Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
For the director of music. A maskil of David to be played on stringed instruments.
55 God, listen to my prayer.
Pay attention to my cry for help.
2 Hear me and answer me.
My thoughts upset me. I’m very troubled.
3 I’m troubled by what my enemies say about me.
I’m upset because they say they will harm me.
They cause me all kinds of suffering.
When they are angry, they attack me with their words.
4 I feel great pain deep down inside me.
The terrors of death have fallen on me.
5 Fear and trembling have taken hold of me.
Panic has overpowered me.
6 I said, “I wish I had wings like a dove!
Then I would fly away and be at rest.
7 I would escape to a place far away.
I would stay out in the desert.
8 I would hurry to my place of safety.
It would be far away from the winds and storms I’m facing.”
9 Lord, confuse the sinners and keep them from understanding one another.
I see people destroying things and fighting in the city.
10 Day and night they prowl around on top of its walls.
The city is full of crime and trouble.
11 Forces that destroy are at work inside it.
Its streets are full of people who cheat others and take advantage of them.
12 If an enemy were making fun of me,
I could stand it.
If he were getting ready to oppose me,
I could hide.
13 But it’s you, someone like myself.
It’s my companion, my close friend.
14 We used to enjoy good friendship at the house of God.
We used to walk together among those who came to worship.
15 Let death take my enemies by surprise.
Let them be buried alive,
because their hearts and homes are full of evil.
The First Speech of Zophar
11 Then Zophar the Naamathite replied,
2 “Don’t all your words require an answer?
I’m sure that what you are saying can’t be right.
3 Your useless talk won’t keep us quiet.
Someone has to correct you when you make fun of truth.
4 You say to God, ‘My beliefs are perfect.
I’m pure in your sight.’
5 I wish God would speak.
I wish he’d answer you.
6 I wish he’d show you the secrets of wisdom.
After all, true wisdom has two sides.
Here’s what I want you to know.
God has forgotten some of your sins.
7 “Do you know how deep the mysteries of God are?
Can you discover the limits of the Mighty One’s knowledge?
8 They are higher than the heavens above.
What can you do?
They are deeper than the deepest parts of the earth below.
What can you know?
9 They are longer than the earth.
They are wider than the ocean.
10 “Suppose God comes along and puts you in prison.
Suppose he takes you to court.
Then who can oppose him?
11 He certainly knows when people tell lies.
When he sees evil, he pays careful attention to it.
12 A wild donkey’s colt can’t be born a human being.
And it’s just as impossible that a person without sense can become wise.
13 “So commit yourself to God completely.
Reach out your hands to him for help.
14 Get rid of all the sin you have.
Don’t let anything that is evil stay in your tent.
15 Then, free of those things, you can face others.
You can stand firm without being afraid.
16 You can be sure you will forget your troubles.
They will be like water that has flowed on by.
17 Life will be brighter than the sun at noon.
And darkness will become like morning.
18 You will be secure, because there is hope.
You will look around you and find a safe place to rest.
19 You will lie down, and no one will make you afraid.
Many people will want you to help them.
20 But sinful people won’t find what they are looking for.
They won’t be able to escape.
All they can hope for is to die.”
10 I give a command to those who are married. It is a direct command from the Lord, not from me. A wife must not leave her husband. 11 But if she does, she must not get married again. Or she can go back to her husband. And a husband must not divorce his wife.
12 I also have something to say to everyone else. It is from me, not a direct command from the Lord. Suppose a brother has a wife who is not a believer. If she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her. 13 And suppose a woman has a husband who is not a believer. If he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him. 14 The unbelieving husband has been made holy through his wife. The unbelieving wife has been made holy through her believing husband. If that were not the case, your children would not be pure and “clean.” But as it is, they are holy.
15 But if the unbeliever leaves, let that person go. In that case, the believer does not have to stay married to the unbeliever. God wants us to live in peace. 16 Wife, how do you know if you will save your husband? Husband, how do you know if you will save your wife?
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