Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Prayer to Be Kept Safe
20 May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble! May the name of the God of Jacob keep you safe. 2 May He send you help from the house of God, and give you strength from Zion. 3 May He remember all your gifts of grain given on the altar in worship. And may He be pleased with your burnt gifts.
4 May He give you the desire of your heart, and make all your plans go well. 5 We will sing for joy when you win. In the name of our God we will lift up our flags. May the Lord give you all the things you ask Him for.
6 Now I know that the Lord saves His chosen one. He will answer him from His holy heaven, with the saving power of His right hand. 7 Some trust in wagons and some in horses. But we will trust in the name of the Lord, our God. 8 They have fallen on their knees. But we rise up and stand straight. 9 O Lord, save! May the King answer us when we call.
A Song of Trust in God
26 In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah: “We have a strong city. The Lord saves us and puts up walls to keep us safe. 2 Open the gates, that the nation that is right with God may come in, the one that keeps faithful. 3 You will keep the man in perfect peace whose mind is kept on You, because he trusts in You. 4 Trust in the Lord forever. For the Lord God is a Rock that lasts forever. 5 For He has brought down low those who live on a high place, the high city. He lays it low. He lays it low to the ground. He throws it to the dust. 6 It will be crushed under foot, under the feet of those who have suffered and the steps of those who cannot help themselves.”
7 The way of the man who is right with God is smooth. O Upright One, make the path straight of those who are right with You. 8 While following in Your ways, O Lord, we have waited for You. To remember You and Your name is the desire of our souls. 9 My soul has a desire for You in the night. Yes, my spirit within me looks for You in the morning. For when you punish the earth, the people of the world learn what is right and good.
Life Now—Life in Heaven
16 This is the reason we do not give up. Our human body is wearing out. But our spirits are getting stronger every day. 17 The little troubles we suffer now for a short time are making us ready for the great things God is going to give us forever. 18 We do not look at the things that can be seen. We look at the things that cannot be seen. The things that can be seen will come to an end. But the things that cannot be seen will last forever.
Copyright © 1969, 2003 by Barbour Publishing, Inc.