Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Psalm 6
For the choir director; with stringed instruments, on the sheminith;[a] a psalm by David.
1 O Yahweh, do not punish me in your anger
or discipline me in your rage.
2 Have pity on me, O Yahweh, because I am weak.
Heal me, O Yahweh, because my bones shake with terror.
3 My soul has been deeply shaken with terror.
But you, O Yahweh, how long . . . ?
4 Come back, O Yahweh.
Rescue me.
Save me because of your mercy!
5 In death, no one remembers you.
In the grave, who praises you?
6 I am worn out from my groaning.
My eyes flood my bed every night.
I soak my couch with tears.
7 My eyes blur from grief.
They fail because of my enemies.
8 Get away from me, all you troublemakers,
because Yahweh has heard the sound of my crying.
9 Yahweh has heard my plea for mercy.
Yahweh accepts my prayer.
10 All my enemies will be put to shame and deeply shaken with terror.
In a moment they will retreat and be put to shame.
The Aramean Army Flees
3 Four men with skin diseases were at the entrance of the city gate. One of them asked, “Why are we sitting here waiting to die? 4 If we go into the city, the famine is also there, and we’ll still die. But if we stay here, we’ll die. So let’s go to the Aramean camp. If they give us something to keep us alive, we’ll live. But if they kill us, we’ll die anyway.” 5 So they started out at dusk to go into the Aramean camp. When they came to the edge of the camp, no one was there.
6 (Yahweh had made the Aramean army hear what sounded like chariots, horses, and a large army. The Aramean soldiers said to one another, “The king of Israel has hired the Hittite and Egyptian kings to attack us!” 7 So at dusk they fled. They abandoned the camp as it was with its tents, horses, and donkeys and ran for their lives.)
8 When the men with skin diseases came to the edge of the camp, they went into a tent, ate and drank, and carried off the silver, gold, and clothes they found in that tent. They went away and hid them. Then they came back, went into another tent, carried off its contents, went away, and hid them.
9 Then they said to one another, “What we’re doing is not right. This is a day of good news, and we’re not telling anyone about it. If we wait until morning when it’s light out, we’ll be punished. Let’s bring the news to the royal palace.” 10 So they called the city gatekeepers and told them, “We went into the Aramean camp, and we didn’t see or hear anyone. The horses and donkeys were still tied up. Even the tents were left exactly as they were.”
Stay Away from Worshiping False Gods
14 Therefore, my dear friends, get as far away from the worship of false gods as you can.
15 I’m talking to intelligent people. Judge for yourselves what I’m saying. 16 When we bless the cup of blessing aren’t we sharing in the blood of Christ? When we break the bread aren’t we sharing in the body of Christ? 17 Because there is one loaf, we are one body, although we are many individuals. All of us share one loaf.
18 Look at the people of Israel from a human point of view. Don’t those who eat the sacrifices share what is on the altar? 19 Do I mean that an offering made to a false god is anything, or that a false god itself is anything? 20 Hardly! What I am saying is that these sacrifices which people make are made to demons and not to God. I don’t want you to be partners with demons. 21 You cannot drink the Lord’s cup and the cup of demons. You cannot participate at the table of the Lord and at the table of demons. 22 Are we trying to make the Lord jealous? Are we stronger than he is?
23 Someone may say, “I’m allowed to do anything,” but not everything is helpful. I’m allowed to do anything, but not everything encourages growth. 24 People should be concerned about others and not just about themselves. 25 Eat anything that is sold in the market without letting your conscience trouble you. 26 Certainly, “The earth is the Lord’s and everything it contains is his.” 27 If an unbeliever invites you to his house for dinner, and you wish to go, eat anything he serves you without letting your conscience trouble you. 28 However, if someone says to you, “This was sacrificed to a god,” don’t eat it because of the one who informed you and because of conscience. 29 I’m not talking about your conscience but the other person’s conscience. Why should my freedom be judged by someone else’s conscience? 30 If I give thanks to God for the food I eat, why am I condemned for that? 31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything to the glory of God. 32 Don’t cause others to stumble, whether they are Jewish, Greek, or members of God’s church. 33 I try to please everyone in every way. I don’t think about what would be good for me but about what would be good for many people so that they might be saved. 11 1 Imitate me as I imitate Christ.
The Names of God Bible (without notes) © 2011 by Baker Publishing Group.