Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

¹² But You, O Lord, shall endure forever,
And the remembrance of Your name to all generations.
¹³ You will arise and have mercy on Zion;
For the time to favor her,
Yes, the set time, has come.
¹⁴ For Your servants take pleasure in her stones,
And show favor to her dust.
¹⁵ So the ^[a]nations shall ^(A)fear the name of the Lord,
And all the kings of the earth Your glory.
¹⁶ For the Lord shall build up Zion;
^(B)He shall appear in His glory.
^17 (C)He shall regard the prayer of the destitute,
And shall not despise their prayer.

¹⁸ This will be ^(D)written for the generation to come,
That ^(E)a people yet to be created may praise the Lord.
¹⁹ For He ^(F)looked down from the height of His sanctuary;
From heaven the Lord viewed the earth,
^20 (G)To hear the groaning of the prisoner,
To release those appointed to death,
²¹ To ^(H)declare the name of the Lord in Zion,
And His praise in Jerusalem,
^22 (I)When the peoples are gathered together,
And the kingdoms, to serve the Lord.

²³ He weakened my strength in the way;
He ^(J)shortened my days.
^24 (K)I said, “O my God,
Do not take me away in the midst of my days;
^(L)Your years are throughout all generations.
^25 (M)Of old You laid the foundation of the earth,
And the heavens are the work of Your hands.
^26 (N)They will perish, but You will ^[b]endure;
Yes, they will all grow old like a garment;
Like a cloak You will change them,
And they will be changed.
²⁷ But ^(O)You are the same,
And Your years will have no end.
^28 (P)The children of Your servants will continue,
And their descendants will be established before You.”

² “Oh, that my grief were fully weighed,
And my calamity laid with it on the scales!
³ For then it would be heavier than the sand of the sea—
Therefore my words have been rash.
^4 (A)For the arrows of the Almighty are within me;
My spirit drinks in their poison;
^(B)The terrors of God are arrayed ^(C)against me.
⁵ Does the ^(D)wild donkey bray when it has grass,
Or does the ox low over its fodder?
⁶ Can flavorless food be eaten without salt?
Or is there any taste in the white of an egg?
⁷ My soul refuses to touch them;
They are as loathsome food to me.

⁸ “Oh, that I might have my request,
That God would grant me the thing that I long for!
⁹ That it would please God to crush me,
That He would loose His hand and ^(E)cut me off!
¹⁰ Then I would still have comfort;
Though in anguish I would exult,
He will not spare;
For ^(F)I have not concealed the words of ^(G)the Holy One.

¹¹ “What strength do I have, that I should hope?
And what is my end, that I should prolong my life?
¹² Is my strength the strength of stones?
Or is my flesh bronze?
¹³ Is my help not within me?
And is success driven from me?