Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Psalm 111[a]
Praise of God for Goodness to Israel
1 Hallelujah!
I will praise the Lord with all my heart(A)
in the assembled congregation of the upright.[b]
2 Great are the works of the Lord,
studied by all who delight in them.
3 Majestic and glorious is his work,
his righteousness endures forever.
4 He won renown for his wondrous deeds;
gracious and merciful is the Lord.(B)
5 He gives food to those who fear him,[c]
he remembers his covenant forever.
6 He showed his powerful deeds to his people,
giving them the inheritance of the nations.
7 The works of his hands are true and just,
reliable all his decrees,
8 Established forever and ever,
to be observed with truth and equity.
9 He sent release to his people,
decreed his covenant forever;
holy and fearsome is his name.
10 [d]The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;(C)
prudent are all who practice it.
His praise endures forever.
Moses Excluded from the Promised Land. 23 (A)It was then that I entreated the Lord, 24 “Lord God, you have begun to show to your servant your greatness and your mighty hand. What god in heaven or on earth can perform deeds and powerful acts like yours? 25 Ah, let me cross over and see the good land beyond the Jordan, that fine hill country, and the Lebanon!” 26 But the Lord was angry with me on your account[a] and would not hear me.(B) The Lord said to me, Enough! Speak to me no more of this. 27 Go up to the top of Pisgah and look out to the west, and to the north, and to the south, and to the east. Look well, for you shall not cross this Jordan.(C) 28 Commission Joshua,(D) and encourage and strengthen him, for it is he who will cross at the head of this people and he who will give them possession of the land you are to see.
29 So we remained in the valley opposite Beth-peor.
God’s Free Choice. 6 But it is not that the word of God has failed. For not all who are of Israel are Israel,(A) 7 nor are they all children of Abraham because they are his descendants; but “It is through Isaac that descendants shall bear your name.”(B) 8 This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as descendants.(C) 9 For this is the wording of the promise, “About this time I shall return and Sarah will have a son.”(D) 10 And not only that,(E) but also when Rebecca had conceived children by one husband, our father Isaac[a]— 11 before they had yet been born or had done anything, good or bad, in order that God’s elective plan might continue, 12 not by works but by his call—she was told, “The older shall serve the younger.”(F) 13 As it is written:(G)
“I loved Jacob
but hated Esau.”[b]
14 [c]What then are we to say? Is there injustice on the part of God? Of course not!(H) 15 For he says to Moses:
“I will show mercy to whom I will,
I will take pity on whom I will.”(I)
16 So it depends not upon a person’s will or exertion, but upon God, who shows mercy.(J) 17 For the scripture says to Pharaoh, “This is why I have raised you up, to show my power through you that my name may be proclaimed throughout the earth.”(K) 18 Consequently, he has mercy upon whom he wills,(L) and he hardens whom he wills.[d]
Scripture texts, prefaces, introductions, footnotes and cross references used in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC All Rights Reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.