Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Psalm 76
Israel’s God—Judge of All the Earth
To the leader: with stringed instruments. A Psalm of Asaph. A Song.
1 In Judah God is known;
his name is great in Israel.(A)
2 His abode has been established in Salem,
his dwelling place in Zion.(B)
3 There he broke the flashing arrows,
the shield, the sword, and the weapons of war. Selah(C)
4 Glorious are you, more majestic
than the everlasting mountains.[a]
5 The courageous were stripped of their spoil;
they sank into sleep;
none of the troops
was able to lift a hand.(D)
6 At your rebuke, O God of Jacob,
both rider and horse lay stunned.
7 But you indeed are awesome!
Who can stand before you
when your anger is roused?(E)
8 From the heavens you uttered judgment;
the earth feared and was still(F)
9 when God rose up to establish judgment,
to save all the oppressed of the earth. Selah(G)
10 Human wrath serves only to praise you,
when you bind the last bit of your[b] wrath around you.(H)
11 Make vows to the Lord your God and perform them;
let all who are around him bring gifts
to the one who is awesome,(I)
12 who cuts off the spirit of princes,
who inspires fear in the kings of the earth.(J)
The Worship God Demands
66 Thus says the Lord:
Heaven is my throne,
and the earth is my footstool;
so what kind of house could you build for me,
what sort of place for me to rest?(A)
2 All these things my hand has made,
so all these things are mine,[a]
says the Lord.
But this is the one to whom I will look,
to the humble and contrite in spirit
who trembles at my word.(B)
3 Whoever slaughters an ox is like one who kills a human,
whoever sacrifices a lamb like one who breaks a dog’s neck,
whoever presents a grain offering like one who offers pig’s blood,
whoever makes a memorial offering of frankincense like one who blesses an idol.
Just as these have chosen their own ways
and in their abominations they take delight,(C)
4 so I will choose their punishments
and bring upon them what they fear,
because, when I called, no one answered,
when I spoke, they did not listen,
but they did what was evil in my sight
and chose what did not please me.(D)
The Lord Vindicates Zion
5 Hear the word of the Lord,
you who tremble at his word:
Your own people who hate you
and reject you for my name’s sake
have said, “Let the Lord be glorified,
so that we may see your joy,”
but it is they who shall be put to shame.(E)
6 Listen, a roar from the city!
A voice from the temple!
The voice of the Lord,
dealing retribution to his enemies!(F)
7 Before she was in labor
she gave birth;
before her pain came upon her
she delivered a son.(G)
8 Who has heard of such a thing?
Who has seen such things?
Shall a land be born in one day?
Shall a nation be delivered in one moment?
Yet as soon as Zion was in labor
she delivered her children.(H)
9 Shall I open the womb and not deliver?
says the Lord;
shall I, the one who delivers, shut the womb?
says your God.
Do All to the Glory of God
23 “All things are permitted,” but not all things are beneficial. “All things are permitted,” but not all things build up. 24 Do not seek your own advantage but that of the other.(A) 25 Eat whatever is sold in the meat market without raising any question on the ground of conscience, 26 for “the earth and its fullness are the Lord’s.”(B) 27 If an unbeliever invites you to a meal and you are disposed to go, eat whatever is set before you without raising any question on the ground of conscience. 28 But if someone says to you, “This has been offered in sacrifice,” then do not eat it, out of consideration for the one who informed you and for the sake of conscience— 29 I mean the other’s conscience, not your own. For why should my freedom be subject to the judgment of someone else’s conscience?(C) 30 If I partake with thankfulness, why should I be denounced because of that for which I give thanks?(D)
31 So, whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God.(E) 32 Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God,(F) 33 just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage but that of many, so that they may be saved.(G) 11 1
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.