Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

^3 (D)Have mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy upon us,
    for we have had more than enough of ^(E)contempt.
⁴ Our soul has had more than enough
    of ^(F)the scorn of ^(G)those who are at ease,
    of the contempt of ^(H)the proud.

² “Dominion and fear are with God;^[a]
    he makes peace in his high heaven.
³ Is there any number to his ^(B)armies?
    Upon whom does his ^(C)light not arise?
⁴ How then can man be ^(D)in the right before God?
    How can he who is ^(E)born of woman be ^(F)pure?
⁵ Behold, even the moon is not bright,
    and the stars are not pure in his eyes;
^6 (G)how much less man, who is ^(H)a maggot,
    and ^(I)the son of man, who is a worm!”

² “How you have ^(J)helped him who has no power!
    How you have saved ^(K)the arm that has no strength!
³ How you have ^(L)counseled him who has no wisdom,
    and plentifully declared sound knowledge!
⁴ With whose help have you uttered words,
    and whose breath ^(M)has come out from you?
⁵ The ^(N)dead tremble
    under the waters and their inhabitants.
⁶ Sheol is ^(O)naked before God,^[b]
    and ^(P)Abaddon has no covering.
⁷ He ^(Q)stretches out the north over ^(R)the void
    and hangs the earth on nothing.
⁸ He ^(S)binds up the waters in his thick clouds,
    and the cloud is not split open under them.
⁹ He covers the face of the full moon^[c]
    and ^(T)spreads over it his cloud.
¹⁰ He has inscribed ^(U)a circle on the face of the waters
    at the boundary between light and darkness.
^11 (V)The pillars of heaven tremble
    and are astounded at his ^(W)rebuke.
¹² By his power he ^(X)stilled the sea;
    by his understanding he shattered ^(Y)Rahab.
^13 (Z)By his wind the heavens were made fair;
    his hand pierced ^(AA)the fleeing serpent.
¹⁴ Behold, these are but the outskirts of his ^(AB)ways,
    and how small ^(AC)a whisper do we hear of him!
    But the thunder of his power who can understand?”