Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Psalm 12[a]
For the music director, according to the sheminith style;[b] a psalm of David.
12 Deliver, Lord!
For the godly[c] have disappeared;[d]
people of integrity[e] have vanished.[f]
2 People lie to one another;[g]
they flatter and deceive.[h]
3 May the Lord cut off[i] all flattering lips,
and the tongue that boasts![j]
4 They say,[k] “We speak persuasively;[l]
we know how to flatter and boast.[m]
Who is our master?”[n]
5 “Because of the violence done to the oppressed,[o]
because of the painful cries[p] of the needy,
I will spring into action,”[q] says the Lord.
“I will provide the safety they so desperately desire.”[r]
6 The Lord’s words are absolutely reliable.[s]
They are as untainted as silver purified in a furnace on the ground,
where it is thoroughly refined.[t]
7 You, Lord, will protect them;[u]
you will continually shelter each one from these evil people,[v]
8 for the wicked seem to be everywhere,[w]
when people promote evil.[x]
17 Better is a dry crust of bread[a] where there is quietness[b]
than a house full of feasting with strife.[c]
2 A servant who acts wisely[d] will rule
over[e] an heir[f] who behaves shamefully,[g]
and will share the inheritance along with the relatives.[h]
3 The crucible[i] is for refining[j] silver and the furnace[k] is for gold,
likewise[l] the Lord tests[m] hearts.
4 One who acts wickedly[n] pays attention to evil counsel;[o]
a liar listens[p] to a malicious tongue.[q]
5 The one who mocks the poor[r] has insulted[s] his Creator;
whoever rejoices over disaster will not go unpunished.
19 For since I am free from all I can make myself a slave to all, in order to gain even more people.[a] 20 To the Jews I became like a Jew to gain the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law)[b] to gain those under the law. 21 To those free from the law I became like one free from the law (though I am not free from God’s law but under the law of Christ) to gain those free from the law. 22 To the weak I became weak in order to gain the weak. I have become all things to all people, so that by all means I may save some.
23 I do all these things because of the gospel, so that I can be a participant in it.
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