Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

“Lord God of our ancestors, you are the God who lives in heaven, are you not? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations, don’t you? In your own hands you grasp both strength and power, don’t you? As a result, no one can oppose you, can they? ⁷ You are our God, who expelled the former inhabitants of this land right in front of our people Israel, aren’t you? Then you gave it to your friend Abraham’s descendant^[a] forever, didn’t you? ⁸ They lived in it and have built there a sanctuary for your name, where they said, ⁹ ‘If evil comes upon us, such as war^[b] as punishment, disease, or famine and we stand in your presence in this Temple (because your Name is in this Temple) and cry out to you in our distress, then you will hear and deliver.’ ¹⁰ Now therefore look! The Ammonites, the Moabites, and the inhabitants of^[c] Mount Seir,^[d] whom you would not permit Israel to attack when they arrived from the land of Egypt—since they turned away from them and did not eliminate them— ¹¹ Look how they’re rewarding us! They’re coming to drive us from your property that you gave us to be our inheritance. ¹² Our God, you are going to punish them, aren’t you? We have no strength to face this vast multitude that has come against us, nor do we know what to do, except that our eyes are on you.”