Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
39 1 David uttereth with what great grief and bitterness of mind he was driven to these outrageous complaints of his infirmities. 2 For he confesseth that when he had determined silence, that he brast forth yet into words, that he would not, through the greatness of his grief. 4 Then he rehearseth certain requests which taste of the infirmity of man. 8 And mixeth with them many prayers: but all do show a mind wonderfully trembled, that it may plainly appear how he did strive mightily against death and desperation.
To the excellent Musician [a]Jeduthun. A Psalm of David.
1 I thought, [b]I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth bridled, while the wicked is in my sight.
2 I was dumb and spake nothing: I kept silence even from good, [c]and my sorrow was more stirred.
3 Mine heart was hot within me, and while I was musing, the fire kindled, and I [d]spake with my tongue, saying,
4 Lord, let me know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is: let me know how long I have to live.
5 Behold, thou hast made my days as an hand breadth, and mine age as nothing in respect of thee: surely every man in his best state is altogether [e]vanity. Selah.
6 Doubtless man walketh in a shadow, and disquieteth himself in vain: he heapeth up riches, and cannot tell who shall gather them.
7 And now Lord, what wait I for? mine hope is even in thee.
8 Deliver me from all my transgressions, and make me not a rebuke unto the [f]foolish.
9 I should have been dumb, and not have opened my mouth, because [g]thou didst it.
10 Take thy plague away from me: for I am consumed by the stroke of thine hand.
11 When thou with rebukes dost chastise man for iniquity, thou as a moth [h]makest his [i]beauty to consume: surely every man is vanity. Selah.
12 Hear my prayer, O Lord, and hearken unto my cry: keep not silence at my tears, for I am a stranger with thee, and a sojourner as all my fathers.
13 Stay thine anger from me, that I may recover my strength, [j]before I go hence and be not.
12 But where is wisdom found? [a]and where is the place of understanding?
13 Man knoweth not [b]the price thereof: for it is not found in the land of the living.
14 The depth saith, It is not in me: the Sea also saith, It is not with me.
15 [c]Gold shall not be given for it, neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof.
16 It shall not be valued with the wedge of gold of Ophir, nor with the precious onyx, nor the sapphire.
17 The gold nor the crystal shall be equal unto it, nor the exchange shall be for plate of fine gold.
18 No mention shall be made of coral, nor of the [d]gabish: for wisdom is more precious than pearls.
19 The Topaz of Ethiopia shall not be equal unto it, neither shall it be valued with the wedge of pure gold.
20 Whence then cometh wisdom? and where is the place of understanding,
21 Seeing it is hid from the eyes of all the living, and is hid from the [e]fowls of the heaven?
22 Destruction and death say, We have heard the fame thereof with our ears.
23 But God understandeth the [f]way thereof, and he knoweth the place thereof.
24 For he beholdeth the ends of the world, and seeth all that is under heaven,
25 To make the weight of the winds and to weigh the waters by measure.
26 When he made a decree for the rain, and a way for the lightning of the thunders,
27 Then did he see it, and counted it: he prepared it, and also considered it.
28 And unto man he said, Behold, (A)the [g]fear of the Lord is wisdom, and to depart from evil is understanding.
29 1 Job complaineth of the prosperity of the time past. 7, 21 His authority. 22 Justice and equity.
1 So Job proceeded, and continued his parable, saying,
2 Oh that I were as [h]in times past, when God preserved me!
3 When his [i]light shined upon mine head: and when by his light I walked through the [j]darkness,
4 As I was in the days of my youth: when [k]God’s providence was upon my tabernacle:
5 When the Almighty was yet with me, and my children round about me:
6 when I washed my paths [l]with butter, and when the rock poured me out rivers of oil:
7 When I went out to the gate, even to the judgment seat, and when I caused them to prepare my seat in the street.
8 The young men saw me, and [m]hid themselves, and the aged arose, and stood up.
9 The princes stayed talk, and laid their hand on their [n]mouth.
10 The voice of princes was hid, and their tongue cleaved to the roof of their mouth.
8 1 After the opening of the seventh seal, 3 the Saints’ prayers are offered up with odors. 6 The seven Angels come forth with trumpets. 7 The four first blow, and fire falleth on the earth, 8 the sea is turned into blood, 10, 11 the waters wax bitter. 12 and the stars are darkened.
1 [a]And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about half an hour.
2 [b]And I saw the seven Angels, which [c]stood before God, and to them were given seven trumpets.
3 [d]Then another Angel came and stood before the Altar, having a golden censer, and much odors was given unto him, that he should offer with the prayers of all Saints upon the golden Altar, which is before the throne.
4 And the smoke of the odors with the prayers of the Saints, [e]went up before God, out of the Angel’s hand.
5 And the Angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the Altar, and cast it into the earth, and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and earthquake.
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