Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

To the Overcomer, A Psalm of David.

¹ ¶ Hear my voice, O God, in my prayer; preserve my life from fear of the enemy.

² Hide me from the secret counsel of the wicked, from the insurrection of the workers of iniquity:

³ Who whet their tongue like a sword and bend their bows to shoot their arrows, even bitter words

⁴ That they may shoot in secret at the perfect; suddenly do they shoot at him and fear not.

⁵ They encourage themselves in an evil matter; they attempt to hide the snares; they say, Who shall see them?

⁶ They search out iniquities; they perfect and put into effect that which they have invented in the inward thought of each one of them and that which they have devised in their heart.

⁷ ¶ But God shall shoot at them with an arrow; suddenly shall they be wounded.

⁸ So they shall make their own council and agreements to fall upon themselves; all that see them shall flee away.

⁹ And all men shall fear and shall declare the work of God, for they shall understand his doing.

¹⁰ The righteous shall be glad in the LORD and shall become secure in him, and all the upright in heart shall glory in him.

18 ¶ Then Bildad, the Shuhite, answered and said,

² How long will it be ere ye make an end of words? Understand, and afterwards we will speak.

³ Why are we counted as beasts? Are we vile in your sight?

⁴ O thou that dost tear thy soul in thine anger; shall the earth be forsaken because of thee and shall the rocks be removed out of their place?

⁵ ¶ The light of the wicked shall certainly be put out, and the spark of his fire shall not shine.

⁶ The light shall be dark in his tabernacle, and his lamp shall be put out with him.

⁷ The steps of his strength shall be cut down, and his own counsel shall cast him down.

⁸ For a net shall be cast at his feet, and he shall walk upon a network.

⁹ The snare shall take him by the heel, and the robber shall prevail against him.

¹⁰ The cord is hidden in the ground and a trap for him in the way.

¹¹ ¶ Terrors shall make him afraid on every side, and his own feet shall drive him away.

¹² His strength shall be hungerbitten, and destruction shall be ready at his side.

¹³ They shall devour the protection of his skin; the firstborn of death shall devour his members.

¹⁴ His confidence shall be rooted out of his tent, and he shall be brought to the king of terrors.

¹⁵ He shall dwell in his tent, as if it were not his; brimstone shall be scattered upon his habitation.

¹⁶ His roots shall be dried up beneath, and above his branch shall be cut off.

¹⁷ His memory shall perish from the earth, and he shall have no name in the streets.

¹⁸ He shall be driven from the light into the darkness and chased out of the world.

¹⁹ He shall have neither son nor grandson among his people, nor any to succeed him in his dwellings.

²⁰ Those that come after him shall be dismayed at his day, as those that went before were overcome with fear.

²¹ Surely such are the dwellings of the wicked, and this is the place of him that does not know God.

¹⁸ For the word of the cross {Gr. stauros – stake} is foolishness to those that perish, but unto us who are saved, it is the power of God.

¹⁹ For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.

²⁰ Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the philosopher of this world? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?

²¹ For in the wisdom of God, since the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save those that believe.

²² For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom,

²³ but we preach Christ crucified, {Gr. Stauroo – hung on a stake} unto the Jews a stumblingblock and unto the Gentiles foolishness;

²⁴ but unto those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ is the power of God, and the wisdom of God.

²⁵ For that which is foolish of God is wiser than men, and that which is weak of God is stronger than men.

²⁶ For look upon your vocation, brothers, that ye are not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble,

²⁷ but rather God has chosen that which is the foolishness of the world to confound the wise, and God has chosen that which is the weakness of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty;

²⁸ and that which is vile of the world and that which is despised God has chosen, and things which are not, to bring to nought the things that are,

²⁹ that no flesh should glory in his presence.

³⁰ But of him ye are reborn in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption,

³¹ that, according as it is written, He that glories, let him glory in the Lord.