Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Psalm 40[a]
Thanksgiving and Prayer for Help
1 For the director.[b] A psalm of David.
2 [c]I waited patiently for the Lord;
then he stooped down and heard my cry.
3 He raised me up from the desolate pit,
out of the mire of the swamp;
he set my feet upon a rock,
giving me a firm footing.
4 He put a new song[d] in my mouth,
a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will look on and be awestruck,
and they will place their trust in the Lord.
5 Blessed[e] is the man
who places his trust in the Lord,
who does not follow the arrogant
or those who go astray after falsehoods.
6 How innumerable, O Lord, my God,
are the wonders you have worked;
no one can compare with you
in the plans you have made for us.
I would proclaim them and recount them,
but there are far too many to enumerate.
7 [f]Sacrifice and offering you did not desire,
but you have made my ears receptive.[g]
Burnt offerings and sin offerings
you did not demand.
8 [h]Then I said, “Behold I come;
it is written of me in the scroll of the book.
11 Although Ephraim built many altars for sin offerings,
those altars became occasions for sin.
12 I provided Ephraim with many written laws,
but they regarded such laws as irrelevant.
13 Although they offer sacrifices to me
and eat the meat,
the Lord does not accept them.
On the contrary, he will remember their iniquity
and punish their sins;
they will be forced to return to Egypt.
14 Israel has forgotten his Maker
and built palaces;
Judah also has fortified many cities.
However, I will send fire upon his cities
that will devour their citadels.
Chapter 10
Duplicity of Heart
1 Israel is a luxuriant vine
bringing forth a great bounty of fruit.
The more his fruit increased,
the more altars he built.
The more prosperous his land became,
the richer he made the sacred pillars.
2 Their heart is false;
now they must pay the penalty for the guilt.
God himself will destroy their altars
and demolish their sacred pillars.
Conclusion
Chapter 13
Aspects of the Christian Life.[a] 1 Let mutual love continue, 2 and do not forget to offer hospitality to strangers, for by doing this some have entertained angels without knowing it.[b] 3 Be mindful of those who are in prison, as though you were imprisoned with them, and of those who are being maltreated, since you too are in the body.
4 Let marriage be held in honor by all, and the marriage bed kept undefiled, for those who are immoral and adulterers will have to face God’s judgment. 5 Do not succumb to the love of money, but be content with what you have, for God has said, “I will never forsake you or abandon you.” 6 Therefore, we can say with confidence:
“The Lord is my helper;
I will not be afraid.
What can anyone do to me?”
Let Us Seek the City That Is To Come.[c] 7 Remember your leaders who spoke the word of God to you. Keep in mind the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. 8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
9 Do not be led astray by all kinds of strange doctrines. It is good for us to have our hearts strengthened by grace, and not by ceremonial foods, which have not benefited those who partake of them.
10 We have an altar[d] from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat. 11 For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest as a sin offering are burned outside the camp.[e] 12 Therefore, Jesus also suffered outside the city gate in order to sanctify the people by his own blood.[f]
13 Let us then go to him outside the camp[g] and bear the abuse he endured. 14 For here we have no lasting city, but we are seeking the one that is to come. 15 Through him let us continually offer up to God a sacrifice of praise,[h] that is, the fruit of lips that confess his name.
16 [i]Do not neglect to do good works and to share with others what you have, for these are the kind of sacrifices that please God.
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