Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
To the Director: For flutes. A Davidic Psalm
A Prayer for God’s Help
5 Lord, listen to my words,
consider my groaning.
2 Pay attention to my cry for help,[a]
my king and my God,
for unto you will I pray.
3 Lord, in the morning you will hear my voice;
in the morning I will pray[b] to you,
and I will watch for your answer.[c]
4 Indeed, you aren’t a God who delights in wickedness;
evil will never dwell with you.
5 Boastful ones will not stand before you;
you hate all those who practice wickedness.
6 You will destroy those who speak lies.
The Lord abhors the person of bloodshed and deceit.
7 But I, because of the abundance of your gracious love,
may come into your house.
In awe of you, I will worship in your holy Temple.
8 Lord, lead me in your righteousness because of my enemies.
Make your path straight before me.
9 But as for the wicked,[d]
they do not speak truth at all.
Inside them there is only wickedness.
Their throat is an open grave,
on their tongue is deceitful flattery.
10 Declare them guilty, God!
Let them fall by their own schemes.
Drive them away because of their many transgressions,
for they have rebelled against you.
11 Let all those who take refuge in you rejoice!
Let them shout for joy forever,
and may you protect them.
Let those who love your name exult in you.
12 Indeed, you will bless the righteous one, Lord,
like a large shield, you will surround him with favor.
The Future Prosperity of the Branch
9 Then this message from the Lord came to me: 10 “Go take up an offering[a] from those who came out of[b] the Babylonian[c] exile, that is, from Heldai, from Tobijah, and from Jedaiah. Go along with them today into the house of Zephaniah’s son Josiah, who returned from Babylon. 11 Take silver and gold and fashion crowns to set upon the head of Joshua son of Johozadak, the High Priest. 12 Then tell him, ‘This is what the Lord of the Heavenly Armies says: “Here is the man whose name is The Branch.[d] He will branch out from where he is and will rebuild the Temple of the Lord. 13 Yes, he will indeed rebuild the Temple of the Lord, and he will exalt its majesty by sitting and ruling on his throne. He will serve as priest on his throne, and no contention[e] will exist between them. 14 The crowns will go to Helem, to Tobijah, to Jedaiah, and to Zephaniah’s son Hen, as a memorial in the Temple of the Lord. 15 Those who are now far away will come and do reconstruction work in the Temple of the Lord. Then you will know that the Lord of the Heavenly Armies has sent me to you. This will come about if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God.”’”
Our Hope and Joy are in the Messiah
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus, the Messiah![a] Because of his great mercy he has granted us a new birth, resulting in an immortal hope through the resurrection of Jesus, the Messiah,[b] from the dead 4 and to an inheritance kept in heaven for you that can’t be destroyed, corrupted, or changed. 5 Through faith you are being protected by God’s power for a salvation that is ready to be revealed at the end of this era. 6 You greatly rejoice in this, even though you have to suffer various kinds of trials for a little while, 7 so that your genuine faith, which is more valuable than gold that perishes when tested by fire, may result in praise, glory, and honor when Jesus, the Messiah,[c] is revealed.
8 Though you have not seen[d] him, you love him. And even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy, 9 because you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
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