Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
19 Do not be so far away, O Yahweh.
Come quickly to help me, O my strength.
20 Rescue my soul from the sword,
my life from vicious dogs.
21 Save me from the mouth of the lion
and from the horns of wild oxen.
You have answered me.
22 I will tell my people about your name.
I will praise you within the congregation.
23 All who fear Yahweh, praise him!
All you descendants of Jacob, glorify him!
Stand in awe of him, all you descendants of Israel.
24 Yahweh has not despised or been disgusted
with the plight of the oppressed one.
He has not hidden his face from that person.
Yahweh heard when that oppressed person
cried out to him for help.
25 My praise comes from you while I am among those assembled for worship.
I will fulfill my vows in the presence of those who fear Yahweh.
26 Oppressed people will eat until they are full.
Those who look to Yahweh will praise him.
May you live forever.
27 All the ends of the earth will remember and return to Yahweh.
All the families from all the nations will worship you
28 because the kingdom belongs to Yahweh
and he rules the nations.
57 Righteous people die,
and no one cares.
Loyal people are taken away,
and no one understands.
Righteous people are spared when evil comes.
2 When peace comes,
everyone who has lived honestly will rest on his own bed.
Israel’s Idolatry
3 But you—come here,
you children of witches,
you descendants of adulterers and prostitutes!
4 Whom are you making fun of?
Whom are you making a face at?
Whom are you sticking out your tongue at?
Aren’t you rebellious children,
descendants of liars?
5 You burn with lust under oak trees
and under every large tree.
You slaughter children in the valleys
and under the cracks in the rocks.
6 Your idols are among the smooth stones in the ravine.
They are your destiny.
You have given them wine offerings
and sacrificed grain offerings to them.
Do you think I am pleased with all this?
7 You’ve made your bed on a high and lofty mountain.
You’ve gone to offer sacrifices there.
8 You’ve set up your idols beside doors and doorposts.
You’ve uncovered yourself to the idols.
You’ve distanced yourself from me.
You’ve made your bed with them.
You’ve made a deal with those you have pleasure with in bed.
You’ve seen them naked.
9 You’ve journeyed to the king with perfumed oils
and put on plenty of perfume.
You’ve sent your ambassadors far away
and sent them down to Sheol.
10 You’ve tired yourself out with many journeys.
You didn’t think that it was hopeless.
You’ve found renewed strength,
so you didn’t faint.
11 Whom did you dread and fear so much that you lied to me?
You haven’t remembered me or cared about me.
I’ve been silent for a long time.
Is that why you don’t fear me?
12 I’ll tell you about your righteous ways and what you have done,
but they won’t help you.
13 When you cry for help,
let your collection of idols save you.
A wind will carry them all away.
A breath will take them away.
But whoever trusts me will possess the land
and inherit my holy mountain.
The Relationship between Law and Promise
15 Brothers and sisters, let me use an example from everyday life. No one can cancel a person’s will or add conditions to it once that will is put into effect. 16 The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his descendant. Scripture doesn’t say, “descendants,” referring to many, but “your descendant,” referring to one. That descendant is Christ. 17 This is what I mean: The laws given to Moses 430 years after God had already put his promise to Abraham into effect didn’t cancel the promise to Abraham. 18 If we have to gain the inheritance by following those laws, then it no longer comes to us because of the promise. However, God freely gave the inheritance to Abraham through a promise.
19 What, then, is the purpose of the laws given to Moses? They were added to identify what wrongdoing is. Moses’ laws did this until the descendant to whom the promise was given came.[a] It was put into effect through angels, using a mediator. 20 A mediator is not used when there is only one person involved, and God has acted on his own.
21 Does this mean, then, that the laws given to Moses contradict God’s promises? That’s unthinkable! If those laws could give us life, then certainly we would receive God’s approval because we obeyed them. 22 But Scripture states that the whole world is controlled by the power of sin. Therefore, a promise based on faith in Yeshua Christ could be given to those who believe.
The Names of God Bible (without notes) © 2011 by Baker Publishing Group.