Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
39 1 David uttereth with what great grief and bitterness of mind he was driven to these outrageous complaints of his infirmities. 2 For he confesseth that when he had determined silence, that he brast forth yet into words, that he would not, through the greatness of his grief. 4 Then he rehearseth certain requests which taste of the infirmity of man. 8 And mixeth with them many prayers: but all do show a mind wonderfully trembled, that it may plainly appear how he did strive mightily against death and desperation.
To the excellent Musician [a]Jeduthun. A Psalm of David.
1 I thought, [b]I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth bridled, while the wicked is in my sight.
2 I was dumb and spake nothing: I kept silence even from good, [c]and my sorrow was more stirred.
3 Mine heart was hot within me, and while I was musing, the fire kindled, and I [d]spake with my tongue, saying,
4 Lord, let me know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is: let me know how long I have to live.
5 Behold, thou hast made my days as an hand breadth, and mine age as nothing in respect of thee: surely every man in his best state is altogether [e]vanity. Selah.
6 Doubtless man walketh in a shadow, and disquieteth himself in vain: he heapeth up riches, and cannot tell who shall gather them.
7 And now Lord, what wait I for? mine hope is even in thee.
8 Deliver me from all my transgressions, and make me not a rebuke unto the [f]foolish.
9 I should have been dumb, and not have opened my mouth, because [g]thou didst it.
10 Take thy plague away from me: for I am consumed by the stroke of thine hand.
11 When thou with rebukes dost chastise man for iniquity, thou as a moth [h]makest his [i]beauty to consume: surely every man is vanity. Selah.
12 Hear my prayer, O Lord, and hearken unto my cry: keep not silence at my tears, for I am a stranger with thee, and a sojourner as all my fathers.
13 Stay thine anger from me, that I may recover my strength, [j]before I go hence and be not.
11 3 A curse of them that obey not the word of God’s covenant. 10 The people of Judah following the steps of their fathers, worship strange gods. 15 The Lord forbiddeth Jeremiah to pray for them.
1 The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying,
2 Hear ye the words of this covenant, and speak unto the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem,
3 And say thou unto them, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, [a]Cursed be the man that obeyeth not the words of this covenant,
4 Which I commanded unto your fathers, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt, from the iron furnace, saying, Obey my voice, and do according to all these things which I command you: so shall ye be my people, and I will be your God,
5 That I may confirm the oath, that I have sworn unto your fathers, to give them a land, which floweth with milk and honey, as appeareth this day. Then answered [b]I, and said, So be it, O Lord.
6 Then the Lord said unto me, Cry all these words in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, saying, Hear ye the words of this covenant, and do them.
7 For I have protested unto your fathers, when I brought them up out of the land of Egypt unto this day, [c]rising early and protesting, saying, Obey my voice.
8 Nevertheless they would not obey, nor incline their ear: but everyone walked in the stubbornness of his [d]wicked heart: therefore I will bring upon them all the [e]words of this covenant which I commanded them to do, but they did it not.
9 And the Lord said unto me, A [f]conspiracy is found among the men of Judah, and among the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
10 They are turned back to the iniquities of their forefathers, which refused to hear my words: and they went after other gods to serve them: thus the house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken my covenant, which I made with their fathers.
11 Therefore thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will bring a plague upon them, which they shall not be able to escape, and though they cry unto me, [g]I will not hear them.
12 Then shall the cities of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem go, and cry unto the gods unto whom they offer incense, but they shall not be able to help them in time of their trouble.
13 [h]For according to the number of thy cities were thy gods, O Judah, and according to the number of the streets of Jerusalem have ye set up altars of confusion, even altars to burn incense unto Baal.
14 Therefore thou shalt not [i]pray for this people, neither lift up a cry or prayer for them: for when they cry unto me in their trouble, I will not hear them.
15 What should my [j]beloved tarry in mine house, seeing they have committed abomination with many, and the holy flesh [k]goeth away from thee: yet when thou doest evil, thou rejoicest.
16 The Lord called thy name, A green olive tree, fair, and of goodly fruit: but with [l]noise and great tumult he hath set fire upon it, and the branches of it are broken.
17 For the Lord of hosts that planted thee, hath pronounced a plague against thee, for the wickedness of the house of Israel, and of the house of Judah, which they have done against themselves to provoke me to anger in offering incense unto Baal,
2 1 He bringeth all before the judgment seat of God. 12 The excuse the Gentiles might pretend, 14 of ignorance, he taketh quite away. 17 He urgeth the Jews with the written Law, 23 in which they boasted. 27 And so maketh both Jew and Gentile alike.
1 Therefore [a]thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that condemnest: for in that thou condemnest another, thou condemnest thyself: for thou that condemnest, doest the same things.
2 But we [b]know that the judgment of God is according to [c]truth, against them which commit such things.
3 And thinkest thou this, O thou man, that condemnest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?
4 [d]Or despisest thou the riches of his bountifulness, and patience, and long sufferance, not knowing that the bountifulness of God leadeth thee to repentance?
5 But thou, after thine hardness, and heart that cannot repent, (A)[e]heapest up as a treasure unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath, and of the declaration of the just judgment of God,
6 (B)[f]Who will reward every man according to his works:
7 That is, to them which through patience in well doing, seek [g]glory, and honor, and immortality, everlasting life:
8 But unto them that are contentious, and disobey the [h]truth, and obey unrighteousness, shall be [i]indignation and wrath.
9 Tribulation and anguish shall be upon the soul of every man that doeth evil: of the Jew first, and also of the Grecian.
10 But to every man that doeth good, shall be glory, and honor, and peace: to the Jew first, and also to the Grecian.
11 For there is [j]no respect of persons with God.
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