Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Trust in the Lord
For the director of music. Of David.
11 I ·trust in the Lord for protection [find refuge in the Lord].
So why do you say to me,
“·Fly [L Flee] like a bird to your mountain.
2 For, look, the wicked ·string [bend] their bows;
they set their arrows on the bowstrings.
They shoot from dark places
at those who are ·honest [L upright/virtuous in heart].
3 When the foundations [C a stable society] collapse,
what can ·good [righteous] people do?”
4 The Lord is in his holy Temple;
the Lord sits on his throne in heaven.
·He sees what people do [L His eyes watch];
·he keeps his eye on them [L his gaze examines/tests people].
5 The Lord ·tests [examines] ·those who do right and those who do wrong [the righteous and the wicked],
but he hates those who love ·to hurt others [violence].
6 He will ·send [L rain] hot coals and burning sulfur on the wicked.
A ·whirlwind [scorching wind] is ·what they will get [L the portion of their cup; C an image of judgment; Is. 51:17, 22; Ezek. 23:31–33; Matt. 26:39].
7 The Lord ·does what is right [is righteous], and he loves ·justice [righteousness],
so ·honest people [the upright/virtuous] will see his face.
The Lord Will Punish the World
24 ·Look [T Behold]! The Lord will destroy the earth and ·leave it empty [lay it waste];
he will ·ruin [mar; distort] the surface of the land and scatter its ·people [inhabitants].
2 ·At that time the same thing will happen to everyone [L It will be]:
·to common people and priests [L like people, like priest],
·to slaves and masters [L like servant/slave, like master/lord],
·to women slaves and their women masters [L like maidservant, like mistress/queen],
·to sellers and buyers [L like seller, like buyer],
·to those who lend and those who borrow [L like lender, like borrower],
·to bankers and those who owe the bank [L like creditor, like debtor].
3 The earth will be ·completely empty [devastated; laid waste].
The wealth ·will all be taken [plundered],
because the Lord has ·commanded it [spoken this word].
4 The earth will ·dry up [or mourn] and ·die [wither];
the world will ·grow weak [languish] and ·die [wither];
the ·great leaders [or heavens; heights; L highest ones] ·in this land [or of the earth] will ·become weak [languish].
5 The people of the earth have ·ruined [defiled] it,
because they ·do not follow [have violated/transgressed] ·God’s teachings [the laws/instruction; L Torah]
or obey ·God’s laws [statutes; regulations]
or keep ·their agreement with God that was to last forever [the eternal covenant/treaty].
6 So a curse [Deut. 28] will ·destroy [consume; devour] the earth.
The people of the world ·are guilty [must pay for their guilt],
so ·they [L the earth’s inhabitants] will be burned up;
only a few will be left.
7 The new wine ·will be bad [dries up; or mourns], and the grapevines will ·die [wither; or languish].
·People who were happy [Revelers; Merrymakers] will ·be sad [groan; sigh].
8 The ·happy music [joy; mirth] of the tambourines will end.
The happy sounds of ·wild parties [revelry] will stop.
The joyful music from the harps will ·end [cease].
9 People will no longer sing while they drink their wine.
The ·beer [T strong drink; C alcoholic beverage made from grain] will taste bitter to those who drink it.
10 The ruined city ·will be empty [is desolate/broken],
·and people will hide behind closed doors [L every house is shuttered to prevent entering].
11 People in the streets will ·ask [cry out; howl] for wine,
but joy will have turned to ·sadness [gloom; darkness];
all the ·happiness [gladness; rejoicing] ·will have left [is banished/exiled].
12 The city will be left in ruins,
and its gates will be smashed to pieces.
13 This is what will happen all over the earth
and to all the nations.
The earth will be like an olive tree ·after the harvest [L when it is beaten; 17:6]
or like the ·few grapes left on a vine [L gleanings] after harvest.
17 It was by faith that Abraham, when God tested him, offered his son Isaac as a sacrifice [Gen. 22:1–10]. ·God made the promises to Abraham, but Abraham [L The one who received the promises] was ready to offer his ·own [unique; one of a kind; John 3:16] son as a sacrifice. 18 God had said, “·The descendants I promised you will be from Isaac [Through Isaac your offspring/seed will carry on your name; Gen. 21:12].” 19 Abraham ·believed [considered; reasoned] that God ·could [had the power to] raise the dead, and ·really [in one sense; in a manner of speaking; figuratively speaking], it was as if Abraham ·got [received] Isaac back from death.
20 It was by faith that Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau ·in regard to their future [L concerning things to come; Gen. 27]. 21 It was by faith that Jacob, as he was dying, blessed each one of Joseph’s sons [Gen. 49]. Then he ·worshiped [or bowed in reverent worship] as he leaned on the top of his ·walking stick [staff; Gen. 47:31].
22 It was by faith that Joseph, while he was dying, spoke about ·the Israelites leaving Egypt [L the exodus of the children/sons of Israel] and ·gave instructions [commanded] about ·what to do with his body [L his bones; Gen. 50:24–25; Ex. 13:19].
23 It was by faith that Moses’ parents hid him for three months after he was born [Ex. 2:2–3]. [L …because] They saw that Moses was a ·beautiful baby [or special child], and they were not ·afraid to disobey [intimidated by; L afraid of] the king’s order.
24 It was by faith that Moses, when he grew up, refused to be called the son of ·the king of Egypt’s [L Pharaoh’s] daughter [Ex. 2:10]. 25 He chose to ·suffer [be mistreated/oppressed] with God’s people instead of enjoying ·sin for a short time [L the temporary/fleeting pleasures of sin]. 26 He thought it was better to suffer ·for [the disgrace/stigma/ humilation of] ·Christ [or the Messiah/Anointed One] than to have all the treasures of Egypt, because ·he was looking for [or his eyes were fixed on] God’s reward. 27 It was by faith that Moses left Egypt and was not afraid of the king’s anger [Ex. 10:28–29]. Moses ·continued strong [persevered; was resolute] as if he could see the ·God that no one can see [L one who is invisible; v. 13]. 28 It was by faith that Moses ·prepared [celebrated; kept] the Passover [Ex. 12] and ·spread the blood on the doors [L the sprinkling of blood; 10:22] so the ·one who brings death [destroyer] would not ·kill [L touch] the firstborn sons of Israel [Ex. 12:7, 13, 29–30].
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