Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

A Safe Place for Those Who Trust in the Lord

37 Do not trouble yourself because of sinful men. Do not want to be like those who do wrong. ² For they will soon dry up like the grass. Like the green plant they will soon die. ³ Trust in the Lord, and do good. So you will live in the land and will be fed. ⁴ Be happy in the Lord. And He will give you the desires of your heart. ⁵ Give your way over to the Lord. Trust in Him also. And He will do it. ⁶ He will make your being right and good show as the light, and your wise actions as the noon day.

⁷ Rest in the Lord and be willing to wait for Him. Do not trouble yourself when all goes well with the one who carries out his sinful plans. ⁸ Stop being angry. Turn away from fighting. Do not trouble yourself. It leads only to wrong-doing. ⁹ For those who do wrong will be cut off. But those who wait for the Lord will be given the earth. ¹⁰ A little while, and the sinful man will be no more. You will look for his place, and he will not be there. ¹¹ But those who have no pride will be given the earth. And they will be happy and have much more than they need.

¹² The sinful man plans against him who is right with God. And he grinds his teeth at him. ¹³ The Lord laughs at him because He sees his day is coming. ¹⁴ The sinful have taken up their sword and their bow, to bring down the poor and those in need, and to kill those whose ways are right. ¹⁵ Their sword will cut into their own heart, and their bows will be broken.

¹⁶ The few things that the man right with God has is better than the riches of many sinful men. ¹⁷ For the arms of the sinful will be broken. But the Lord holds up those who are right with Him.

Ruth Meets Boaz

2 There was an in-law of the family of Naomi’s husband there whose name was Boaz. He was a very rich man of the family of Elimelech. ² Ruth, the Moabite woman, said to Naomi, “Let me go to the field to gather grain behind someone who might show favor to me.” Naomi said to her, “Go, my daughter.” ³ So Ruth went and gathered in the field behind those who picked the grain. And she happened to come to the part of the field that belonged to Boaz, who was of the family of Elimelech. ⁴ Now Boaz was seen coming from Bethlehem. He said to the people gathering the grain, “May the Lord be with you.” And they said to him, “May the Lord bring good to you.” ⁵ Then Boaz said to his servant who was watching over those who gathered grain, “Whose young woman is this?” ⁶ The servant who watched over those who gathered grain said, “She is the young Moabite woman who returned with Naomi from the land of Moab. ⁷ She said, ‘Let me gather food behind the others who gather among the grain.’ So she came and has stayed from morning until now. She has rested in the house a short time.”

⁸ Then Boaz said to Ruth, “Be careful to listen, my daughter. Do not go to gather grain in another field. Do not leave this one. But stay here with my women who gather grain. ⁹ Keep your eyes upon the field where they gather grain. Go behind them. I have told the servants not to touch you. When you are thirsty, go to the water jars. Drink the water the servants have put there.” ¹⁰ Then she fell with her face to the ground and said to him, “Why have I found favor in your eyes? Why do you care about me? I am a stranger from another land.” ¹¹ Boaz said to her, “I have heard about all you have done for your mother-in-law after the death of your husband. I have heard how you left your father and mother and the land of your birth to come to a people you did not know before. ¹² May the Lord reward you for your work. May full pay be given to you from the Lord, the God of Israel. It is under His wings that you have come to be safe.” ¹³ Then Ruth said, “Sir, I have found favor in your eyes. For you have brought comfort and have been kind in speaking to your woman servant. And I am not like any of your other women servants.”

¹⁴ When it was time to eat, Boaz said to Ruth, “Come here. Eat of the bread and put sour wine on it.” So she sat beside the people who gathered the grain. And Boaz brought her grain made ready over a fire. She ate and was filled and had some left. ¹⁵ When she got up to gather grain, Boaz told his servants, “Let her gather even among the standing grain. Do not speak against her. ¹⁶ Pull some grain out of the grain that has been gathered together and leave it for her to gather. And do not speak sharp words to her.”

5 Listen, you rich men! Cry about the troubles that will come to you. ² Your riches are worth nothing. Your fine clothes are full of moth holes. ³ Your gold and silver have rusted. Their rust will speak against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have saved riches for yourselves for the last days. ⁴ See! The men working in your fields are crying against you because you have kept back part of their pay. Their cries have been heard by the Lord Who hears His people. ⁵ You have had everything while you lived on the earth and have enjoyed its fun. You have made your hearts fat and are ready to be killed as an animal is killed. ⁶ You have killed men who are right with God who were not making it hard for you.