Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
A Prayer for Mercy in Troubled Times
For the director of music. With stringed instruments. By the sheminith. A song of David.
6 Lord, don’t correct me when you are angry.
Don’t punish me when you are very angry.
2 Lord, be kind to me because I am weak.
Heal me, Lord, because my bones ache.
3 I am very upset.
Lord, how long will it be?
4 Lord, return and save me.
Save me because of your kindness.
5 Dead people don’t remember you.
Those in the grave don’t praise you.
6 I am tired of crying to you.
Every night my bed is wet with tears.
My bed is soaked from my crying.
7 My eyes are weak from so much crying.
They are weak from crying about my enemies.
8 Get away from me, all you who do evil.
The Lord has heard my crying.
9 The Lord has heard my cry for help.
The Lord will answer my prayer.
10 All my enemies will be ashamed and troubled.
They will turn and suddenly leave in shame.
16 “Now my life is almost over.
My days are full of suffering.
17 At night my bones ache.
Gnawing pains never stop.
18 In his great power God grabs hold of my clothing.
He chokes me with the collar of my coat.
19 He throws me into the mud.
And I become like dirt and ashes.
20 “I cry out to you, God, but you do not answer.
I stand up, but you just look at me.
21 You turn on me without mercy.
You attack me with your powerful hand.
22 You snatch me up and throw me into the wind.
You toss me about in the storm.
23 I know you will bring me down to death.
You will bring me to the place where all living people must go.
24 “Surely no one would hurt a ruined man
when he cries for help in his time of trouble.
25 I have cried for those who are in trouble.
My soul has been very sad for poor people.
26 But when I hoped for good, only evil came to me.
When I looked for light, darkness came.
27 I never stop being upset inside.
Days of suffering are ahead of me.
28 I have become black, but not by the sun.
I stand up in public and cry for help.
29 It is as if I have become a brother to wild dogs
and a friend to ostriches.
30 My skin becomes black and peels off.
My body burns with fever.
31 My harp is tuned for singing a sad song.
And my flute is tuned for the sound of loud crying.
46 Jesus went to visit Cana in Galilee again. This is where Jesus had changed the water into wine. One of the king’s important officers lived in the city of Capernaum. This man’s son was sick. 47 The man heard that Jesus had come from Judea and was now in Galilee. He went to Jesus and begged him to come to Capernaum and heal his son. His son was almost dead. 48 Jesus said to him, “You people must see signs and miracles before you will believe in me.”
49 The officer said, “Sir, come before my child dies.”
50 Jesus answered, “Go. Your son will live.”
The man believed what Jesus told him and went home. 51 On the way the man’s servants came and met him. They told him, “Your son is well.”
52 The man asked, “What time did my son begin to get well?”
They answered, “It was about one o’clock yesterday when the fever left him.”
53 The father knew that one o’clock was the exact time that Jesus had said, “Your son will live.” So the man and all the people of his house believed in Jesus.
54 That was the second miracle that Jesus did after coming from Judea to Galilee.
The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.