Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

77 I cry to the Lord; I call and call to him. Oh, that he would listen. ² I am in deep trouble and I need his help so much. All night long I pray, lifting my hands to heaven, pleading. There can be no joy for me until he acts. ³ I think of God and moan, overwhelmed with longing for his help. ⁴ I cannot sleep until you act. I am too distressed even to pray!

⁵ I keep thinking of the good old days of the past, long since ended. ⁶ Then my nights were filled with joyous songs. I search my soul and meditate upon the difference now. ⁷ Has the Lord rejected me forever? Will he never again be favorable? ⁸ Is his loving-kindness gone forever? Has his promise failed? ⁹ Has he forgotten to be kind to one so undeserving? Has he slammed the door in anger on his love? ¹⁰ And I said: This is my fate, that the blessings of God have changed to hate.^{[a] 11} I recall the many miracles he did for me so long ago. ¹² Those wonderful deeds are constantly in my thoughts. I cannot stop thinking about them.

¹³ O God, your ways are holy. Where is there any other as mighty as you? ¹⁴ You are the God of miracles and wonders! You still demonstrate your awesome power.

¹⁵ You have redeemed us who are the sons of Jacob and of Joseph by your might. ¹⁶ When the Red Sea saw you, how it feared! It trembled to its depths! ¹⁷ The clouds poured down their rain, the thunder rolled and crackled in the sky. Your lightning flashed. ¹⁸ There was thunder in the whirlwind; the lightning lighted up the world! The earth trembled and shook.

¹⁹ Your road led by a pathway through the sea—a pathway no one knew was there! ²⁰ You led your people along that road like a flock of sheep, with Moses and Aaron as their shepherds.

⁸ “My advice to you is this: Go to God and confess your sins to him.^{[a] 9} For he does wonderful miracles, marvels without number. ¹⁰ He sends the rain upon the earth to water the fields, ¹¹ and gives prosperity to the poor and humble, and takes sufferers to safety.

¹² “He frustrates the plans of crafty men. ¹³ They are caught in their own traps; he thwarts their schemes. ¹⁴ They grope like blind men in the daylight; they see no better in the daytime than at night.

¹⁵ “God saves the fatherless and the poor from the grasp of these oppressors. ¹⁶ And so at last the poor have hope, and the fangs of the wicked are broken.

¹⁷ “How enviable the man whom God corrects! Oh, do not despise the chastening of the Lord when you sin. ¹⁸ For though he wounds, he binds and heals again. ¹⁹ He will deliver you again and again so that no evil can touch you.

²⁰ “He will keep you from death in famine and from the power of the sword in time of war.

²¹ “You will be safe from slander; no need to fear the future.

²² “You shall laugh at war and famine; wild animals will leave you alone. ²³ Dangerous animals will be at peace with you.

²⁴ “You need not worry about your home while you are gone; nothing shall be stolen from your barns.

²⁵ “Your sons shall become important men; your descendants shall be as numerous as grass! ²⁶ You shall live a long, good life; like standing grain, you’ll not be harvested until it’s time! ²⁷ I have found from experience that all of this is true. For your own good, listen to my counsel.”

⁸ And now this word to all of you: You should be like one big happy family, full of sympathy toward each other, loving one another with tender hearts and humble minds. ⁹ Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t snap back at those who say unkind things about you. Instead, pray for God’s help for them, for we are to be kind to others, and God will bless us for it.

¹⁰ If you want a happy, good life, keep control of your tongue, and guard your lips from telling lies. ¹¹ Turn away from evil and do good. Try to live in peace even if you must run after it to catch and hold it! ¹² For the Lord is watching his children, listening to their prayers; but the Lord’s face is hard against those who do evil.

¹³ Usually no one will hurt you for wanting to do good. ¹⁴ But even if they should, you are to be envied, for God will reward you for it. ¹⁵ Quietly trust yourself to Christ your Lord, and if anybody asks why you believe as you do, be ready to tell him, and do it in a gentle and respectful way.

¹⁶ Do what is right; then if men speak against you, calling you evil names, they will become ashamed of themselves for falsely accusing you when you have only done what is good. ¹⁷ Remember, if God wants you to suffer, it is better to suffer for doing good than for doing wrong!

¹⁸ Christ also suffered. He died once for the sins of all us guilty sinners although he himself was innocent of any sin at any time, that he might bring us safely home to God. But though his body died, his spirit lived on,