Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
81 1 An exhortation to praise God both in heart and voice for his benefits, 8 and to worship him only. 11 God condemneth their ingratitude, 12 and showeth what great benefit they have lost through their own malice.
To him that excelleth upon [a]Gittith. A Psalm committeth to Asaph.
1 Sing [b]joyfully unto God our strength: sing loud unto the God of Jacob.
10 (For I am the Lord thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt:) [a]open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it.
11 But my people would not hear my voice, and Israel would none of me,
12 So I gave them up unto the hardness of their heart, and they have walked in their own counsels.
13 [b]Oh that my people had hearkened unto me, and Israel had walked in my ways!
14 I would soon have humbled their enemies, and turned mine hand [c]against their adversaries.
15 The haters of the Lord should have been subject unto him, and their time [d]should have endured forever.
16 And God would have fed them with the [e]fat of wheat, and with honey out of the rock would I have sufficed thee.
11 3 A curse of them that obey not the word of God’s covenant. 10 The people of Judah following the steps of their fathers, worship strange gods. 15 The Lord forbiddeth Jeremiah to pray for them.
1 The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying,
2 Hear ye the words of this covenant, and speak unto the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem,
3 And say thou unto them, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, [a]Cursed be the man that obeyeth not the words of this covenant,
4 Which I commanded unto your fathers, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt, from the iron furnace, saying, Obey my voice, and do according to all these things which I command you: so shall ye be my people, and I will be your God,
5 That I may confirm the oath, that I have sworn unto your fathers, to give them a land, which floweth with milk and honey, as appeareth this day. Then answered [b]I, and said, So be it, O Lord.
6 Then the Lord said unto me, Cry all these words in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, saying, Hear ye the words of this covenant, and do them.
7 For I have protested unto your fathers, when I brought them up out of the land of Egypt unto this day, [c]rising early and protesting, saying, Obey my voice.
8 Nevertheless they would not obey, nor incline their ear: but everyone walked in the stubbornness of his [d]wicked heart: therefore I will bring upon them all the [e]words of this covenant which I commanded them to do, but they did it not.
9 And the Lord said unto me, A [f]conspiracy is found among the men of Judah, and among the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
10 They are turned back to the iniquities of their forefathers, which refused to hear my words: and they went after other gods to serve them: thus the house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken my covenant, which I made with their fathers.
11 Therefore thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will bring a plague upon them, which they shall not be able to escape, and though they cry unto me, [g]I will not hear them.
12 Then shall the cities of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem go, and cry unto the gods unto whom they offer incense, but they shall not be able to help them in time of their trouble.
13 [h]For according to the number of thy cities were thy gods, O Judah, and according to the number of the streets of Jerusalem have ye set up altars of confusion, even altars to burn incense unto Baal.
14 Therefore thou shalt not [i]pray for this people, neither lift up a cry or prayer for them: for when they cry unto me in their trouble, I will not hear them.
15 What should my [j]beloved tarry in mine house, seeing they have committed abomination with many, and the holy flesh [k]goeth away from thee: yet when thou doest evil, thou rejoicest.
16 The Lord called thy name, A green olive tree, fair, and of goodly fruit: but with [l]noise and great tumult he hath set fire upon it, and the branches of it are broken.
17 For the Lord of hosts that planted thee, hath pronounced a plague against thee, for the wickedness of the house of Israel, and of the house of Judah, which they have done against themselves to provoke me to anger in offering incense unto Baal,
8 [a]Finally, be ye all of one mind: one suffer with another: love as brethren: be pitiful, be courteous.
9 (A)[b]Not rendering evil for evil, neither rebuke for rebuke: but contrariwise bless, [c]knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should be heirs of blessing.
10 (B)[d]For if any man long after life, and to [e]see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile.
11 (C)Let him eschew evil and do good: let him seek peace and follow after it.
12 For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: and the [f]face of the Lord is against them that do evil.
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