Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

    Let my whole being^[a] praise the Lord!
² I will praise the Lord with all my life;
    I will sing praises to my God as long as I live.

³ Don’t trust leaders;
    don’t trust any human beings—
    there’s no saving help with them!
⁴ Their breath leaves them,
    then they go back to the ground.
    On that very same day, their plans die too.

⁵ The person whose help is the God of Jacob—
    the person whose hope rests on the Lord their God—
    is truly happy!
⁶ God: the maker of heaven and earth,
    the sea, and all that is in them,
God: who is faithful forever,
⁷     who gives justice to people who are oppressed,
    who gives bread to people who are starving!
The Lord: who frees prisoners.
⁸     The Lord: who makes the blind see.
    The Lord: who straightens up those who are bent low.
    The Lord: who loves the righteous.
⁹     The Lord: who protects immigrants,
        who helps orphans and widows,
        but who makes the way of the wicked twist and turn!

¹⁰ The Lord will rule forever!
    Zion, your God will rule from one generation to the next!

Praise the Lord!

¹¹ Rich people think they are wise,
    but an insightful poor person sees through them.
¹² When the righteous rejoice, there is great respect,
    but people hide when the wicked prosper.
¹³ Those who hide their sins won’t succeed,
    but those who confess and give them up will receive mercy.
¹⁴ Happy are those who are continually fearful,
    but those whose hearts are hard fall into trouble.
¹⁵ A wicked ruler over the poor
    is like a growling lion or a prowling bear.
¹⁶ A prince without understanding is a cruel oppressor,
    but one who hates unjust gain will live long.
¹⁷ If someone feels guilty about murder,
    don’t hold them back from fleeing to the pit.
¹⁸ Those who walk in innocence will be saved,
    but those who go on twisted paths will fall into the grave.
¹⁹ Those who work the land will have plenty to eat,
    but those with worthless pursuits will have plenty of poverty.
²⁰ Reliable people will have abundant blessings,
    but those with get-rich-quick schemes won’t go unpunished.
²¹ Those who show favoritism aren’t good;
    people do wrong for a crust of bread.
²² The stingy try to get rich fast,
    unaware that loss will come to them.
²³ Those who correct someone will, in the end, find more favor
    than those with flattering tongues.
²⁴ Those who steal from their father and mother,
    and say, “It’s not a crime,”
    are friends of vandals.
²⁵ Greedy people stir up conflict,
    but those who trust the Lord become prosperous.
²⁶ Those who trust in their own reasoning are fools,
    but those who walk in wisdom will be kept safe.
²⁷ Those who give to the poor will lack nothing,
    but those who turn a blind eye will be greatly cursed.
²⁸ When the wicked rise up, people hide,
    but when they are destroyed, the righteous multiply.