Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Book 3
Psalms 73—89
Should the Wicked Be Rich?
A song of Asaph.
73 God is truly good to Israel,
to those who have pure hearts.
2 But I had almost stopped believing this truth.
I had almost lost my faith
3 because I was jealous of proud people.
I saw wicked people doing well.
4 They are not suffering.
They are healthy and strong.
5 They don’t have troubles like the rest of us.
They don’t have problems like other people.
6 So they wear pride like a necklace.
They put on violence as their clothing.
7 They are looking for profits.
They do not control their selfish desires.
8 They make fun of others and speak evil.
Proudly they speak of hurting others.
9 They brag to the sky.
Their mouths gossip on the earth.
10 So their people turn to them
and give them whatever they want.
11 They say, “How can God know?
What does God Most High know?”
12 These people are wicked,
always at ease and getting richer.
13 So why have I kept my heart pure?
Why have I kept my hands from doing wrong?
14 I have suffered all day long.
I have been punished every morning.
15 God, if I had decided to talk about this,
I would have let your people down.
16 I tried to understand all this.
But it was too hard for me to see
17 until I went to the Temple of God.
Then I understood what will happen to them.
18 You have put them in danger.
You cause them to be destroyed.
19 They are destroyed in a moment.
They are swept away by terrors.
20 It will be like waking from a dream.
Lord, when you come, they will disappear.
11 The Lord hates dishonest scales.
But he is pleased with correct weights.
2 Pride leads only to shame.
It is wise not to be proud.
3 Good people will be guided by honesty.
But dishonesty will destroy those who are not trustworthy.
4 Riches will not help when it’s time to die.
But doing what is right will save you from dying too soon.
5 The goodness of an innocent person makes his life easier.
But a wicked person will be destroyed by his wickedness.
6 Doing what is right brings freedom to honest people.
But those who are not trustworthy will be caught by their own desires.
7 When a wicked person dies, his hope is gone.
The hopes he placed in his riches will come to nothing.
8 The good man is saved from trouble.
It comes to the wicked instead.
9 By his words an evil person can destroy his neighbor.
But a good person will escape by being smart.
10 When good people succeed, the city is happy.
When evil people die, there are shouts of joy.
11 The influence of good people makes a city great.
But the wicked can destroy it with their words.
12 A person without good sense finds fault with his neighbor.
But a person with understanding keeps quiet.
13 A person who gossips can’t keep secrets.
But a trustworthy person can keep a secret.
14 Without leadership a nation will be defeated.
But when many people give advice, it will be safe.
15 Whoever guarantees to pay what somebody else owes will suffer.
It is safer to avoid such promises.
16 A kind woman is respected.
But cruel men get wealth.
17 A kind person is doing himself a favor.
But a cruel person brings trouble on himself.
18 An evil person really gains nothing from what he earns.
But a good person will surely be rewarded.
19 Those who are truly good will live.
But those who chase after evil will die.
20 The Lord hates those with evil hearts.
But he is pleased with those who are innocent.
21 You can be sure that evil people will be punished.
But those who do what is right will not be punished.
22 A beautiful woman without good sense
is like a gold ring in a pig’s snout.
23 The wishes of those who do right will come true.
But the hopes of the wicked will be defeated by God’s anger.
24 Some people give much but get back even more.
But others don’t give what they should, and they end up poor.
25 A person who gives to others will get richer.
Whoever helps others will himself be helped.
26 People curse someone who keeps all the grain for himself.
But they bless a person who is willing to sell it.
27 Whoever looks for good will find kindness.
But whoever looks for evil will find trouble.
28 Those who trust in riches will be ruined.
But a good person will be as healthy as a green leaf.
29 Whoever brings trouble to his family will be left with nothing but the wind.
And a foolish person will become a servant to the wise.
30 As a tree makes fruit, a good person gives life to others.
The wise person shows others how to be wise.
31 Good people will be rewarded on earth.
So the wicked and the sinners will also be punished.
3 Think about Jesus. He held on patiently while sinful men were doing evil things against him. Look at Jesus’ example so that you will not get tired and stop trying.
God Is Like a Father
4 You are struggling against sin, but your struggles have not yet caused you to be killed. 5 You have forgotten his encouraging words for his sons:
“My son, don’t think the Lord’s discipline of you is worth nothing.
And don’t stop trying when the Lord corrects you.
6 The Lord corrects those he loves.
And he punishes everyone he accepts as his child.” Proverbs 3:11-12
7 So accept your sufferings as if they were a father’s punishment. God does these things to you as a father punishing his sons. All sons are punished by their fathers. 8 If you are never punished (and every son must be punished), you are not true children and not really sons. 9 We have all had fathers here on earth who punished us. And we respected our fathers. So it is even more important that we accept punishment from the Father of our spirits. If we do this, we will have life. 10 Our fathers on earth punished us for a short time. They punished us the way they thought was best. But God punishes us to help us, so that we can become holy as he is. 11 We do not enjoy punishment. Being punished is painful at the time. But later, after we have learned from being punished, we have peace, because we start living in the right way.
Be Careful How You Live
12 You have become weak. So make yourselves strong again. 13 Keep on the right path so the weak will not stumble but rather be strengthened.
The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.