Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Psalm 77
For the worship leader, Jeduthun. A song of Asaph.
1 I cry up to heaven,
“My God, True God,” and He hears.
2 In my darkest days, I seek the Lord.
Through the night, my hands are raised up, stretched out, waiting;
And though they do not grow tired,
my soul is uneasy.
3 I remember the True God and become distraught.
I think about Him, and my spirit becomes weak.
[pause][a]
4 You hold my eyes wide open.
I am troubled beyond words.
5 My mind drifts to thoughts of yesterdays
and yesteryears.
6 I call to mind my music; it keeps me company at night.
Together with my heart I contemplate;
my spirit searches, wondering, questioning:
7 “What will the Lord do? Reject us for good?
Will He never show us His favor again?
8 Has His loyal love finally worn down?
Have His promises reached an end?
9 Has the True God forgotten how to be gracious?
In His anger, has He withdrawn His compassion?”
[pause]
10 “I can’t help but be distraught,” I said,
“for the power of the Most High that was once for us is now against us.”
11 I will remember the actions the Eternal has taken,
reminisce on Your ancient wonders.
12 I will reflect on all of Your work;
indeed, I will study all You have performed.
13 O God, Your way is so different, so distinct, so divine.
No other god compares with our God.
14 You, God, and Your works evoke wonder.
You have proved Your strength to the nations.
15 You used Your great power to release Your people:
with a strong arm, You freed Jacob’s children, and Joseph’s.
[pause]
16 The waters saw You, O True God.
The seas saw You and swelled in sorrow.
Even the deep trembled.
17 Water poured from the clouds,
and the sky boomed out in response
as Your arrows of lightning flashed this way and that.
18 The sound of Your thunder whirled within the wind
as Your lightning lit up the world.
Yes, the whole earth trembled and shook.
19 Your way ran through the sea,
Your path cut through great waters,
and still no one can spot Your footprints.
20 You led Your people as a flock
tended by the hands of Moses and Aaron.
8 This is why, if I were you, I would appeal to God;
I would lay my cause at the feet of the Lord.
9 He does wonderful things that confound,
infinite numbers of miracles.
10 He gives rain to the earth,
sends down water to the fields;
11 He lifts up the downtrodden, bolsters the bereaved,
raising them to safety.
12 He thwarts the plots of the devious
and ties their hands to failure.
13 He catches the clever in their deceitful plotting[a]
so the plans of the crafty are swept away.
14 Their day turns to darkness;
they grope at noon as they do in blackest night.
15 He saves the needy from the cutting sword,
and from the perilous grip of the powerful.
16 So there is still hope for the helpless;
and the mouth of injustice is muzzled.
17 Remember, a happy man accepts God’s correction,
so don’t despise the discipline of the Highest God.[b]
18 For the Lord may cut, but He stitches up;
He may wound, but His hands also heal.
19 In six different perils, He will rescue you;
even in seven, evil will not touch you;
20 In famine, He will save you from starvation;
and in war, you won’t be run through with the sword;
21 In slanderous situations, you will go unharmed;
in the face of chaotic destruction, you won’t tremble;
22 In violence and famine, you will laugh;
in the presence of wild animals, you won’t quiver.
23 The stones of the field will sign a treaty with you,
and you’ll enjoy a truce with the ravenous beasts.
24 You can rest knowing your tent is invincible;
for when you visit your pastures, nothing will be missing.
25 Your children and their children will be abundant,
as the blades of grass in the fields.
26 You will arrive hearty and undiminished at the grave after a long life,
like a pile of grain harvested at its peak ripeness.
27 We’ve all thought this through. It’s true, and you should hear it.
So hear it well, and know it completely.
8 Finally, all of you, be like-minded and show sympathy, love, compassion, and humility to and for each other— 9 not paying back evil with evil or insult with insult, but repaying the bad with a blessing. It was this you were called to do, so that you might inherit a blessing. 10 It is written in the psalms,
If you love life
and want to live a good, long time,
Then be careful what you say.
Don’t tell lies or spread gossip or talk about improper things.
11 Walk away from the evil things in the world—just leave them behind, and do what is right,
and always seek peace and pursue it.
12 For the Lord watches over the righteous,
and His ears are attuned to their prayers.
But His face is set against His enemies;
He will punish evildoers.[a]
13 Why would anyone harm you if you eagerly do good? 14 Even if you should suffer for doing what is right, you will receive a blessing. Don’t let them frighten you. Don’t be intimidated, 15-16 but exalt Him as Lord in your heart. Always be ready to offer a defense, humbly and respectfully, when someone asks why you live in hope. Keep your conscience clear so that those who ridicule your good conduct in the Anointed and say bad things about you will be put to shame.
Peter urges us always to be ready to give a reason for the hope that lives within us. But it is important that it be done not with arrogance and contempt, but with gentle ness and love—the same virtues that should guide our responses to any hostile challenge. This is one way we can glorify Jesus as King over all our lives—by exalting Him with both our emotions and our intellect.
17 For if it is the will of God that you suffer, then it is better to suffer for doing what is right than for doing what is wrong. 18 The Anointed One suffered for sins once for all time—the righteous suffering for the unrighteous—so that He might bring us to God. Though He died in the flesh, He was made alive again through the Spirit.
The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.