Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
To the Director: A Davidic Song.[a]
Confident Trust in God
11 I take refuge in the Lord.
So how can you say to me,
“Flee like a bird to the mountains.”?
2 Look, the wicked have bent their bow
and placed their arrow[b] on the string,[c]
to shoot from the darkness[d] at the upright in heart.
3 When the foundations are destroyed,
what can the righteous do?
4 The Lord is in his holy Temple;
the Lord’s throne is in the heavens.
His eyes see,
his glance[e] examines humanity.[f]
5 The Lord examines the righteous,
but the wicked and those who love violence, he hates.
6 He rains on the wicked burning coals and sulfur;
a scorching wind is their destiny.[g]
7 Indeed, the Lord is righteous;
he loves righteousness;
the upright will see him face-to-face.
A Message for Judah and Jerusalem
2 The message that Amoz’s son Isaiah received[a] concerning Judah and Jerusalem:
2 “It will come about in the last days
that the mountain that is the Lord’s Temple will be established
as the highest of mountains,[b]
and will be raised above the hills;
all the nations will stream to[c] it.
3 Many groups of people[d] will come, commenting,
“Come! Let’s go up to[e] the Temple of the God of Jacob,
that they[f] may teach us his ways.
Then let’s walk in his paths.”
The Rule of God from Jerusalem
“Instruction[g] will proceed from Zion,
and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
4 He will judge between the nations,
and will render verdicts[h] for the benefit of many.[i]
“They will beat their swords into plowshares,
and their spears into pruning hooks;
nations will not raise swords against nations,
and they will not learn warfare anymore.
The Meaning of Faith
11 Now faith is the assurance that what we hope for will come about[a] and the certainty that what we cannot see exists.[b] 2 By faith our ancestors won approval.
3 By faith we understand that time was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was made from things that are invisible.
4 By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain did,[c] and by faith[d] he was declared to be righteous, since God himself accepted his offerings. And by faith[e] he continues to speak, even though he is dead.
5 By faith Enoch was taken away without experiencing death. He could not be found, because God had taken him away. For before he was taken, he won approval as one who pleased God. 6 Now without faith it is impossible to please God, for whoever comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who diligently search for him.
7 By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, reverently prepared an ark to save his family, and by faith[f] he condemned the world and inherited the righteousness that comes by faith.
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