Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Psalm 38
Do Not Rebuke Me in Your Anger
Heading
A psalm by David. To bring to remembrance.
Opening Plea
1 Lord, do not rebuke me in anger.
Do not discipline me in wrath.
The Greatness of David’s Burden
2 Indeed, your arrows have stuck in me.
Your hand has come down on me.
3 There is no health in my flesh because of your rage.
There is no wellness in my bones because of my sin,
4 because my guilt has gone over my head.
Like a heavy burden, it is too heavy for me.
5 My wounds stink and ooze because of my folly.
6 I am drooping. I am completely bent over.
All day long I go around mourning.
7 Even my back burns with pain.[a]
My whole body[b] is unhealthy.
8 I have become numb. I am totally crushed.
I groan loudly because of my anxious thoughts.
9 Lord, all my needs lie before you.
My sighs are not hidden from you.
10 My heart beats quickly. My strength leaves me.
Even the light of my eyes is gone from me.
11 My loved ones and my friends stand far away
because of the blow I have suffered.
My neighbors stand at a distance.
12 Those who pursue my life set traps.
Those who seek to harm me talk about my ruin.
All day long they plot deception.
13 I am deaf. I cannot hear.
Like a mute person, I cannot open my mouth.
14 I am like a man who cannot hear.
No response comes from his mouth.
David’s Confidence of Delivery
15 Yet I wait for you, Lord.
You will answer, O Lord my God.
16 So I said, “Do not let them celebrate because of me.
Do not let them gloat when my foot slips.”
17 Look! I am about to fall,
and I am always in pain,
18 so I declare my guilt,
and I am troubled by my sin.
19 My aggressive enemies are numerous.
Those who hate me for no reason are many.
20 Those who repay evil for good
slander me because I pursue what is good.
Closing Plea
21 Do not forsake me, O Lord.
My God, do not be far from me.
22 Hurry to help me, O Lord, my salvation.
5 When a person sins because he did not speak up, even though he was an eyewitness to a case or knew what happened, and he had even heard a curse pronounced against anyone who failed to testify, he is guilty.[a]
2 When a person touches something unclean, whether it is the carcass of an unclean wild animal or the carcass of unclean livestock or the carcass of an unclean swarming creature, but he does not realize it, he nevertheless is unclean, and he is liable.[b]
3 When a person touches human impurity, any impurity[c] by which one becomes unclean, but at first he does not realize it, but later becomes aware of it, he is nevertheless unclean, and he is liable.
4 Or when a person rashly utters an oath, whether for an evil purpose or a good purpose—no matter what anyone may rashly utter as an oath—even though he does not realize it at first, when he finds out about it later, he is liable in any one of these cases.[d]
5 When he realizes his liability in one of these cases, he shall confess the sin of which he is guilty. 6 As his penalty for the sin of which he is guilty, he shall bring to the Lord a female from the flock (a sheep or a goat) as a sin offering, so that the priest may make atonement for him for his sin. 7 But if he cannot afford a sheep or goat, he shall bring to the Lord as his penalty for that sin two turtledoves or two pigeons: one for a sin offering and the other for a whole burnt offering. 8 He shall bring them to the priest. First, the priest shall offer the one for the sin offering by wringing its head from its neck without severing it. 9 He shall sprinkle some of the blood of the sin offering on the side of the altar, while the rest of the blood is to be drained at the base of the altar. It is a sin offering. 10 Then he shall perform the procedure for the second sacrifice according to the regulation for a whole burnt offering. In this way the priest shall make atonement for him from the sin of which he is guilty, so that he may be forgiven.
11 If the person cannot afford two turtledoves or two pigeons, he shall bring as his offering for his guilt two quarts[e] of choice flour for a sin offering. He shall not add olive oil to it or put frankincense on it, because it is a sin offering. 12 He shall bring it to the priest, and the priest shall scoop out a handful of it as its memorial portion and send it up in smoke on the altar, on top of the gifts made by fire for the Lord. It is a sin offering. 13 In this way the priest shall make atonement for him for the sin of which he is guilty, so that he may be forgiven. Like the grain offering, it shall belong to the priest.
Do Not Cause Little Believers to Fall Into Sin
17 Jesus said to his disciples, “Temptations to sin are sure to come, but woe to the one through whom they come! 2 It would be better for that person if a millstone would be hung around his neck and he would be thrown into the sea than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin. 3 Watch yourselves.
“If your brother sins, rebuke him. If he repents, forgive him. 4 Even if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times returns to you and says, ‘I repent,’ forgive him.”
The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved.