Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

79 O God, ^(B)the nations have come into your ^(C)inheritance;
    they have defiled your ^(D)holy temple;
    they have ^(E)laid Jerusalem in ruins.
² They have given ^(F)the bodies of your servants
    to the birds of the heavens for food,
    the flesh of your ^(G)faithful to ^(H)the beasts of the earth.
³ They have poured out their blood like water
    all round Jerusalem,
    and there was ^(I)no one to bury them.
⁴ We have become ^(J)a taunt to our neighbours,
    ^(K)mocked and derided by those around us.
^5 (L)How long, O Lord? Will you be angry ^(M)for ever?
    Will your ^(N)jealousy ^(O)burn like fire?
^6 (P)Pour out your anger on the nations
    that ^(Q)do not know you,
and on the kingdoms
    that ^(R)do not call upon your name!
⁷ For they have devoured Jacob
    and laid waste his habitation.
^8 (S)Do not remember against us ^(T)our former iniquities;^[a]
    let your compassion come speedily to meet us,
    for we are ^(U)brought very low.
^9 (V)Help us, O God of our salvation,
    for the glory of your name;
deliver us, and ^(W)atone for our sins,
    for your ^(X)name's sake!
^10 (Y)Why should the nations say,
    “Where is their God?”
Let ^(Z)the avenging of the outpoured blood of your servants
    be known among the nations before our eyes!
¹¹ Let ^(AA)the groans of the prisoners come before you;
    according to your great power, preserve those ^(AB)doomed to die!
¹² Return ^(AC)sevenfold into the ^(AD)lap of our neighbours
    the ^(AE)taunts with which they have taunted you, O Lord!
¹³ But we your people, the ^(AF)sheep of your pasture,
    will ^(AG)give thanks to you for ever;
    from generation to generation we will recount your praise.

5 ^[a] Now muster your troops, O daughter^[b] of troops;
    siege is laid against us;
with a rod ^(A)they strike the judge of Israel
    on the cheek.
^{2 [c] (B)}But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah,
    who are too little to be among the clans of ^(C)Judah,
from you shall come forth for me
    one who is to be ^(D)ruler in Israel,
^(E)whose coming forth is ^(F)from of old,
    from ancient days.
³ Therefore he shall give them up ^(G)until the time
    when she who is in labour has given birth;
then ^(H)the rest of his brothers shall return
    to the people of Israel.
⁴ And he shall stand ^(I)and shepherd his flock ^(J)in the strength of the Lord,
    in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.
And they shall dwell secure, for now ^(K)he shall be great
    to the ends of the earth.
⁵ And he shall be ^(L)their peace.
^(M)When the Assyrian comes into our land
    and treads in our palaces,
then we will raise against him seven ^(N)shepherds
    and eight princes of men;