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.
Glorifying God
14 “They raise their voices;
they shout for joy;[a]
from the west[b] they shout aloud[c]
over the Lord’s majesty.
15 Therefore, you in the east,[d]
give glory to the Lord!
You in the coastlands of the sea,
give glory to the name of the Lord God of Israel!
16 From the ends of the earth
we hear songs of praise:
‘Glory to the Righteous One!’
“But I say, ‘I am pining away,
I’m pining away.
How terrible things are for me!
For treacherous people betray—
treacherous people are betraying with treachery!’”
The Universal Impact of Judgment
17 “Terror and pit and snare are coming in your direction,
you inhabitants of the earth!
18 Whoever flees at the sound of terror
will fall into a pit,
and whoever climbs out of the pit
will be caught in a snare.
For the windows of judgment[e] from above are opened,
and the foundations of the earth are shaken.
19 The earth is utterly shattered,
the earth is split apart,
the earth is violently shaken.
20 The earth[f] reels to and fro like a drunkard;
it sways like a hut;[g]
its transgression lies so heavy upon it,
that it falls, never to rise again.
21 “And it will come about at that time,[h]
the Lord will punish
the armies of the exalted ones in the heavens,[i]
and the rulers[j] of the earth on earth.
22 They[k] will be herded together[l]
into the Pit;[m]
they will be shut up in prison,
and after many days they will be punished.
23 Then the moon will be embarrassed
and the sun ashamed,
for the Lord of the Heavenly Armies will reign
on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem;
and in the presence of its elders
there will be glory.”
41 Peter asked, “Lord, are you telling this parable just for us or for everyone?”
42 The Lord said, “Who, then, is the faithful and careful servant manager whom his master will put in charge of giving all his other servants their share of food at the right time? 43 How blessed is that servant whom his master finds doing this when he comes! 44 I tell you with certainty, he will put him in charge of all his property. 45 But if that servant says to himself,[a] ‘My master is taking a long time to come back,’ and begins to beat the other servants and to eat, drink, and get drunk, 46 the master of that servant will come on a day when he doesn’t expect him and at an hour that he doesn’t know. Then his master[b] will punish him severely[c] and assign him a place with unfaithful people. 47 That servant who knew what his master wanted but didn’t prepare himself or do what was wanted will receive a severe beating. 48 But the servant[d] who did things that deserved a beating without knowing it will receive a light beating. Much will be required from everyone to whom much has been given. But even more will be demanded from the one to whom much has been entrusted.”
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