Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
26 1 David oppressed with many injuries, finding no help in the world, calleth for aid from God: and assured of his integrity towards Saul, desireth God to be his judge, and to defend his innocence. 6 Finally he maketh mention of his sacrifice, which he will offer for his deliverance, and desireth to be in the company of the faithful in the Congregation of God, whence he was banished by Saul, promising integrity of life, and open praises and thanksgiving.
A Psalm of David.
1 Judge me, [a]O Lord, for I have walked in mine innocency: my trust hath been also in the Lord: therefore shall I not slide.
2 Prove me, O Lord, and try me: examine my [b]reins, and mine heart.
3 For thy [c]lovingkindness is before mine eyes: therefore have I walked in thy truth.
4 I have not [d]haunted with vain persons, neither kept company with the dissemblers.
5 I have hated the assembly of the evil, and have not companied with the wicked.
6 I will [e]wash mine hands in innocency, O Lord, and compass thine altar,
7 That I may declare with the voice of thanksgiving, and set forth all thy wondrous works.
8 O Lord, I have loved the habitation of thine house, and the place where thine honor dwelleth.
9 [f]Gather not my soul with the sinners, nor my life with the bloody men:
10 In whose hand is [g]wickedness, and their right hand is full of bribes.
11 But I will walk in mine innocency: redeem me therefore, and be merciful unto me.
12 My foot standeth in [h]uprightness: I will praise thee, O Lord, in the Congregations.
11 Now when Job’s three [a]friends heard of all this evil that was come upon him, they came every one from his own place, to wit, Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite: for they were agreed together to come to lament with him, and to comfort him.
12 So when they lifted up their eyes afar off, they knew him not: therefore they lifted up their voices and wept, and every one of them rent his garment and sprinkled [b]dust upon their heads toward the heaven.
13 So they sat by him upon the ground seven days, and seven nights, and none spake a word unto him: for they saw that the grief was very [c]great.
3 1 Job complaineth, and curseth the day of his birth. 11 He desireth to die, as though death were the end of all man’s misery.
1 Afterward [d]Job opened his mouth, and [e]cursed his day.
2 And Job cried out, and said,
3 Let the day [f]perish wherein I was born, and the night when it was said, There is a man child conceived.
4 Let that day be darkness, let not God [g]regard it from above, neither let the light shine upon it,
5 But let darkness and the [h]shadow of death stain it: let the cloud remain upon it, and let them make it fearful as a bitter day.
6 Let darkness possess that night, let it not be joined unto the days of the year, nor let it come into the count of the months.
7 Yea, desolate be that night, and let no joy be in it.
8 Let them that curse the day, (being [i]ready to renew their mourning) curse it.
9 Let the stars of that twilight be dim through darkness of it: let it look for light, but have none: neither let it [j]see [k]the dawning of the day,
10 Because it shut not up the doors of my mother’s womb, nor hid sorrow from mine eyes.
11 [l]Why died I not in the birth? or why died I not, when I came out of the womb?
12 Why did the knees prevent me? and why did I suck the breasts?
13 For so should I now have [m]lain and been quiet, I should have slept then, and been at rest,
14 With the kings and counselors of the earth, which have built themselves [n]desolate places:
15 Or with the princes that had gold, and have filled their houses with silver.
16 Or why was I not hid, as an untimely birth, either as infants, which have not seen the light?
17 The wicked [o]have there ceased from their tyranny, and there they that labored valiantly, are at rest.
18 The [p]prisoners rest together, and hear not the voice of the oppressor.
19 There are small and great, and the servant is free from his master.
20 Wherefore is the light given to him that is in misery? and [q]life unto them that have heavy hearts?
21 Which long for death, and if it come not, they would even search it more than treasures:
22 Which joy for gladness, and rejoice, when they can find the grave.
23 Why is the light given to the man whose way is [r]hid, and whom God hath hedged in?
24 For my sighing cometh before I eat, and my roarings are poured out like the water.
25 For the thing I [s]feared, is come upon me, and the thing that I was afraid of, is come unto me.
26 I had no peace, neither had I quietness, neither had I rest, [t]yet trouble is come.
23 [a]But before faith came, we were kept under the Law, as under a garrison, and shut up unto [b]that faith, which should afterward be revealed.
24 Wherefore the Law was our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ, that we might be made righteous by faith.
25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.
26 [c]For ye are all the sons of God by faith, in Christ Jesus.
27 [d]For all ye that are [e]baptized into Christ, have [f]put on Christ.
28 There is neither Jew nor Grecian: there is neither bond nor free: there is neither male nor female: for ye are all [g]one in Christ Jesus.
29 And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs by promise.
Geneva Bible, 1599 Edition. Published by Tolle Lege Press. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations in articles, reviews, and broadcasts.