Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

Psalm 35

[A Psalm] of David.

¹ Contend, O Lord, with those who contend with me; fight against those who fight against me!

² Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for my help!

³ Draw out also the spear and javelin and close up the way of those who pursue and persecute me. Say to me, I am your deliverance!

⁴ Let them be put to shame and dishonor who seek and require my life; let them be turned back and confounded who plan my hurt!

⁵ Let them be as chaff before the wind, with the ^[a]Angel of the Lord driving them on!

⁶ Let their way be through dark and slippery places, with the Angel of the Lord pursuing and afflicting them.

⁷ For without cause they hid for me their net; a pit of destruction without cause they dug for my life.

⁸ Let destruction befall [my foe] unawares; let the net he hid for me catch him; let him fall into that very destruction.

⁹ Then I shall be joyful in the Lord; I shall rejoice in His deliverance.

¹⁰ All my bones shall say, Lord, who is like You, You Who deliver the poor and the afflicted from him who is too strong for him, yes, the poor and the needy from him who snatches away his goods?

²² And God’s anger was kindled because he went, and the ^[a]Angel of the Lord stood in the way as an adversary against him. Now he was riding upon his donkey, and his two servants were with him.

²³ And the donkey saw the Angel of the Lord standing in the way and His sword drawn in His hand, and the donkey turned aside out of the way and went into the field. And Balaam struck the donkey to turn her into the way.

²⁴ But the Angel of the Lord stood in a path of the vineyards, a wall on this side and a wall on that side.

²⁵ And when the donkey saw the Angel of the Lord, she thrust herself against the wall and crushed Balaam’s foot against it, and he struck her again.

²⁶ And the Angel of the Lord went further and stood in a narrow place where there was no room to turn, either to the right hand or to the left.

²⁷ And when the donkey saw the Angel of the Lord, she fell down under Balaam, and Balaam’s anger was kindled and he struck the donkey with his staff.

²⁸ And the Lord opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, What have I done to you that you should strike me these three times?

³² My desire is to have you free from all anxiety and distressing care. The unmarried man is anxious about the things of the Lord—how he may please the Lord;

³³ But the married man is anxious about worldly matters—how he may please his wife—

³⁴ And he is drawn in diverging directions [his interests are divided and he is distracted from his devotion to God]. And the unmarried woman or girl is concerned and anxious about the matters of the Lord, how to be wholly separated and set apart in body and spirit; but the married woman has her cares [centered] in earthly affairs—how she may please her husband.

³⁵ Now I say this for your own welfare and profit, not to put [a halter of] restraint upon you, but to promote what is seemly and in good order and to secure your undistracted and undivided devotion to the Lord.

³⁶ But if any man thinks that he is not acting properly toward and in regard to his virgin [that he is preparing disgrace for her or incurring reproach], in case she is passing the bloom of her youth and if there is need for it, let him do what to him seems right; he does not sin; let them marry.

³⁷ But whoever is firmly established in his heart [strong in mind and purpose], not being forced by necessity but having control over his own will and desire, and has resolved this in his heart to keep his own virginity, he is doing well.

³⁸ So also then, he [the father] who gives his virgin (his daughter) in marriage does well, and he [the father] who does not give [her] in marriage does better.

³⁹ A wife is bound to her husband by law as long as he lives. If the husband dies, she is free to be married to whom she will, only [provided that he too is] in the Lord.

⁴⁰ But in my opinion [a widow] is happier (more blessed and ^[a]to be envied) if she does not remarry. And also I think I have the Spirit of God.