Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

Psalm 89^[a]

A maskil^[b] of Ethan the Ezrahite.

⁸ Therefore the Lord Almighty says this: “Because you have not listened to my words, ⁹ I will summon^(A) all the peoples of the north^(B) and my servant^(C) Nebuchadnezzar^(D) king of Babylon,” declares the Lord, “and I will bring them against this land and its inhabitants and against all the surrounding nations. I will completely destroy^[a](E) them and make them an object of horror and scorn,^(F) and an everlasting ruin.^{(G) 10} I will banish from them the sounds^(H) of joy and gladness, the voices of bride and bridegroom,^(I) the sound of millstones^(J) and the light of the lamp.^{(K) 11} This whole country will become a desolate wasteland,^(L) and these nations will serve^(M) the king of Babylon seventy years.^(N)

¹² “But when the seventy years^(O) are fulfilled, I will punish the king of Babylon^(P) and his nation, the land of the Babylonians,^[b] for their guilt,” declares the Lord, “and will make it desolate^(Q) forever. ¹³ I will bring on that land all the things I have spoken against it, all that are written^(R) in this book and prophesied by Jeremiah against all the nations. ¹⁴ They themselves will be enslaved^(S) by many nations^(T) and great kings; I will repay^(U) them according to their deeds and the work of their hands.”

⁷ You were running a good race.^(A) Who cut in on you^(B) to keep you from obeying the truth? ⁸ That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you.^{(C) 9} “A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough.”^{(D) 10} I am confident^(E) in the Lord that you will take no other view.^(F) The one who is throwing you into confusion,^(G) whoever that may be, will have to pay the penalty. ¹¹ Brothers and sisters, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted?^(H) In that case the offense^(I) of the cross has been abolished. ¹² As for those agitators,^(J) I wish they would go the whole way and emasculate themselves!