Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

³ Have mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy upon us,
    for we have been completely filled with contempt.
⁴ Our soul is exceedingly filled with the ridicule of those who are at ease,
    and with the contempt of the proud ones.

¹⁷ “How often is the lamp of the wicked put out?
    How often does their destruction come upon them,
    the sorrows God distributes in His anger?
¹⁸ They are like straw before the wind,
    and like chaff that a storm carries away.
¹⁹ God stores up their iniquity for their children;
    let Him reward the people themselves, and they will know it.
²⁰ Let their eyes see their own destruction,
    and let them drink of the wrath of the Almighty.
²¹ For what do they care about their households after them,
    when the number of their months is cut off?

²² “Can anyone teach God knowledge,
    since He judges those who are on high?
²³ One dies in his full strength,
    being wholly at ease and secure.
²⁴ His pails are full of milk,
    and the marrow of his bones is moist.
²⁵ Another dies in the bitterness of his soul,
    never having eaten with pleasure.
²⁶ They will lie down alike in the dust,
    and worms will cover them.

²⁷ “Behold, I know your thoughts,
    and the schemes with which you would wrong me.
²⁸ For you say, ‘Where is the house of the prince?
    And where are the dwelling places of the wicked?’
²⁹ Have you not asked them who travel the road?
    And do you not know their signs?
³⁰ For the wicked are reserved for the day of destruction;
    they will be brought forth on the day of wrath.
³¹ Who will declare his way to his face?
    And who will repay him for what he has done?
³² Yet will he be brought to the grave
    and will remain in the tomb.
³³ The clods of the valley will be sweet unto him;
    and everyone will follow him,
    as countless have gone before.

³⁴ “How then can you comfort me with emptiness,
    since deceit remains in your answers?”