Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
79 1 The Israelites complain to God for the great calamity and oppression that they suffered by God’s enemies, 8 and confessing their sins, flee to God’s mercies with full hope of deliverance, 10 Because their calamities were joined with the contempt of his Name, 13 for the which they promise to be thankful.
A Psalm committed to Asaph.
1 O God, [a]the heathen are come into thine inheritance: thine holy Temple have they defiled, and made Jerusalem heaps of stones.
2 The [b]dead bodies of thy servants have they given to be meat unto fowls of the heaven, and the flesh of thy saints unto the beasts of the earth.
3 Their blood have they shed like waters, round about Jerusalem, and there was none to [c]bury them.
4 We are a reproach to our [d]neighbors, even a scorn and derision unto them that are round about us.
5 Lord, how long wilt thou be angry, forever? shall thy jealousy [e]burn like fire?
6 (A)Pour out thy wrath upon the heathen that have not known thee, and upon the kingdoms that have not called upon thy Name.
7 For they have devoured Jacob, and made his dwelling place desolate.
8 Remember not against us the [f]former iniquities, but [g]make haste, and let thy tender mercies prevent us: for we are in great misery.
9 Help us, O God of our [h]salvation, for the glory of thy Name, and deliver us, and be merciful unto our sins for thy Name’s sake.
14 Thus saith the Lord against all mine evil [a]neighbors, that touch the inheritance, which I have caused my people Israel to inherit, Behold, I will pluck them out of their land, and pluck out the house of Judah from among them.
15 And after that I have plucked them out, I [b]will return, and have compassion on them, and will bring again every man to his heritage, and every man to his land.
16 And if they will learn the [c]ways of my people, to swear by my Name, (The [d]Lord liveth, as they taught my people to swear by Baal) then shall they be built [e]in the midst of my people.
17 But if they will not obey, then will I utterly pluck up, and destroy that nation, saith the Lord.
13 The destruction of the Jews is prefigured. 11 Why Israel was received to be the people of God, and why they were forsaken. 15 He exhorteth them to repentance.
1 Thus saith the Lord unto me, Go, and buy thee a linen girdle, and put it upon thy loins, and put it not in water.
2 So I bought the girdle according to the commandment of the Lord, and put it upon my loins.
3 And the word of the Lord came unto me the second time, saying,
4 Take the girdle that thou hast bought, which is upon thy loins, and arise, go toward [f]Perath, and hide it there in the cleft of the rock.
5 So I went, and hid it by Perath, as the Lord had commanded me.
6 And after many days the Lord said unto me, Arise, go toward Perath, and take the girdle from thence, which I commanded thee to hide there.
7 Then went I to Perath, and dug, and took the girdle from the place where I had hid it, and behold, the girdle was corrupt, and was profitable for nothing.
8 Then the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,
9 Thus saith the Lord, After this manner will I destroy the pride of Judah, and the great pride of Jerusalem.
10 This wicked people have refused to hear my word, and walk after the stubbornness of their own heart, and walk after other gods to serve them, and to worship them: therefore they shall be as this girdle, which is profitable to nothing.
11 For as the girdle cleaveth to the loins of a man, so have I tied to me the whole house of Israel, and the whole house of Judah, saith the Lord, that they might be my people: that they might have a name, and praise, and glory, but they would not hear.
3 1 He giveth the Jews some 2 preferment, for the covenant’s sake, 4 but yet such, as wholly dependeth on God’s mercy. 9 That both Jews and Gentiles are sinners, 11 he proveth by Scriptures: 19 and showing the use of the Law, 28 he concludeth that we are justified by faith.
1 What [a]is then the preferment of the Jew? or what is the profit of circumcision?
2 Much every manner of way: for [b]chiefly, because unto them were of credit committed the [c]oracles of God.
3 For what, though some did not [d]believe? shall their unbelief make the [e]faith of God without effect?
4 God forbid: yea, let God be true, and every man a liar, as it is written, That thou mightest be [f]justified in thy words, and overcome, [g]when thou art judged.
5 [h]Now if our [i]unrighteousness commend the righteousness of God, what shall we say? is God unrighteous which punisheth? (I speak as [j]a man.)
6 God forbid: (else how shall God judge the world?)
7 [k]For if the [l]verity of God hath more abounded through my lie unto his glory, why am I yet condemned as a sinner?
8 And (as we are blamed, and as some affirm, that we say) why do we not evil, that good may come thereof? whose damnation is just.
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