Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Book II
Psalms 42–72
Psalms 42 & 43
An Exile’s Prayer: Why Are You Cast Down?[a]
Heading
For the choir director. A maskil[b] by the Sons of Korah.[c]
Longing for the Temple
1 As a doe pants for streams of water,
so my soul pants for you, O God.
2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
When can I go and appear before God?[d]
3 My tears have been food for me day and night,
while people are saying to me all day,
“Where is your God?”
4 I am overcome by my emotions
whenever I remember these things:
how I used to arrive with the crowd,
as I led the procession to the house of God,
with loud shouts of thanksgiving,
with the crowd celebrating the festival.
Refrain
5 Why are you so depressed,[e] O my soul?
Why so disturbed within me?
Hope in God, for I will again praise him
for salvation from his presence.[f]
Remembrance of the Lord
6 My God, my soul is depressed within me.
Therefore I will remember you from the land of the Jordan,
from the heights of Hermon, from Mount Mizar.
7 Deep calls to deep in the roar of your rapids.
All your breakers and your waves have swept over me.
8 By day the Lord commands his mercy,
and at night his song is with me—a prayer to the God of my life.
9 I say to God my Rock, “Why have you forgotten me?
Why must I go around mourning because of oppression by the enemy?”
10 It is like breaking my bones when my foes taunt me.
All day long they say to me, “Where is your God?”
Refrain
11 Why are you so depressed, O my soul?
Why so disturbed within me?
Hope in God, for I will again praise him
for my salvation from the face of my God.[g]
Psalm 43
A Plea for Vindication
1 Judge me justly, O God,
and plead my case against an ungodly nation.
Rescue me from the deceitful, wicked man.
2 I know you are God, my stronghold.
Why have you rejected me?
Why must I go around mourning
because of oppression by the enemy?
3 Send out your light and your truth.
Let them guide me.
Let them bring me to your holy mountain,
to your dwelling.
4 Then I will go to the altar of God,
to God, my joy and gladness.
Then I will praise you with the lyre, O God, my God.
Refrain
5 Why are you so depressed, O my soul?
Why so disturbed within me?
Hope in God, for I will again praise him
for my salvation from the face of my God.[a]
3 The integrity of the upright guides them,
but the dishonesty of the treacherous destroys them.
4 Riches are of no help on the day of fury,
but righteousness saves from death.
5 The righteousness of honest people makes their way smooth,
but because of his wickedness a wicked person falls.
6 The righteousness of upright people rescues them,
but treacherous people are trapped by their own desire.
7 At the death of a wicked man, his hope will perish,
and his confidence in his strength[a] perishes.
8 A righteous person is rescued from trouble,
and a wicked person takes his place.
9 With his mouth the godless person destroys his neighbor,
but righteous people are rescued by knowledge.
10 When the righteous prosper, a city rejoices,
and when the wicked perish, there is a shout of joy.
11 Through the blessing of upright citizens, a city is raised up,
but by the mouth of the wicked, it is torn down.
12 A person who lacks sense despises his neighbor,
but an understanding person keeps silent.
13 A gossip goes around betraying secrets,
but a trustworthy spirit keeps a matter confidential.
Two Blind Men
27 As Jesus left that place, two blind men followed him, calling out, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!”
28 When he entered the house, the blind men came to him. Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?”
They told him, “Yes, Lord.”
29 Then he touched their eyes and said, “According to your faith let it be done for you.” 30 And their eyes were opened. Then Jesus warned them emphatically, “See to it that no one learns about this.” 31 But they went out and spread the word about him throughout that entire region.
Jesus Heals a Mute Man
32 Just as they were leaving, people brought to him a demon-possessed man who could not talk. 33 After the demon was driven out, the mute man spoke. The crowds were amazed and said, “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel!”
34 But the Pharisees said, “He drives out demons by the ruler of demons.”
The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved.