Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
8 O Yahweh Elohim Tsebaoth, hear my prayer.
Open your ears, O Elohim of Jacob. Selah
9 Look at our shield, O Elohim.
Look with favor on the face of your anointed one.
10 One day in your courtyards is better than a thousand anywhere else.
I would rather stand in the entrance to my Elohim’s house
than live inside wicked people’s homes.
11 Yahweh Elohim is a sun and Magen.
Yahweh grants favor and honor.
He does not hold back any blessing
from those who live innocently.
12 O Yahweh Tsebaoth, blessed is the person who trusts you.
Hannah’s Prayer
2 Hannah prayed out loud,
“My heart finds joy in Yahweh.
My head is lifted to Yahweh.
My mouth mocks my enemies.
I rejoice because you saved me.
2 There is no one holy like Yahweh.
There is no one but you, O Lord.
There is no Tsur like our Elohim.
3 “Do not boast
or let arrogance come out of your mouth
because Yahweh is an El of knowledge,
and he weighs our actions.
4 “The bows of the warriors are broken,
but those who stumble are armed with strength.
5 Those who were well-fed hire themselves out for a piece of bread,
but those who were hungry hunger no more.
Even the woman who was childless gives birth to seven children,
but the mother of many children grieves all alone.
6 “Yahweh kills, and he gives life.
He makes people go down to the grave, and he raises them up again.
7 Yahweh causes poverty and grants wealth.
He humbles people; he also promotes them.
8 He raises the poor from the dust.
He lifts the needy from the trash heap
in order to make them sit with nobles
and even to make them inherit a glorious throne.
“The pillars of the earth are Yahweh’s.
He has set the world on them.
9 He safeguards the steps of his faithful ones,
but wicked people are silenced in darkness
because humans cannot succeed by their own strength.
10 “Those who oppose Yahweh are broken into pieces.
He thunders at them from the heavens.
Yahweh judges the ends of the earth.
He gives strength to his King
and lifts the head of his Messiah.”[a]
Share Christ’s Sufferings
12 Dear friends, don’t be surprised by the fiery troubles that are coming in order to test you. Don’t feel as though something strange is happening to you, 13 but be happy as you share Christ’s sufferings. Then you will also be full of joy when he appears again in his glory. 14 If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed because the Spirit of glory—the Spirit of God—is resting on you.
15 If you suffer, you shouldn’t suffer for being a murderer, thief, criminal, or troublemaker. 16 If you suffer for being a Christian, don’t feel ashamed, but praise God for being called that name. 17 The time has come for the judgment to begin, and it will begin with God’s family. If it starts with us, what will be the end for those who refuse to obey the Good News of God? 18 If it’s hard for the person who has God’s approval to be saved, what will happen to the godless sinner? 19 Those who suffer because that is God’s will for them must entrust themselves to a faithful creator and continue to do what is good.
The Names of God Bible (without notes) © 2011 by Baker Publishing Group.