Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

⁴ I am frightened inside.
    The terror of death has attacked me.
⁵ I am scared and shaking.
    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.
    I would 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.
    I see violence and fighting in the city.
¹⁰ Day and night they are all around its walls.
    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.
    You were my companion and good friend.
¹⁴ We had a good friendship.
    We went 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 “All these words should not go without an answer.
    Is this talker to be judged as right?
³ Your talk should not make people be quiet.
    People should shame you when you make fun of God.
⁴ You say to God, ‘My teachings are right.
    And I am clean in God’s sight.’
⁵ I wish God would speak.
    I wish he would open his lips to speak against you.
⁶ I wish he would tell you the secrets of wisdom.
    This is 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 God All-Powerful?
⁸ God’s limits are higher than the heavens. You cannot reach them!
    They are deeper than where the dead are. You cannot know them!
⁹ His limits are longer than the earth
    and wider than the sea.

¹⁰ “God might come along and put you in prison.
    If he calls you into court, no one can stop him.
¹¹ God knows which men are evil.
    And when he sees evil, he notices it.
¹² A stupid person cannot become wise.
    That is as impossible as a wild donkey being born tame.

¹³ “You must give your whole heart to him.
    You must hold out your hands to him for help.
¹⁴ Put away the sin that is in your hand.
    Let no evil live in your tent.
¹⁵ Then you can lift up your face without shame.
    You can stand strong without fear.
¹⁶ You will forget your trouble.
    You will remember your troubles only as water that has passed 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 make you afraid.
    Many people will want favor from you.
²⁰ But the wicked people will not be able to see.
    So they will not be able to find the way to escape.
    Their only hope will be to die.”