Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
To the Director: With stringed instruments. A psalm of Asaph. A song.
The Awesome God
76 God is known in Judah;
in Israel his reputation is great.
2 His abode is in Salem,[a]
his dwelling place in Zion.
3 There he shattered sharp arrows,
shields, swords, and weapons of[b] war.
4 You are enveloped by light;
more majestic than mountains filled with game.
5 Brave men were plundered
while they slumbered in their sleep.
All the men of the army were immobilized.
6 At the sound of your battle cry, God of Jacob,
both horse and chariot rider fell into deep sleep.
7 You are awesome!
who can stand in your presence when you’re angry?
8 From heaven you declared judgment.
The earth stands in awe and is quiet
9 when God arose to execute justice
and to deliver all the afflicted of the earth.
10 Even human anger praises you;
you will wear the survivors of your wrath as an ornament.[c]
17 “Instead of bronze, I’ll bring gold,
and instead of iron, I’ll bring silver;
instead of wood, bronze,
and instead of stones, iron.
I’ll appoint peace as your supervisor
and righteousness as your taskmaster.
18 Then[a] violence will no longer be heard in your land,
nor devastation or destruction within your borders;
but you’ll call your walls ‘Salvation’,
and your gates ‘Praise’.
19 “The sun will no longer be your light by day,
nor for brightness will the moon shine on you by night[b]—
for the Lord will be your everlasting light,[c]
and your God will be your glory.
20 Your sun won’t[d] set,
nor will your moon withdraw itself—
for the Lord will be your everlasting light,
and your days of mourning will end.
21 Then your people will all be righteous;
They’ll possess the land forever.
They are the shoot[e] that the Lord planted,[f]
the works[g] of his hands,
so that I might be glorified.
22 The least of them will become a thousand,
and the smallest one a mighty nation.
“I am the Lord;
When the time is right,[h] I will do this swiftly.”
25 Therefore, stripping off falsehood, “let each of us speak the truth to his neighbor,”[a] for we belong to one another. 26 “Be angry, yet do not sin.”[b] Do not let the sun set while you are still angry, 27 and do not give the Devil an opportunity to work.[c] 28 The thief must no longer steal but must work hard and do what is good with his own hands, so that he might earn something to give to the needy.
29 Let no filthy talk be heard from your mouths, but only what is good for building up people and meeting the need of the moment.[d] This way you will administer grace to those who hear you. 30 Do not grieve the Holy Spirit, by whom you were marked with a seal for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, quarreling, and slander be put away from you, along with all hatred. 32 And be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another just as God has forgiven you[e] in the Messiah.[f]
5 So be imitators of God, as his dear children. 2 Live lovingly, just as the Messiah[g] also loved us[h] and gave himself for us as an offering and sacrifice, a fragrant aroma to God.
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