Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
BOOK III
(Psalms 73–89)
God’s Ways Vindicated
A psalm of Asaph.(A)
73 God is indeed good to Israel,
to the pure in heart.(B)
2 But as for me, my feet almost slipped;
my steps nearly went astray.(C)
3 For I envied the arrogant;
I saw the prosperity of the wicked.(D)
4 They have an easy time until they die,[a]
and their bodies are well fed.[b](E)
5 They are not in trouble like others;
they are not afflicted like most people.(F)
6 Therefore, pride is their necklace,
and violence covers them like a garment.(G)
7 Their eyes bulge out from fatness;
the imaginations of their hearts run wild.(H)
8 They mock, and they speak maliciously;
they arrogantly threaten oppression.(I)
9 They set their mouths against heaven,
and their tongues strut across the earth.(J)
10 Therefore his people turn to them[c]
and drink in their overflowing words.[d](K)
11 The wicked say, ‘How can God know?
Does the Most High know everything? ’(L)
12 Look at them – the wicked!
They are always at ease,
and they increase their wealth.(M)
13 Did I purify my heart
and wash my hands in innocence for nothing?(N)
14 For I am afflicted all day long
and punished every morning.(O)
15 If I had decided to say these things aloud,
I would have betrayed your people.[e](P)
16 When I tried to understand all this,
it seemed hopeless[f](Q)
17 until I entered God’s sanctuary.
Then I understood their destiny.(R)
18 Indeed, you put them in slippery places;
you make them fall into ruin.(S)
19 How suddenly they become a desolation!
They come to an end, swept away by terrors.(T)
20 Like one waking from a dream,
Lord, when arising, you will despise their image.(U)
2 Whoever lives with integrity fears the Lord,(C)
but the one who is devious in his ways despises him.(D)
3 The proud speech of a fool brings a rod of discipline,[a]
but the lips of the wise protect them.(E)
4 Where there are no oxen, the feeding trough is empty,[b]
but an abundant harvest comes through the strength of an ox.
5 An honest witness does not deceive,
but a dishonest witness utters lies.(F)
6 A mocker seeks wisdom and doesn’t find it,
but knowledge comes easily to the perceptive.
7 Stay away from a foolish person;
you will gain no knowledge from his speech.(G)
8 The sensible person’s wisdom is to consider his way,
but the stupidity of fools deceives them.
9 Fools mock at making reparation,[c]
but there is goodwill among the upright.
The Power of Jesus over a Demon
14 When they reached the crowd,(A) a man approached and knelt down before him. 15 ‘Lord,’ he said, ‘have mercy on my son, because he has seizures[a] and suffers terribly. He often falls into the fire and often into the water. 16 I brought him to your disciples, but they couldn’t heal him.’(B)
17 Jesus replied, ‘You unbelieving and perverse generation, how long will I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring him here to me.’(C) 18 Then Jesus rebuked the demon,[b] and it[c] came out of him,(D) and from that moment[d] the boy was healed.
19 Then the disciples approached Jesus privately and said, ‘Why couldn’t we drive it out? ’
20 ‘Because of your little faith,’ he[e] told them. ‘For truly I tell you, if you have faith the size of[f] a mustard seed, you will tell this mountain, “Move from here to there,” and it will move.(E) Nothing will be impossible for you.’[g](F)
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