Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Prayer for Protection against the Wicked.
For the music director. A Psalm of David.
140 (A)Rescue me, Lord, from evil people;
Protect me from (B)violent men
2 Who (C)devise evil things in their hearts;
They (D)continually stir up wars.
3 They (E)sharpen their tongues like a snake;
(F)The venom of a viper is under their lips. Selah
4 (G)Keep me, Lord, from the hands of the wicked;
(H)Protect me from violent men
Who [a]intend to [b](I)trip up my feet.
5 The proud have (J)hidden a trap for me, and snares;
They have spread a (K)net at the [c]wayside;
They have set (L)snares for me. Selah
6 I (M)said to the Lord, “You are my God;
(N)Listen, Lord, to the (O)sound of my pleadings.
7 [d]God the Lord, (P)the strength of my salvation,
You have (Q)covered my head on the day of [e]battle.
8 Do not grant, Lord, the (R)desires of the wicked;
Do not bring about (S)his evil planning, so that they are not exalted. Selah
9 “As for the head of those who surround me,
May the (T)harm of their lips cover them.
10 May (U)burning coals fall upon them;
May they be (V)cast into the fire,
Into bottomless pits from which they (W)cannot rise.
11 May a [f]slanderer not endure on the earth;
(X)May evil hunt a violent person [g]violently.”
15 “Then I will give you (A)shepherds [a]after My own heart, who will (B)feed you knowledge and understanding. 16 And it shall be in those days when you become numerous and are fruitful in the land,” declares the Lord, “they will (C)no longer say, ‘The ark of the covenant of the Lord.’ And it will not come to mind, nor will they remember it, nor miss it, nor will it be made again. 17 At that time they will call Jerusalem ‘The (D)Throne of the Lord,’ and (E)all the nations will assemble at it, at Jerusalem, for the (F)name of the Lord; and they will no longer (G)follow the stubbornness of their evil heart. 18 (H)In those days the house of Judah will walk with the house of Israel, and they will come together (I)from the land of the north to the (J)land that I gave your fathers as an inheritance.
6 (A)See that no one deceives you with empty words, for because of these things (B)the wrath of God comes upon (C)the [a]sons of disobedience. 7 Therefore do not become (D)partners with them; 8 for (E)you were once (F)darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as (G)children of light 9 (for (H)the fruit of the light consists in all (I)goodness, righteousness, and truth), 10 [b](J)as you try to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. 11 (K)Do not participate in the useless (L)deeds of (M)darkness, but instead even (N)expose them; 12 for it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret. 13 But all things become visible (O)when they are exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light. 14 For this reason [c]it says,
15 So then, [d]be careful how you (S)walk, not (T)as unwise people but as wise, 16 [e](U)making the most of your time, because (V)the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but (W)understand what the will of the Lord is. 18 And (X)do not get drunk with wine, [f]in which there is (Y)debauchery, but be (Z)filled with the Spirit, 19 (AA)speaking to [g]one another in (AB)psalms and (AC)hymns and spiritual (AD)songs, (AE)singing and making melody with your hearts to the Lord; 20 (AF)always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to our (AG)God and Father;
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