Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Looking for God’s Favour
A song of ascents.
123 I lift my eyes to you,
the one enthroned in heaven.(A)
2 Like a servant’s eyes on his master’s hand,
like a servant girl’s eyes on her mistress’s hand,
so our eyes are on the Lord our God
until he shows us favour.(B)
3 Show us favour, Lord, show us favour,
for we’ve had more than enough contempt.(C)
4 We’ve had more than enough
scorn from the arrogant
and contempt from the proud.(D)
Zophar Speaks
20 Then Zophar the Naamathite(A) replied:
2 This is why my unsettling thoughts compel me to answer,
because I am upset![a]
3 I have heard a rebuke that insults me,
and my understanding[b] makes me reply.(B)
4 Don’t you know that ever since antiquity,
from the time a human was placed on earth,
5 the joy of the wicked has been brief
and the happiness of the godless has lasted only a moment?(C)
6 Though his arrogance reaches heaven,
and his head touches the clouds,(D)
7 he will vanish for ever like his own dung.
Those who know[c] him will ask, ‘Where is he? ’(E)
8 He will fly away like a dream and never be found;
he will be chased away like a vision in the night.(F)
9 The eye that saw him will see him no more,(G)
and his household will no longer see him.(H)
10 His children will beg from[d] the poor,
for his own hands must give back his wealth.
11 His frame may be full of youthful vigour,
but it will lie down with him in dust.(I)
The Trustworthy Prophetic Word
16 For we did not follow cleverly contrived myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ;(A) instead, we were eye-witnesses of his majesty.(B) 17 For he received honour and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying ‘This is my beloved Son,[a] with whom I am well-pleased! ’(C) 18 We ourselves heard this voice when it came from heaven while we were with him on the holy mountain.(D) 19 We also have the prophetic word strongly confirmed, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a lamp shining in a dark place,(E) until the day dawns(F) and the morning star(G) rises in your hearts. 20 Above all, you know this: No prophecy of Scripture comes from the prophet’s own interpretation, 21 because no prophecy ever came by the will of man;(H) instead, men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.(I)
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