Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

Prayer of a Suffering Man

38 O Lord, do not speak sharp words to me when You are angry. Do not punish me in Your burning anger. ² For Your arrows have cut deep into me. And Your hand has come down upon me. ³ My body is in pain because of Your anger. There is no strength in my bones because of my sin. ⁴ For my sins are gone over my head. Like a heavy load, they weigh too much for me. ⁵ My sores smell and grow bigger because I do foolish things. ⁶ I cannot stand straight but keep my head down. I have sorrow all day long ⁷ for my body is filled with burning pain. There is no strength in my body. ⁸ I am weak and broken. I cry because of the pain in my heart. ⁹ Lord, all my desire is before You. And my breathing deep within is not hidden from You. ¹⁰ My heart beats fast. My strength leaves me. Even the light of my eyes has gone from me. ¹¹ My loved ones and my friends stay away from me because of my sickness. My family stands far away. ¹² Those who want to take my life set their traps. And those who want to destroy me talk about ways to do it. They make their sinful plans all day long.

¹³ But like a deaf man, I do not hear. I am like one who cannot speak and does not open his mouth. ¹⁴ Yes, I am like a man who does not hear, and whose mouth does not argue. ¹⁵ For I hope in You, O Lord. You will answer, O Lord my God. ¹⁶ For I said, “Do not let them be happy and raise themselves up against me when my foot trips.” ¹⁷ For I am ready to fall. And my sorrow is always with me. ¹⁸ For I tell my wrong-doings. I am full of sorrow because of my sin. ¹⁹ But those who fight against me are full of action and strength. There are many who hate me without reason. ²⁰ They pay what is bad for what is good. They are against me because I follow what is good. ²¹ Do not leave me alone, O Lord! O my God, do not be far from me! ²² Hurry to help me, O Lord, Who saves me!

The Lord Rules in Jerusalem

4 In the last days the mountain of the Lord’s house will be the highest one of all. It will be raised above the hills, and the people will flow to it. ² Many nations will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord and to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us about His ways, so that we may walk in His paths.” For the Law will go out from Zion, and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem. ³ He will judge between many people. He will decide for strong nations that are far away. Then they will beat their swords into plows, and their spears into cutting hooks. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, and they will never learn war any more. ⁴ Every man will sit under his vine and under his fig tree, with no one to make him afraid. For the mouth of the Lord of All has spoken. ⁵ All the nations may walk in the name of their god. But we will walk in the name of the Lord our God forever and ever.

Israel Will Return from the Strange Land

⁶ “In that day,” says the Lord, “I will gather together those who cannot walk and those who have been driven away, even those whom I have made to suffer. ⁷ I will make a new beginning with those who cannot walk. I will make a strong nation of those who have been driven away. And the Lord will rule over them in Mount Zion from that day and forever.

1 This letter is from Paul. I have been chosen by God to be a missionary for Jesus Christ. Timothy is here with me and is writing to you also. We are writing to God’s church in the city of Corinth and to all of God’s people in the country of Greece. ² May you have loving-favor and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

³ We give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. He is our Father Who shows us loving-kindness and our God Who gives us comfort. ⁴ He gives us comfort in all our troubles. Then we can comfort other people who have the same troubles. We give the same kind of comfort God gives us. ⁵ As we have suffered much for Christ and have shared in His pain, we also share His great comfort.

⁶ But if we are in trouble, it is for your good. And it is so you will be saved from the punishment of sin. If God comforts us, it is for your good also. You too will be given strength not to give up when you have the same kind of trouble we have. ⁷ Our hope for you is the same all the time. We know you are sharing our troubles. And so you will share the comfort we receive.

⁸ We want you to know, Christian brothers, of the trouble we had in the countries of Asia. The load was so heavy we did not have the strength to keep going. At times we did not think we could live. ⁹ We thought we would die. This happened so we would not put our trust in ourselves, but in God Who raises the dead. ¹⁰ Yes, God kept us from what looked like sure death and He is keeping us. As we trust Him, He will keep us in the future. ¹¹ You also help us by praying for us. Many people thank God for His favor to us. This is an answer to the prayers of many people.