Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, whose people he has chosen as his own. 13-15 The Lord gazes down upon mankind from heaven where he lives. He has made their hearts and closely watches everything they do.
16-17 The best-equipped army cannot save a king—for great strength is not enough to save anyone. A war horse is a poor risk for winning victories—it is strong, but it cannot save.
18-19 But the eyes of the Lord are watching over those who fear him, who rely upon his steady love. He will keep them from death even in times of famine! 20 We depend upon the Lord alone to save us. Only he can help us; he protects us like a shield. 21 No wonder we are happy in the Lord! For we are trusting him. We trust his holy name. 22 Yes, Lord, let your constant love surround us, for our hopes are in you alone.
21 Job’s reply:
2-3 “Listen to me; let me speak, and afterwards, mock on.
4 “I am complaining about God,[a] not man; no wonder my spirit is so troubled. 5 Look at me in horror, and lay your hand upon your mouth. 6 Even I am frightened when I see myself. Horror takes hold upon me and I shudder.
7 “The truth is that the wicked live on to a good old age and become great and powerful. 8 They live to see their children grow to maturity around them, and their grandchildren too. 9 Their homes are safe from every fear, and God does not punish them. 10 Their cattle are productive, 11 they have many happy children, 12-13 they spend their time singing and dancing. They are wealthy and need deny themselves nothing; they are prosperous to the end. 14 All this despite the fact that they ordered God away and wanted no part of him and his ways.
15 “‘Who is Almighty God?’ they scoff. ‘Why should we obey him? What good will it do us?’
16 “Look, everything the wicked touch has turned to gold! But I refuse even to deal with people like that.
9 1-3 O Israel, my people! O my Jewish brothers! How I long for you to come to Christ. My heart is heavy within me, and I grieve bitterly day and night because of you. Christ knows and the Holy Spirit knows that it is no mere pretense when I say that I would be willing to be forever damned if that would save you. 4 God has given you so much, but still you will not listen to him. He took you as his own special, chosen people and led you along with a bright cloud of glory and told you how very much he wanted to bless you. He gave you his rules for daily life so you would know what he wanted you to do. He let you worship him and gave you mighty promises. 5 Great men of God were your fathers, and Christ himself was one of you, a Jew so far as his human nature is concerned, he who now rules over all things. Praise God forever!
6 Well then, has God failed to fulfill his promises to the Jews? No! For these promises are only to those who are truly Jews.[a] And not everyone born into a Jewish family is truly a Jew! 7 Just the fact that they come from Abraham doesn’t make them truly Abraham’s children. For the Scriptures say that the promises apply only to Abraham’s son Isaac and Isaac’s descendants, though Abraham had other children too. 8 This means that not all of Abraham’s children are children of God, but only those who believe the promise of salvation which he made to Abraham.
9 For God had promised, “Next year I will give you and Sarah a son.”
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.