Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Prayer for protection against persecutors.
For the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.
140 Deliver me, O Jehovah, from the evil man;
Preserve me from the violent man:
2 Who devise mischiefs in their heart;
Continually do they [a]gather themselves together for war.
3 They have sharpened their tongue like a serpent;
Adders’ poison is under their lips. Selah
4 Keep me, O Jehovah, from the hands of the wicked;
Preserve me from the violent man:
Who have purposed to thrust aside my steps.
5 The proud have hid a snare for me, and cords;
They have spread a net by the wayside;
They have set gins for me. Selah
6 I said unto Jehovah, Thou art my God:
Give ear unto the voice of my supplications, O Jehovah.
7 O Jehovah the Lord, the strength of my salvation,
Thou hast covered my head in the day of battle.
8 Grant not, O Jehovah, the desires of the wicked;
Further not his evil device, lest they exalt themselves. Selah
9 As for the head of those that compass me about,
Let the mischief of their own lips cover them.
10 Let burning coals fall upon them:
Let them be cast into the fire,
Into [b]deep pits, whence they shall not rise.
11 [c]An evil speaker shall not be established in the earth:
Evil shall hunt the violent man to overthrow him.
12 I know that Jehovah will maintain the cause of the afflicted,
And justice for the needy.
13 Surely the righteous shall give thanks unto thy name:
The upright shall dwell in thy presence.
16 Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you: they teach you vanity; they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of Jehovah. 17 They say continually unto them that despise me, Jehovah hath said, Ye shall have peace; and unto every one that walketh in the stubbornness of his own heart they say, No evil shall come upon you. 18 For who hath stood in the council of Jehovah, that he should perceive and hear his word? who hath marked [a]my word, and heard it? 19 Behold, the tempest of Jehovah, even his wrath, is gone forth, yea, a whirling tempest: it shall burst upon the head of the wicked. 20 The anger of Jehovah shall not return, until he have [b]executed, and till he have performed the intents of his heart: in the latter days ye shall [c]understand it perfectly. 21 I sent not these prophets, yet they ran: I spake not unto them, yet they prophesied. 22 But if they had stood in my council, then had they caused my people to hear my words, and had turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their doings.
16 Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and [a]harmless as doves. 17 But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to councils, and in their synagogues they will scourge you; 18 yea and before governors and kings shall ye be brought for my sake, for a testimony to them and to the Gentiles. 19 But when they deliver you up, be not anxious how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that hour what ye shall speak. 20 For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father that speaketh in you. 21 And brother shall deliver up brother to death, and the father his child: and children shall rise up against parents, and [b]cause them to be put to death. 22 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved. 23 But when they persecute you in this city, flee into the next: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone through the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come.
24 A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a [c]servant above his lord. 25 It is enough for the disciple that he be as his teacher, and the [d]servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house [e]Beelzebub, how much more them of his household!
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