Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Prayer for Help in the Face of Enemies
For the music director. A psalm of David.[a]
140 Rescue me, O Yahweh, from evil men.[b]
Preserve me from violent men,
2 who plan evil things in their heart.
They stir up wars continually.
3 They sharpen their tongue as sharp as a snake’s;
the venom of a viper is under their lips. Selah
4 Protect me, O Yahweh, from the hands of the wicked.
Preserve me from violent men,
who have planned to make me stumble.[c]
5 The proud have hidden a trap for me, and cords.
They have spread out a net along the side[d] of the path.
They have set snares for me. Selah
6 I say to Yahweh, “You are my God.”
Listen, O Yahweh, to the voice of my supplications.
7 O Yahweh, my Lord, the strength of my salvation,
you have covered my head in the day of battle.
8 Do not grant, O Yahweh, the desires of the wicked.
Do not allow them to attain their[e] plan, lest they be exalted. Selah
9 With respect to the head of those who surround me,
may the harm of their lips cover them.
10 Let burning coals fall on them;
let them be dropped into the fire,
into bottomless pits from which they cannot rise.
11 Do not let a slanderer[f] be established in the land;
as for the man of violence, let evil hunt him quickly.
12 I know[g] that Yahweh will maintain the cause of the afflicted,
and justice for the needy.
13 Surely the righteous will give thanks to your name;
the upright will dwell in your presence.
16 Thus says Yahweh of hosts,
“You must not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you.
They are deluding you with visions of their mind,[a]
They do not speak from the mouth of Yahweh.
17 They are[b] continually saying to those who disregard the word of Yahweh,
‘Peace it will be to you,’
and to each one[c] who walks in the stubbornness of his heart they say,
‘Calamity will not come upon you.’
18 For who has stood in the council of Yahweh,
that he has seen and heard his word?
Who has listened attentively to his word
and heard it?[d]
19 Look, the storm of Yahweh has gone forth in wrath,
even a whirling tempest.
It will whirl upon the head of the wicked.
20 The anger[e] of Yahweh will not turn back
until his doing and until his keeping the plans of his mind.[f]
In latter days[g] you will look closely at it with understanding.
21 I have not sent the prophets, yet they ran.
I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied.
22 But if they had stood in my council,
then they would have proclaimed my words to my people,
and they would have caused them to turn from their evil way,
and from the evil of their deeds.
Persecution of Disciples Predicted
16 “Behold, I am sending you out like sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. 17 But beware of people, because they will hand you over to councils, and they will flog you in their synagogues. 18 And you will be brought before both governors and kings because of me, for a witness to them and to the Gentiles. 19 But whenever they hand you over, do not be anxious how to speak[a] or what you should say, for what you should say will be given to you at that hour. 20 For you are not the ones who are speaking, but the Spirit of your Father who is speaking through you.
21 “And brother will hand over brother to death, and a father his children, and children will rise up against parents and have them put to death, 22 and you will be hated by everyone because of my name. But the one who endures to the end—this one will be saved. 23 And whenever they persecute you in this town, flee to another, for truly I say to you, you will never finish going through the towns of Israel until the Son of Man comes.
24 “A disciple is not superior to his teacher, nor a slave superior to his master. 25 It is enough for the disciple that he become like his teacher, and the slave like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more the members of his household?
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