Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
The Day of the Lord
2 Blow the ram’s horn in Zion.
Sound the alarm on my holy mountain.
Everyone who lives in the land should tremble,
because the day of Yahweh is coming.
Certainly, it is near.
2 It is a day of darkness and gloom,
a day of clouds and overcast skies.
A large and mighty army
will spread over the mountains like the dawn.[a]
Nothing like this has ever happened.
Nothing like this will ever happen again.
The Lord Invites the People to Return to Him
12 “But even now,” declares Yahweh,
“return to me with all your heart—
with fasting, crying, and mourning.”
13 Tear your hearts, not your clothes.
Return to Yahweh your Elohim.
He is merciful and compassionate,
patient, and always ready to forgive
and to change his plans about disaster.
14 Who knows?
He may reconsider and change his plan
and leave a blessing for you.
Then you could give grain offerings and wine offerings
to Yahweh your Elohim.
15 Blow the ram’s horn in Zion.
Schedule a time to fast.
Call for an assembly.
16 Gather the people.
Prepare them for a holy meeting.
Assemble the leaders.
Gather the children, even the nursing infants.
Grooms leave their rooms.
Brides leave their chambers.
17 The priests who serve Yahweh cry
between the altar and the entrance to the temple.
They say,
“Spare your people, O Yahweh.
Don’t let the people who belong to you become a disgrace.
Don’t let the nations ridicule them.
Why should people ask, ‘Where is their Elohim?’”
Worship the Lord as He Wants to Be Worshiped
58 Cry aloud! Don’t hold back!
Raise your voice like a ram’s horn.
Tell my people about their rebellion
and the descendants of Jacob about their sins.
2 They look for me every day and want to know my ways.
They act as if they were a nation that has done what is right
and as if they haven’t disregarded Elohim’s judgment on them.
They ask me for just decrees.
They want Elohim to be near them.
3 Why have we fasted if you are not aware of it?
Why have we inflicted pain on ourselves if you don’t pay attention?
Don’t you see that on the days you fast,
you do what you want to do?
You mistreat all your workers.
4 Don’t you see that when you fast,
you quarrel and fight and beat your workers?
The way you fast today keeps you from being heard in heaven.
5 Is this the kind of fasting I have chosen?
Should people humble themselves for only a day?
Is fasting just bowing your head like a cattail
and making your bed from sackcloth and ashes?
Is this what you call fasting?
Is this an acceptable day to Yahweh?
6 This is the kind of fasting I have chosen:
Loosen the chains of wickedness,
untie the straps of the yoke,[a]
let the oppressed go free,
and break every yoke.
7 Share your food with the hungry,
take the poor and homeless into your house,
and cover them with clothes when you see them naked.
Don’t refuse to help your relatives.
8 Then your light will break through like the dawn,
and you will heal quickly.
Your righteousness will go ahead of you,
and the glory of Yahweh will guard you from behind.
9 Then you will call, and Yahweh will answer.
You will cry for help, and he will say, “Here I am!”
Get rid of that yoke.
Don’t point your finger and say wicked things.
10 If you give some of your own food to feed those who are hungry
and to satisfy the needs of those who are humble,
then your light will rise in the dark,
and your darkness will become as bright as the noonday sun.
11 Yahweh will continually guide you
and satisfy you even in sun-baked places.
He will strengthen your bones.
You will become like a watered garden
and like a spring whose water does not stop flowing.
12 Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins
and restore the foundations of past generations.
You will be called the Rebuilder of Broken Walls
and the Restorer of Streets Where People Live.
Psalm 51
For the choir director; a psalm by David when the prophet Nathan came to him after David’s adultery with Bathsheba.
1 Have pity on me, O Elohim, in keeping with your mercy.
In keeping with your unlimited compassion, wipe out my rebellious acts.
2 Wash me thoroughly from my guilt,
and cleanse me from my sin.
3 I admit that I am rebellious.
My sin is always in front of me.
4 I have sinned against you, especially you.
I have done what you consider evil.
So you hand down justice when you speak,
and you are blameless when you judge.
5 Indeed, I was born guilty.
I was a sinner when my mother conceived me.
6 Yet, you desire truth and sincerity.[a]
Deep down inside me you teach me wisdom.
7 Purify me from sin with hyssop,[b] and I will be clean.[c]
Wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
8 Let me hear sounds of joy and gladness.
Let the bones that you have broken dance.
9 Hide your face from my sins,
and wipe out all that I have done wrong.
10 Create a clean heart in me, O Elohim,
and renew a faithful spirit within me.
11 Do not force me away from your presence,
and do not take Ruach Qodesh from me.
12 Restore the joy of your salvation to me,
and provide me with a spirit of willing obedience.
13 Then I will teach your ways to those who are rebellious,
and sinners will return to you.
14 Rescue me from the guilt of murder,
O Elohim, my savior.
Let my tongue sing joyfully about your righteousness!
15 O Adonay, open my lips,
and my mouth will tell about your praise.
16 You are not happy with any sacrifice.
Otherwise, I would offer one to you.
You are not pleased with burnt offerings.
17 The sacrifice pleasing to Elohim is a broken spirit.
O Elohim, you do not despise a broken and sorrowful heart.
20 Therefore, we are Christ’s representatives, and through us God is calling you. We beg you on behalf of Christ to become reunited with God. 21 God had Christ, who was sinless, take our sin so that we might receive God’s approval through him.
6 Since we are God’s coworkers, we urge you not to let God’s kindness[a] be wasted on you. 2 God says,
“At the right time I heard you.
On the day of salvation I helped you.”
Listen, now is God’s acceptable time! Now is the day of salvation!
Our Lives Demonstrate That We Are God’s Servants
3 We don’t give people any opportunity to find fault with how we serve. 4 Instead, our lives demonstrate that we are God’s servants. We have endured many things: suffering, distress, anxiety, 5 beatings, imprisonments, riots, hard work, sleepless nights, and lack of food. 6 People can see our purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit’s presence in our lives, our sincere love, 7 truthfulness, and the presence of God’s power. We demonstrate that we are God’s servants 8 as we are praised and dishonored, as we are slandered and honored, and as we use what is right to attack what is wrong and to defend the truth.[b] We are treated as dishonest although we are honest, 9 as unknown although we are well-known, as dying although, as you see, we go on living. We are punished, but we are not killed. 10 People think we are sad although we’re always glad, that we’re beggars although we make many people spiritually rich, that we have nothing although we possess everything.
The Sermon on a Mountain Continues: Don’t Do Good Works to Be Praised by People
6 “Be careful not to do your good works in public in order to attract attention. If you do, your Father in heaven will not reward you. 2 So when you give to the poor, don’t announce it with trumpet fanfare. This is what hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets in order to be praised by people. I can guarantee this truth: That will be their only reward. 3 When you give to the poor, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. 4 Give your contributions privately. Your Father sees what you do in private. He will reward you.
The Lord’s Prayer(A)
5 “When you pray, don’t be like hypocrites. They like to stand in synagogues and on street corners to pray so that everyone can see them. I can guarantee this truth: That will be their only reward. 6 When you pray, go to your room and close the door. Pray privately to your Father who is with you. Your Father sees what you do in private. He will reward you.
Fasting
16 “When you fast, stop looking sad like hypocrites. They put on sad faces to make it obvious that they’re fasting. I can guarantee this truth: That will be their only reward. 17 When you fast, wash your face and comb your hair. 18 Then your fasting won’t be obvious. Instead, it will be obvious to your Father who is with you in private. Your Father sees what you do in private. He will reward you.
True Riches
19 “Stop storing up treasures for yourselves on earth, where moths and rust destroy and thieves break in and steal. 20 Instead, store up treasures for yourselves in heaven, where moths and rust don’t destroy and thieves don’t break in and steal. 21 Your heart will be where your treasure is.
The Names of God Bible (without notes) © 2011 by Baker Publishing Group.