Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
19 But you, O Lord, do not remain far away.
You are my source of strength.[a] Hurry and help me![b]
20 Deliver me[c] from the sword.
Save[d] my life[e] from the claws[f] of the wild dogs.
21 Rescue me from the mouth of the lion,[g]
and from the horns of the wild oxen.[h]
You have answered me.[i]
22 I will declare your name to my countrymen.[j]
In the middle of the assembly I will praise you.
23 You loyal followers of the Lord,[k] praise him.
All you descendants of Jacob, honor him.
All you descendants of Israel, stand in awe of him.[l]
24 For he did not despise or detest the suffering[m] of the oppressed.[n]
He did not ignore him;[o]
when he cried out to him, he responded.[p]
25 You are the reason I offer praise[q] in the great assembly;
I will fulfill my promises before the Lord’s loyal followers.[r]
26 Let the oppressed eat and be filled.[s]
Let those who seek his help praise the Lord.
May you[t] live forever!
27 Let all the people of the earth acknowledge the Lord and turn to him.[u]
Let all the nations[v] worship you.[w]
28 For the Lord is king[x]
and rules over the nations.
The Lord Denounces Israel’s Paganism
9 All you wild animals in the fields, come and devour,
all you wild animals in the forest!
10 All their watchmen[a] are blind,
they are unaware.[b]
All of them are like mute dogs,
unable to bark.
They pant,[c] lie down,
and love to snooze.
11 The dogs have big appetites;
they are never full.[d]
They are shepherds who have no understanding;
they all go their own way,
each one looking for monetary gain.[e]
12 Each one says,[f]
‘Come on, I’ll get some wine!
Let’s guzzle some beer!
Tomorrow will be just like today!
We’ll have everything we want!’[g]
The Condemnation of the Jew
17 But if you call yourself a Jew and rely on the law[a] and boast of your relationship to God[b] 18 and know his will[c] and approve the superior things because you receive instruction from the law,[d] 19 and if you are convinced[e] that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, 20 an educator of the senseless, a teacher of little children, because you have in the law the essential features of knowledge and of the truth— 21 therefore[f] you who teach someone else, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal? 22 You who tell others not to commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor[g] idols, do you rob temples? 23 You who boast in the law dishonor God by transgressing the law! 24 For just as it is written, “the name of God is being blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.”[h]
25 For circumcision[i] has its value if you practice the law, but[j] if you break the law,[k] your circumcision has become uncircumcision. 26 Therefore if the uncircumcised man obeys[l] the righteous requirements of the law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision? 27 And the physically uncircumcised man,[m] by keeping the law, will judge you to be the transgressor of the law, even though[n] you have the letter[o] and circumcision! 28 For a person is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision something that is outward in the flesh, 29 but someone is a Jew who is one inwardly, and circumcision is of the heart[p] by the Spirit[q] and not by the letter.[r] This person’s[s] praise is not from people but from God.
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