Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
A Prayer for God to Guide
Of David.
25 Lord, I give myself to you.
2 My God, I trust you.
Do not let me be disgraced.
Do not let my enemies laugh at me.
3 No one who trusts you will be disgraced.
But those who sin without excuse will be disgraced.
4 Lord, tell me your ways.
Show me how to live.
5 Guide me in your truth.
Teach me, my God, my Savior.
I trust you all day long.
6 Lord, remember your mercy and love.
You have shown them since long ago.
7 Do not remember the sins
and wrong things I did when I was young.
But remember to love me always
because you are good, Lord.
8 The Lord is good and right.
He points sinners to the right way.
9 He shows those who are not proud how to do right.
He teaches them his ways.
10 All the Lord’s ways are loving and true
for those who follow the demands of his agreement.
26 “But they were disobedient and turned against you.
They ignored your teachings.
Your prophets warned them to come back to you.
But they killed those prophets.
And they spoke against you.
27 So you allowed their enemies to defeat them.
Their enemies treated them badly.
But in this time of trouble our ancestors cried out to you.
And you heard from heaven.
You had great mercy.
You gave them saviors who saved them from the power of their enemies.
28 But as soon as they had rest,
they again did what was evil.
So you left them to their enemies
who ruled over them.
But they cried out to you again.
And you heard from heaven.
Because of your mercy, you saved them again and again.
29 You warned them to return to obeying your teachings.
But they were proud. They did not obey your commands.
If a man obeys your laws, he will live.
But they sinned against your laws.
They were stubborn and disobedient.
They would not listen.
30 You were patient with them for many years.
You warned them by your Spirit through the prophets.
But they did not pay attention.
So you allowed them to be defeated by other countries.
31 But because your mercy is great, you did not kill them all.
You did not leave them.
You are a kind and merciful God.
Jerusalem Will Be Destroyed
20 “When you see armies all around Jerusalem, then you will know that it will soon be destroyed. 21 At that time, the people in Judea should run away to the mountains. The people in Jerusalem must get out. If you are near the city, don’t go in! 22 These are the days of punishment to make come true all that is written in the Scriptures. 23 At that time, it will be hard for women who are pregnant or have nursing babies! Great trouble will come upon this land, and God will be angry with these people. 24 Some will be killed by the sword and taken as prisoners to all nations. Jerusalem will be crushed by non-Jewish people until their time is over.
The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.