Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

²² “The Lord possessed me in the beginning of His way,
    before His works of old.
²³ I was set up from everlasting,
    from the beginning, before there was ever an earth.
²⁴ When there were no depths, I was brought forth,
    when there were no fountains abounding with water.
²⁵ Before the mountains were settled,
    before the hills I was brought forth;
²⁶ while as yet He had not made the earth or the fields,
    or the first dust of the world.
²⁷ When He prepared the heavens, I was there,
    when He drew a circle on the face of the deep,
²⁸ when He established the clouds above,
    when He strengthened the fountains of the deep,
²⁹ when He gave to the sea His decree,
    that the waters should not pass His commandment,
when He appointed the foundations of the earth,
³⁰     then I was by Him, as one brought up with Him;
and I was daily His delight,
    rejoicing always before Him,
³¹ rejoicing in the habitable part of His earth,
    and my delights were with the sons of men.

You have set Your glory
    above the heavens.
² Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants
    You have ordained strength
because of Your enemies,
    to silence the enemy and the avenger.
³ When I consider Your heavens,
    the work of Your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
    which You have established,
⁴ what is man that You are mindful of him,
    and the son of man that You attend to him?

⁵ For You have made him a little lower than the angels,
    and crowned him with glory and honor.
⁶ You have given him dominion over the works of Your hands;
    You have put all things under his feet,
⁷ all sheep and oxen,
    and also the beasts of the field,
⁸ the birds of the air,
    and the fish of the sea,
    and whatever travels the paths of the seas.

⁹ O Lord, our Lord,
    how excellent is Your name in all the earth!