Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord.
Blessed are the people he chose to be his own.
13 From heaven the Lord looks down
and sees everyone.
14 From his throne he watches
all those who live on the earth.
15 He creates the hearts of all people.
He is aware of everything they do.
16 A king isn’t saved just because his army is big.
A soldier doesn’t escape just because he is very strong.
17 People can’t trust a horse to save them either.
Though it is very strong, it can’t save them.
18 But the Lord looks with favor on those who respect him.
He watches over those who put their hope in his faithful love.
19 He watches over them to save them from death.
He wants to keep them alive when there is no food in the land.
20 We wait in hope for the Lord.
He helps us. He is like a shield that keeps us safe.
21 Our hearts are full of joy because of him.
We trust in him, because he is holy.
22 Lord, may your faithful love be with us.
We put our hope in you.
37 “When I hear the thunder, my heart pounds.
It beats faster inside me.
2 Listen! Listen to the roar of his voice!
Listen to the thunder that comes from him!
3 He sends his lightning across the sky.
It reaches from one end of the earth to the other.
4 Next comes the sound of his roaring thunder.
He thunders with his majestic voice.
When his voice fills the air,
he doesn’t hold anything back.
5 God’s voice thunders in wonderful ways.
We’ll never understand the great things he does.
6 He says to the snow, ‘Fall on the earth.’
He tells the rain, ‘Pour down your mighty waters.’
7 He stops everyone from working.
He wants them to see his work.
8 The animals go inside.
They remain in their dens.
9 The storm comes out of its storeroom in the heavens.
The cold comes from the driving winds.
10 The breath of God produces ice.
The shallow water freezes over.
11 He loads the clouds with moisture.
He scatters his lightning through them.
12 He directs the clouds to circle
above the surface of the whole earth.
They do everything he commands them to do.
13 He tells the clouds to punish people.
Or he brings them to water his earth and show his love.
50 Brothers and sisters, here is what I’m telling you. Bodies made of flesh and blood can’t share in the kingdom of God. And what dies can’t share in what never dies. 51 Listen! I am telling you a mystery. We will not all die. But we will all be changed. 52 That will happen in a flash, as quickly as you can wink an eye. It will happen at the blast of the last trumpet. Then the dead will be raised to live forever. And we will be changed. 53 Our natural bodies don’t last forever. They must be dressed with what does last forever. What dies must be dressed with what does not die. 54 In fact, that is going to happen. What does not last will be dressed with what lasts forever. What dies will be dressed with what does not die. Then what is written will come true. It says, “Death has been swallowed up. It has lost the battle.” (Isaiah 25:8)
55 “Death, where is the victory you thought you had?
Death, where is your sting?” (Hosea 13:14)
56 The sting of death is sin. And the power of sin is the law. 57 But let us give thanks to God! He gives us the victory because of what our Lord Jesus Christ has done.
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