Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Psalm 77[a]
Lament and Consolation in Distress
1 For the director.[b] For Jeduthun. A psalm of Asaph.
2 [c]I cry aloud to God,
for when I cry out to God, he hears me.[d]
3 In the time of my distress I seek the Lord;
at night I stretch out my hands unceasingly,
and my soul refuses to be consoled.
4 [e]I groan as I think of God;
my spirit grows faint as I meditate on him. Selah
5 You keep my eyes from closing in sleep;
I am much too distraught to speak.
6 I reflect on the days of old
and recall the years long past.
7 At night I meditate in my heart,[f]
and as I reflect, my spirit questions:
8 [g]“Will the Lord cast us off forever
and never again show us his favor?
9 Has his kindness[h] vanished forever?
Has his promise ceased for all time?
10 Has God forgotten how to be merciful?
Has he shut up his compassion in anger?” Selah
11 [i]And I say: “This is my grief—
that the right hand[j] of the Most High has changed.”
12 I will remember the works of the Lord;
I will call to mind your wonders in the past.
13 I will reflect on all your deeds
and ponder your wondrous works.[k]
14 O God, your way is holy.[l]
What god is as great as our God?
15 You are the God who works wonders;
you have displayed your might to the nations.
16 With your strong arm you redeemed your people,
the descendants of Jacob and Joseph.[m] Selah
17 [n]When the waters[o] beheld you, O God,
when the waters beheld you, they writhed;
the very depths trembled.
18 The clouds poured forth their water,
the skies thundered,
your arrows[p] flashed back and forth.
19 The crash of your thunder resounded in the heavens;
your flashes of lightning lit up the world;
the earth trembled and shook.[q]
20 Your path led through the sea,
your way, through the mighty waters,
though none could trace your footsteps.[r]
21 You led your people like a flock
by the hand of Moses and Aaron.[s]
The Sayings of Agur[a]
The sayings of Agur, son of Jakeh, from Massa:[b]
This is my statement: I am weary, O God;
I am weary, O God, and worn out.
Like Job[c]
2 I count myself among the most stupid of men,
and I am bereft of human understanding.
3 I have not learned wisdom,
nor do I have any knowledge of the Most Holy One.
4 Who has ever gone up to heaven and come down again?
Who has cupped the wind in the hollow of his hands?
Who has wrapped the waters in the fold of his garment?
Who has established all the boundaries of the earth?
What is his name or the name of his son?
Do you know it?[d]
5 Every word of God has proved to be true;
he is a shield to those who trust in him.[e]
6 Add nothing to his words,
lest he reprove you and expose you as a fraud.
Like Solomon[f]
7 Two things[g] I ask of you;
do not deny them to me before I die:
8 Keep falsehood and lying far from me;
give me neither poverty nor riches,
but simply provide me with the food that I need.
9 For if I have too much, I may deny you
and say, “Who is the Lord?”
And if I am destitute, I may begin to steal
and profane the name of my God.
Chapter 4
Jesus Is Tempted by the Devil.[a]1 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. 2 He fasted for forty days and forty nights, after which he was famished.
3 Then the tempter approached him and said, “If you are the Son of God,[b] command these stones to be transformed into loaves of bread.” 4 Jesus answered, “As it is written:
‘Man does not live by bread alone,
but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.’ ”[c]
5 Next the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the summit of the temple.[d] 6 [e]Then he said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down. For it is written:
‘He will command his angels concerning you,
and with their hands they will raise you up
lest you dash your foot against a stone.’ ”
7 Jesus said to him, “It is also written:
‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’ ”
8 Finally, the devil took him to an exceedingly high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in their splendor. 9 Then he said to him, “All these will I give you if you kneel down and worship me.” 10 Jesus said to him in reply, “Depart from me, Satan! It is written:
‘You shall worship the Lord your God,
and him alone shall you serve.’ ”[f]
11 Then the devil departed from him, and suddenly angels came and ministered to him.
Copyright © 2019 by Catholic Book Publishing Corp. All rights reserved.