Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Psalm 141
A Psalm of David.
1 Lord, I cry unto You; make haste to me;
give ear to my voice, when I cry unto You.
2 Let my prayer be set forth before You as incense,
and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.
3 Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth;
keep watch over the door of my lips.
4 Do not let my heart be drawn to any evil,
to practice wicked deeds
with men who do iniquity,
and do not let me eat of their delights.
5 Let the righteous man strike me;
it shall be a kindness.
Let him rebuke me;
it shall be oil for my head;
let my head not refuse it.
For my prayer is continually against their evil deeds.
6 When their judges are thrown to stony places,
then they shall hear my words, for they are sweet.
7 As when one plows to break up the land,
so our bones are scattered at the mouth of Sheol.
8 But my eyes are unto You, O God my Lord,
in You is my trust; do not leave my soul defenseless.
9 Keep me from the snares that they have laid for me,
and the traps of those who do iniquity.
10 Let the wicked fall into their own nets,
while I pass by and escape.
The Exiles’ Return Promised
14 Again the word of the Lord came to me, saying: 15 Son of man, your brothers, your kindred, your fellow captives, and all the house of Israel, all of them, are they to whom the inhabitants of Jerusalem have said, “Go far from the Lord. This land has been given to us as a possession.”
16 Therefore say, Thus says the Lord God: Although I have cast them far off among the nations, and although I have scattered them among the countries, yet I will be a sanctuary to them for a little while in the countries where they have gone.
17 Therefore say, Thus says the Lord God: I will gather you from the peoples and assemble you out of the countries where you have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel.
18 When they come there, they shall take away all the detestable things and all the abominations from it. 19 I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within them. And I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and give them a heart of flesh, 20 that they may walk in My statutes, and keep My ordinances, and do them. And they shall be My people, and I will be their God. 21 But as for those whose hearts walk after the hearts of their detestable things and their abominations, I will recompense their way upon their own heads, says the Lord God.
22 Then the cherubim lifted up their wings with the wheels beside them. And the glory of the God of Israel was over them. 23 The glory of the Lord went up from the midst of the city and stood on the mountain which is on the east side of the city. 24 Afterwards the Spirit took me up and brought me in a vision by the Spirit of God into Chaldea to those of the captivity.
So the vision that I had seen went up from me. 25 Then I spoke to those of the captivity all the things that the Lord had shown me.
Rules for the New Life
25 Therefore, putting away lying, let every man speak truthfully with his neighbor, for we are members of one another. 26 Be angry but do not sin. Do not let the sun go down on your anger. 27 Do not give place to the devil. 28 Let him who steals steal no more. Instead, let him labor, working with his hands things which are good, that he may have something to share with him who is in need.
29 Let no unwholesome word proceed out of your mouth, but only that which is good for building up, that it may give grace to the listeners. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, in whom you are sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, outbursts, and blasphemies, with all malice, be taken away from you. 32 And be kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ also forgave you.
5 Therefore be imitators of God as beloved children. 2 Walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave Himself for us as a fragrant offering and a sacrifice to God.
The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.