Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Comfort in Trouble from Recalling God’s Mighty Deeds.
To the Chief Musician; according to Jeduthun [one of David’s three chief musicians, founder of an official musical family]. A Psalm of Asaph.
77 My voice rises to God, and I will cry aloud;
My voice rises to God, and He will hear me.
2
In the day of my trouble I [desperately] sought the Lord;
In the night my hand was [a]stretched out [in prayer] without weariness;
My soul refused to be comforted.
3
I remember God; then I am disquieted and I groan;
I sigh [in prayer], and my spirit grows faint. Selah.
4
You have held my eyelids open;
I am so troubled that I cannot speak.
5
I have considered the ancient days,
The years [of prosperity] of long, long ago.
6
I will remember my song in the night;
I will meditate with my heart,
And my spirit searches:
7
Will the Lord reject forever?
And will He never be favorable again?
8
Has His lovingkindness ceased forever?
Have His promises ended for all time?
9
Has God forgotten to be gracious?
Or has He in anger withdrawn His compassion? Selah.
10
And I said, “This is my grief,
That the right hand of the Most High has changed [and His lovingkindness is withheld].”
11
I will [solemnly] remember the deeds of the Lord;
Yes, I will [wholeheartedly] remember Your wonders of old.
12
I will meditate on all Your works
And thoughtfully consider all Your [great and wondrous] deeds.
13
Your way, O God, is holy [far from sin and guilt].
What god is great like our God?
14
You are the [awesome] God who works [powerful] wonders;
You have demonstrated Your power among the people.
15
You have with Your [great] arm redeemed Your people,
The sons of Jacob and Joseph. Selah.
16
The waters [of the Red Sea] saw You, O God;
The waters saw You, they were in anguish;
The deeps also trembled.
17
The clouds poured down water;
The skies sent out a sound [of rumbling thunder];
Your arrows (lightning) flashed here and there.
18
The voice of Your thunder was in the [b]whirlwind;
The lightnings illumined the world;
The earth trembled and shook.
19
Your way [of escape for Your people] was through the sea,
And Your paths through the great waters,
And Your footprints were not traceable.
20
You led Your people like a flock
By the hand of Moses and Aaron [to the promised goal].
8
“As for me, I would seek God and inquire of Him,
And I would commit my cause to God;
9
Who does great and unsearchable things,
Marvelous things without number.
10
“He gives rain upon the earth
And sends waters upon the fields,
11
So that He sets on high those who are lowly,
And He lifts to safety those who mourn.
12
“He frustrates the devices and schemes of the crafty,
So that their hands cannot attain success or achieve anything of [lasting] worth.
13
“He catches the [so-called] wise in their own shrewdness,
And the advice of the devious is quickly thwarted.(A)
14
“In the daytime they meet in darkness,
And at noon they grope as in the night.
15
“But God saves [the innocent] from the sword of the mouth of the devious,
And the poor from the hand of the mighty.
16
“So the helpless have hope,
And injustice shuts its mouth.
17
“Behold, how happy and fortunate is the man whom God reproves,
So do not despise or reject the discipline of the Almighty [subjecting you to trial and suffering].
18
“For He inflicts pain, but He binds up and gives relief;
He wounds, but His hands also heal.
19
“He will rescue you from six troubles;
Even in seven, evil will not touch you.
20
“In famine He will redeem you from death,
And in war from the power of the sword.
21
“You will be hidden from the scourge of the tongue,
And you will not be afraid of destruction when it comes.
22
“You will laugh at violence and famine,
And you will not be afraid of the wild beasts of the earth.
23
“For you will be in harmony with the stones of the field,
And the beasts of the field will be at peace with you.
24
“You will know also that your tent is secure and at peace,
And you will visit your dwelling and fear no loss [nor find anything amiss].
25
“You will know also that your descendants will be many,
And your offspring as the grass of the earth.
26
“You will come to your grave in old age,
Like the stacking of grain [on the threshing floor] in its season.
27
“Behold this; we have investigated it, and it is true.
Hear and heed it, and know for yourself [for your own good].”
8 Finally, all of you be like-minded [united in spirit], sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted [courteous and compassionate toward each other as members of one household], and humble in spirit; 9 and never return evil for evil or insult for insult [avoid scolding, berating, and any kind of abuse], but on the contrary, give a blessing [pray for one another’s well-being, contentment, and protection]; for you have been called for this very purpose, that you might inherit a blessing [from God that brings well-being, happiness, and protection]. 10 For,
“The one who wants to enjoy life and see good days [good—whether apparent or not],
Must keep his tongue free from evil and his lips from speaking guile (treachery, deceit).
11
“He must turn away from wickedness and do what is right.
He must search for peace [with God, with self, with others] and pursue it eagerly [actively—not merely desiring it].
12
“For the eyes of the Lord are [looking favorably] upon the righteous (the upright),
And His ears are attentive to their prayer (eager to answer),
But the face of the Lord is against those who practice evil.”(A)
13 Now who is there to hurt you if you become enthusiastic for what is good? 14 But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness [though it is not certain that you will], you are still blessed [happy, to be admired and favored by God]. Do not be afraid of their intimidating threats, nor be troubled or disturbed [by their opposition]. 15 But in your hearts set Christ apart [as holy—acknowledging Him, giving Him first place in your lives] as Lord. Always be ready to give a [logical] defense to anyone who asks you to account for the hope and confident assurance [elicited by faith] that is within you, yet [do it] with gentleness and respect.(B) 16 And see to it that your conscience is entirely clear, so that every time you are slandered or falsely accused, those who attack or disparage your good behavior in Christ will be shamed [by their own words]. 17 For it is better that you suffer [unjustly] for doing what is right, if that should be God’s will, than [to suffer justly] for doing wrong. 18 For indeed Christ died for sins once for all, the Just and Righteous for the unjust and unrighteous [the Innocent for the guilty] so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the Spirit;
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