Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

⁸ Lord God of the Heavenly Armies, hear my prayer!
    Listen, God of Jacob!
Interlude

⁹ God, look at our shield,
    and show favor to your anointed,
¹⁰ for a day in your Temple^[a] courts is better
    than a thousand elsewhere;
I would rather stand
    at the entrance of God’s house
        than live in the tent of wickedness.

¹¹ For the Lord God is a sun and shield;
    the Lord grants grace and favor;
the Lord will not withhold any good thing
    from those who walk blamelessly.
¹² Lord of Heavenly Armies,
    how happy are those who trust in you.

“My heart exults in the Lord;
    my strength^[a] is increased by the Lord.
I will open my mouth to speak^[b] against my enemies,
    because I rejoice in your deliverance.

² Indeed,^[c] there is no one holy like the Lord,
    indeed, there is no one besides you,
there is no rock like our God.

³ Don’t continue to talk proudly,
    and don’t speak arrogantly,
for the Lord is a God of knowledge,
    and by him actions are weighed.

⁴ The bows of warriors are shattered,^[d]
    but those who stumble are equipped with^[e] strength.
⁵ Those who had an abundance of bread
    now hire themselves out,
and those who were hungry
    hunger no more.^[f]
While the barren woman gives birth to seven children,^[g]
    she who had many children languishes.

⁶ The Lord kills and gives life,
    he brings people down to where the dead are^[h]
        and he raises them up.
⁷ The Lord makes people poor
    and he makes people rich,
he brings them low,
    and he also exalts them.
⁸ He raises the poor up from the dust,
    he lifts up the needy from the trash heap
to make them sit with princes
    and inherit a seat of honor.
Indeed the pillars of the earth belong to the Lord,
    and he has set the world on them.
⁹ He guards the steps^[i] of his faithful ones,
    while the wicked are made silent^[j] in darkness.
He grants the request of the one who prays.^[k]
    He blesses the year of the righteous.^[l]
Indeed it’s not by strength that a person prevails.

¹⁰ The Lord will shatter his enemies^[m]
    —those who contend against him.
Who is holy?^[n]
    The one who will thunder^[o] against them in the heavens.
The Lord will judge the ends of the earth,
    he will give strength to his king,
        and he will increase the strength of His anointed one.”

¹⁸ “If it is hard for the righteous person to be saved,
    what will happen to the ungodly and sinful person?”^[d]