Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Psalm 138
A Thankful Heart
Davidic.
1 I will give You thanks with all my heart;(A)
I will sing Your praise before the heavenly beings.[a](B)
2 I will bow down toward Your holy temple
and give thanks to Your name
for Your constant love and truth.
You have exalted Your name
and Your promise above everything else.(C)
3 On the day I called, You answered me;
You increased strength within me.[b](D)
15 “This is what the Lord God says: I caused grieving on the day the cedar went down to Sheol.(A) I closed off the underground deep because of it:[a] I held back the rivers of the deep, and its abundant waters were restrained. I made Lebanon mourn on account of it, and all the trees of the field fainted because of it. 16 I made the nations quake at the sound of its downfall, when I threw it down to Sheol to be with those who descend to the Pit. Then all the trees of Eden,(B) all the well-watered trees, the choice and best of Lebanon, were comforted(C) in the underworld. 17 They too descended with it to Sheol, to those slain by the sword. As its allies[b][c] they had lived in its shade among the nations.
18 “Who then are you like in glory and greatness among Eden’s trees? You also will be brought down to the underworld to be with the trees of Eden. You will lie among the uncircumcised with those slain by the sword.(D) This is Pharaoh and all his hordes”—the declaration of the Lord God.
12 For we don’t dare classify or compare ourselves with some who commend(A) themselves. But in measuring themselves by themselves and comparing themselves to themselves,(B) they lack understanding.(C) 13 We, however, will not boast beyond measure but according to the measure of the area of ministry that God has assigned(D) to us, which reaches even to you. 14 For we are not overextending ourselves, as if we had not reached you, since we have come to you with the gospel of Christ. 15 We are not bragging beyond measure about other people’s labors. But we have the hope(E) that as your faith increases, our area of ministry will be greatly enlarged, 16 so that we may proclaim the good news to the regions beyond you,(F) not boasting about what has already been done in someone else’s area of ministry.(G) 17 So the one who boasts must boast in the Lord.(H)[a] 18 For it is not the one commending himself who is approved, but the one the Lord commends.(I)
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