 I made their widows more numerous
than the sand of the seas.(M)
I brought a destroyer at noon
against the mother of young men.
I suddenly released on her
agitation and terrors.
9 The mother of seven grew faint;(N)
she breathed her last breath.
Her sun set while it was still day;
she was ashamed and humiliated.
The rest of them I will give over to the sword
in the presence of their enemies.”
This is the Lord’s declaration.
7 For the mystery of lawlessness(A) is already at work, but the one now restraining will do so until he is out of the way, 8 and then the lawless one will be revealed. The Lord Jesus will destroy him with the breath of his mouth(B) and will bring him to nothing at the appearance of his coming. 9 The coming of the lawless one is based on Satan’s working, with every kind of miracle, both signs and wonders serving the lie,(C) 10 and with every wicked deception among those who are perishing. They perish because they did not accept the love of the truth and so be saved.(D) 11 For this reason God sends them a strong delusion so that they will believe the lie, 12 so that all will be condemned(E)—those who did not believe(F) the truth but delighted in unrighteousness.
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