Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
(By David.)
The Prayer of an Innocent Person
1 Show that I am right, Lord!
I stay true to myself,
and I have trusted you
without doubting.
2 Test my thoughts and find out
what I am like.
3 I never forget your kindness,
and I am always faithful
to you.[a]
4 I don't spend my time
with worthless liars
5 or go with evil crowds.
6 I wash my hands, Lord,
to show my innocence,
and I worship at your altar,
7 while gratefully singing
about your wonders.
8 I love the temple
where you live, and where
your glory shines.
9 Don't sweep me away,
as you do sinners.
Don't punish me with death
as you do those people
who are brutal
10 or full of meanness
or who bribe others.
11 I stay true to myself.
Be kind and rescue me.
12 Now I stand on solid ground!
And when your people meet,
I will praise you, Lord.
The Lord Condemns Edom's Cruelty
10 You were cruel to your relatives,
the descendants of Jacob.[a]
Now you will be destroyed,
disgraced forever.
11 You stood there and watched
as foreigners entered Jerusalem
and took what they wanted.
In fact, you were no better
than those foreigners.
12 Why did you celebrate
when such a dreadful disaster
struck your relatives?
Why were you so pleased
when everyone in Judah
was suffering?
13 They are my people,
and you were cruel to them.
You went through their towns,
sneering and stealing
whatever was left.
14 In their time of torment,
you ambushed refugees
and handed them over
to their attackers.
The Lord Will Judge the Nations
15 The day is coming
when I, the Lord,
will judge the nations.
And, Edom, you will pay in full
for what you have done.
16 I forced the people of Judah[b]
to drink the wine of my anger
on my sacred mountain.
Soon the neighboring nations
must drink their fill—
then vanish without a trace.
The Seventh Seal Is Opened
8 When the Lamb opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. 2 I noticed that the seven angels who stood before God were each given a trumpet.
3 (A) Another angel, who had a gold container for incense,[a] came and stood at the altar. This one was given a lot of incense to offer with the prayers of God's people on the gold altar in front of the throne. 4 Then the smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of God's people, went up to God from the hand of the angel.
5 (B) After this, the angel filled the incense container with fire from the altar and threw it on the earth. Thunder roared, lightning flashed, and the earth shook.
Copyright © 1995 by American Bible Society For more information about CEV, visit www.bibles.com and www.cev.bible.