Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

⁴ I am frightened inside;
    the terror of death has attacked me.
⁵ I am scared and shaking,
    and terror grips me.
⁶ I said, “I wish I had wings like a dove.
    Then I would fly away and rest.
⁷ I would wander far away
    and stay in the desert. Selah
⁸ I would hurry to my place of escape,
    far away from the wind and storm.”

⁹ Lord, destroy and confuse their words,
    because I see violence and fighting in the city.
¹⁰ Day and night they are all around its walls,
    and evil and trouble are everywhere inside.
¹¹ Destruction is everywhere in the city;
    trouble and lying never leave its streets.

¹² It was not an enemy insulting me.
    I could stand that.
It was not someone who hated me.
    I could hide from him.
¹³ But it is you, a person like me,
    my companion and good friend.
¹⁴ We had a good friendship
    and walked together to God’s Temple.

¹⁵ Let death take away my enemies.
    Let them die while they are still young
    because evil lives with them.

² “Should these words go unanswered?
    Is this talker in the right?
³ Your lies do not make people quiet;
    people should correct you when you make fun of God.
⁴ You say, ‘My teachings are right,
    and I am clean in God’s sight.’
⁵ I wish God would speak
    and open his lips against you
⁶ and tell you the secrets of wisdom,
    because wisdom has two sides.
Know this: God has even forgotten some of your sin.

⁷ “Can you understand the secrets of God?
    Can you search the limits of the Almighty?
⁸ His limits are higher than the heavens; you cannot reach them!
    They are deeper than the grave; you cannot understand them!
⁹ His limits are longer than the earth
    and wider than the sea.

¹⁰ “If God comes along and puts you in prison
    or calls you into court, no one can stop him.
¹¹ God knows who is evil,
    and when he sees evil, he takes note of it.
¹² A fool cannot become wise
    any more than a wild donkey can be born tame.

¹³ “You must give your whole heart to him
    and hold out your hands to him for help.
¹⁴ Put away the sin that is in your hand;
    let no evil remain in your tent.
¹⁵ Then you can lift up your face without shame,
    and you can stand strong without fear.
¹⁶ You will forget your trouble
    and remember it only as water gone by.
¹⁷ Your life will be as bright as the noonday sun,
    and darkness will seem like morning.
¹⁸ You will feel safe because there is hope;
    you will look around and rest in safety.
¹⁹ You will lie down, and no one will scare you.
    Many people will want favors from you.
²⁰ But the wicked will not be able to see,
    so they will not escape.
    Their only hope will be to die.”