Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Psalm 31
For the choir director; a psalm by David.
1 I have taken refuge in you, O Yahweh.
Never let me be put to shame.
Save me because of your righteousness.
2 Turn your ear toward me.
Rescue me quickly.
Be a rock of refuge for me,
a strong Metsuda to save me.
3 Indeed, you are my rock and my Metsuda.
For the sake of your name, lead me and guide me.
4 You are my refuge,
so pull me out of the net that they have secretly laid for me.
5 Into your hands I entrust my spirit.
You have rescued me, O Yahweh, El of truth.
19 Your kindness is so great!
You reserve it for those who fear you.
Adam’s descendants watch
as you show it to those who take refuge in you.
20 You hide them in the secret place of your presence
from those who scheme against them.
You keep them in a shelter,
safe from quarrelsome tongues.
21 Thank Yahweh!
He has shown me the miracle of his mercy
in a city under attack.
22 When I was panic-stricken, I said,
“I have been cut off from your sight.”
But you heard my pleas for mercy when I cried out to you for help.
23 Love Yahweh, all you godly ones!
Yahweh protects faithful people,
but he pays back in full those who act arrogantly.
24 Be strong, all who wait with hope for Yahweh,
and let your heart be courageous.
30 All these blessings and curses I have spoken about will happen to you. Take them to heart when you are among all the nations where Yahweh your Elohim will scatter you. 2 If you and your children return to Yahweh your Elohim and obey him with all your heart and with all your soul, doing everything I command you today, 3 he will restore your fortunes. He will have mercy on you and gather you from all the nations of the world where Yahweh your Elohim will scatter you. 4 Even if you are scattered to the most distant country in the world, Yahweh your Elohim will gather you and bring you back from there. 5 Yahweh your Elohim will bring you to the land your ancestors owned. You will take possession of it, and Yahweh will make you more prosperous and numerous than your ancestors were.
6 Now it is not as though God’s word has failed. Clearly, not everyone descended from Israel is part of Israel 7 or a descendant of Abraham. However, as Scripture says, “Through Isaac your descendants will carry on your name.” 8 This means that children born by natural descent from Abraham are not necessarily God’s children. Instead, children born by the promise are considered Abraham’s descendants.
9 For example, this is what the promise said, “I will come back at the right time, and Sarah will have a son.” 10 The same thing happened to Rebekah. Rebekah became pregnant by our ancestor Isaac. 11 Before the children had been born or had done anything good or bad, Rebekah was told that the older child would serve the younger one. This was said to Rebekah so that God’s plan would remain a matter of his choice, 12 a choice based on God’s call and not on anything people do.[a] 13 The Scriptures say, “I loved Jacob, but I hated Esau.”
The Names of God Bible (without notes) © 2011 by Baker Publishing Group.