Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
In the Day of Trouble I Seek the Lord
To the choirmaster: according to (A)Jeduthun. A Psalm of (B)Asaph.
77 I (C)cry aloud to God,
aloud to God, and he will hear me.
2 (D)In the day of my trouble I seek the Lord;
in (E)the night my (F)hand is stretched out without wearying;
my soul (G)refuses to be comforted.
3 When I remember God, I (H)moan;
when I meditate, my spirit faints. Selah
4 You hold my eyelids open;
I am so (I)troubled that I cannot speak.
5 I consider (J)the days of old,
the years long ago.
6 I said,[a] “Let me remember my (K)song in the night;
let me (L)meditate in my heart.”
Then my spirit made a diligent search:
7 “Will the Lord (M)spurn for ever,
and never again (N)be favourable?
8 Has his steadfast love for ever ceased?
Are his (O)promises at an end for all time?
9 (P)Has God forgotten to be gracious?
(Q)Has he in anger shut up his compassion?” Selah
10 Then I said, “I will appeal to this,
to the years of the (R)right hand of the Most High.”[b]
11 I will remember the deeds of the Lord;
yes, I will (S)remember your wonders of old.
12 I will ponder all your (T)work,
and meditate on your (U)mighty deeds.
13 Your way, O God, is (V)holy.
(W)What god is great like our God?
14 You are the God who (X)works wonders;
you have (Y)made known your might among the peoples.
15 You (Z)with your arm redeemed your people,
the children of Jacob and Joseph. Selah
16 When (AA)the waters saw you, O God,
when the waters saw you, they were afraid;
indeed, the deep trembled.
17 The clouds poured out water;
the skies (AB)gave forth thunder;
your (AC)arrows flashed on every side.
18 (AD)The crash of your thunder was in the whirlwind;
(AE)your lightnings lighted up the world;
the earth (AF)trembled and shook.
19 Your (AG)way was through the sea,
your path through the great waters;
yet your footprints (AH)were unseen.[c]
20 You (AI)led your people like a flock
by the hand of Moses and Aaron.
8 “As for me, I would seek God,
and to God would I commit my cause,
9 who (A)does great things and (B)unsearchable,
(C)marvellous things without number:
10 he gives (D)rain on the earth
and sends waters on the fields;
11 he (E)sets on high those who are lowly,
and those who mourn are lifted to safety.
12 He (F)frustrates the devices of the crafty,
so that their hands achieve no success.
13 He (G)catches the wise in their own craftiness,
and the schemes of the wily are brought to a quick end.
14 They meet with darkness in the daytime
and (H)grope at noonday as in the night.
15 But he (I)saves the needy from the sword of their mouth
and from the hand of the mighty.
16 So the poor have hope,
and (J)injustice shuts her mouth.
17 “Behold, (K)blessed is the one whom God reproves;
therefore (L)despise not the discipline of the (M)Almighty.
18 For he wounds, but he (N)binds up;
he (O)shatters, but his hands heal.
19 He will (P)deliver you from six troubles;
in seven no (Q)evil[a] shall touch you.
20 (R)In famine he will redeem you from death,
and in war from the power of the sword.
21 You shall be (S)hidden from the lash of the tongue,
and shall not fear destruction when it comes.
22 At destruction and famine you shall laugh,
and shall not fear (T)the beasts of the earth.
23 For you shall be in league with the stones of the field,
and the beasts of the field shall be at peace with you.
24 You shall know that your (U)tent is at peace,
and you shall inspect your fold and miss nothing.
25 You shall know also that your (V)offspring shall be many,
and your descendants as (W)the grass of the earth.
26 You shall come to your grave in (X)ripe old age,
like a sheaf gathered up in its season.
27 Behold, this we have (Y)searched out; it is true.
Hear, and know it for your good.”[b]
Suffering for Righteousness' Sake
8 Finally, all of you, (A)have unity of mind, sympathy, (B)brotherly love, (C)a tender heart, and (D)a humble mind. 9 (E)Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, (F)bless, for (G)to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing. 10 For
(H)“Whoever desires to love life
and see good days,
let him keep his tongue from evil
and his lips from speaking deceit;
11 let him turn away from evil and do good;
let him seek peace and pursue it.
12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
and his ears are open to their prayer.
But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”
13 Now (I)who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? 14 (J)But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed. (K)Have no fear of them, (L)nor be troubled, 15 but (M)in your hearts honour Christ the Lord as holy, (N)always being prepared to make a defence to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and (O)respect, 16 (P)having a good conscience, so that, (Q)when you are slandered, those who revile your good behaviour in Christ may be put to shame. 17 For (R)it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil.
18 For Christ also (S)suffered[a] (T)once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, (U)that he might bring us to God, being put to death (V)in the flesh but made alive (W)in the spirit,
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.