Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
A Davidic instruction.[a]
The Blessings of Forgiveness
32 How blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven,
whose sin is covered.
2 How blessed is the person against whom the Lord does not charge iniquity,
and in whose spirit there is no deceit.
3 When I kept silent about my sin,[b]
my body[c] wasted away
by my groaning all day long.
4 For your hand was heavy upon me day and night;
my strength was exhausted
as in a summer drought.
5 My sin I acknowledged to you;
my iniquity I did not hide.
I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord.”
And you forgave the guilt of my sin!
6 Therefore every godly person should pray to you at such a time.[d]
Surely a flood of great waters will not reach him.
7 You are my hiding place;
you will deliver me from trouble
and surround me with shouts of deliverance.
8 I will instruct you and teach you
concerning the path you should walk;
I will direct you with my eye.
9 Don’t be like a horse or mule,
without understanding.
They are held in check by a bit and bridle in their mouths;
otherwise they will not remain near you.
10 The wicked have many sorrows,
but gracious love surrounds those who trust in the Lord.
11 Righteous ones, be glad in the Lord and rejoice!
Shout for joy, all of you who are upright in heart!
Judgment on the Nations
15 For this is what the Lord God of Israel says to me, “Take this cup of the wine of burning anger from my hand and make all the nations to whom I send you drink it. 16 They’ll drink, stagger, and act like madmen because of the sword I’m sending among them.” 17 So I took the cup from the Lord’s hand, and I made all the nations to whom the Lord sent me drink it: 18 Jerusalem, the cities of Judah, its kings and officials[a] to make them into a ruin, an object of horror and scorn,[b] and a curse, as it is this day; 19 Pharaoh, king of Egypt, his officials,[c] his princes, and all his people; 20 all the various people;[d] all the kings of the land of Uz, all the kings of the land of the Philistines, Ashkelon, Gaza, Ekron, and what remains of Ashdod; 21 Edom, Moab, and the people of Ammon; 22 all the kings of Tyre, all the kings of Sidon, and all the kings of the coast lands that are beyond the sea; 23 Dedan, Tema, Buz, and those who shave the corners of their beards;[e] 24 all the kings of Arabia and all the kings of the various people[f] who live in the desert; 25 all the kings of Zimri, all the kings of Elam, and all the kings of Media; 26 all the kings of the north near and far, one after another, and all the kingdoms of the world on the face of the earth. The king of Sheshak[g] will drink after all the others.[h]
27 “You are to say to them, ‘This is what the Lord of the Heavenly Armies, the God of Israel, says: “Drink, get drunk, and vomit! Fall down and don’t get up because of the sword I’m sending among you.”’ 28 And if they refuse to take the cup from your hand to drink it, say to them, ‘This is what the Lord of the Heavenly Armies says: “You will surely drink it! 29 Look, I’m beginning to bring disaster on the city that is called by my name, and do you actually think you will avoid punishment? You won’t avoid punishment because I’m summoning the sword against all those who live in the land,” declares the Lord of the Heavenly Armies.’”
44 “Our ancestors had the Tent of Testimony[a] in the wilderness constructed,[b] just as the one who spoke to Moses directed him to make it according to the pattern he had seen. 45 Our ancestors brought it here with Joshua when they replaced the nations that God drove out in front of our ancestors, and it was here until the time of David. 46 He found favor with God and asked to design a dwelling for the house[c] of Jacob, 47 but it was Solomon who built a house for him. 48 However, the Most High does not live in buildings made by human[d] hands. As the prophet says,
49 “‘Heaven is my throne,
and the earth is my footstool.
What kind of house can you build for me,’ declares the Lord,[e]
“or what place is there in which I can rest?
50 It was my hand that made all these things, wasn’t it?’”[f]
51 “You stubborn people with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are always opposing the Holy Spirit, just as your ancestors used to do. 52 Which of the prophets did your ancestors fail to persecute? They killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One, and now you have become his betrayers and murderers. 53 You received the Law as ordained by angels, and yet you haven’t obeyed it!”
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