Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
[a] To the director: A song of David, the Lord’s servant. He sang this song to the Lord when the Lord saved him from Saul and all his other enemies.
18 I love you, Lord!
You are my strength.
2 The Lord is my Rock, my fortress, my place of safety.
He is my God, the Rock I run to for protection.
He is my shield; by his power I am saved.[b]
He is my hiding place high in the hills.
3 I called to the Lord for help,
and he saved me from my enemies!
He is worthy of my praise!
20 The Lord rewarded me for doing what is right.
He was good to me because I am innocent.
21 The Lord did this because I have obeyed him.
I have not turned against my God.
22 I always remembered his laws.
I never rejected his rules.
23 He knows I did nothing that was wrong.
I have kept myself from sinning.
24 So the Lord rewarded me for doing what is right.
He could see that I am innocent.
25 Lord, you are faithful to those who are faithful.
You are good to those who are good.
26 You never do wrong to those who have done no wrong.
But you outsmart the wicked, no matter how clever they are.
27 You help those who are humble,
but you humiliate the proud.
28 Lord, you provide the flame for my lamp.
You, God, turn the darkness around me into light.
29 With your help I can defeat an army.
If my God is with me, I can climb over enemy walls.
30 God’s way is perfect.
The Lord’s promise always proves to be true.
He protects those who trust in him.
31 There is no God except the Lord.
There is no Rock except our God.
32 God is the one who gives me strength.
He clears the path I need to take.
18 You people left the Rock who made you;
you forgot the God who gave you life.
19 “The Lord saw this and became upset.
His sons and daughters made him angry!
20 So he said, ‘I will turn away from them,
then let’s see what happens!
They are a rebellious people.
They are like children who will not learn their lessons.
28 “They are foolish.
They don’t understand.
29 If they were wise,
they would understand;
they would know what would happen to them.
30 Can one person chase away 1000 men?
Can two men cause 10,000 men to run away?
It will happen only if the Lord gives them to their enemy.
This will happen only if their Rock sells them like slaves.
31 The ‘rock’ of our enemies is not strong like our Rock.
Even our enemies know that.
32 Their vines and fields will be destroyed
like Sodom and Gomorrah.
Their grapes are like bitter poison.
33 Their wine is like the poison of deadly snakes.
34 “The Lord says, ‘I am saving that punishment.
I have it locked up in my storehouse!
35 I will punish them for the bad things they did.
But I am saving that punishment for when they slip and do bad things.
Their time of trouble is near.
Their punishment will come quickly.’
36 “The Lord will judge his people.
They are his servants, and he will show them mercy.
He will see that their power is gone.
He will see that they are all helpless—
the slaves and free people too.
37 Then the Lord will say, ‘Where are the false gods?
Where is the “rock” that you ran to for protection?
38 Those false gods ate the fat of your sacrifices.
And they drank the wine of your offerings.
So let them get up and help you!
Let them protect you!
39 “‘Now, see that I, and only I, am God!
There is no other God!
I put people to death,
and I let people live.
I can hurt people,
and I can make them well.
No one can save another person from my power!
Praise to God
33 Yes, God’s riches are very great! His wisdom and knowledge have no end! No one can explain what God decides. No one can understand his ways. 34 As the Scriptures say,
“Who can know what is on the Lord’s mind?
Who is able to give him advice?” (A)
35 “Who has ever given God anything?
God owes nothing to anyone.” (B)
36 Yes, God made all things. And everything continues through him and for him. To God be the glory forever! Amen.
Copyright © 2006 by Bible League International