Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Psalm 91[a]
Security Under God’s Protection
I
1 You who dwell in the shelter of the Most High,[b]
who abide in the shade of the Almighty,
2 Say to the Lord, “My refuge and fortress,
my God in whom I trust.”(A)
3 He will rescue you from the fowler’s snare,
from the destroying plague,
4 He will shelter you with his pinions,
and under his wings you may take refuge;(B)
his faithfulness is a protecting shield.
5 You shall not fear the terror of the night
nor the arrow that flies by day,(C)
6 Nor the pestilence that roams in darkness,
nor the plague that ravages at noon.(D)
23 Am I a God near at hand only—oracle of the Lord—(A)
and not a God far off?[a]
24 Can anyone hide in secret
without my seeing them?—oracle of the Lord.
Do I not fill
heaven and earth?—oracle of the Lord.
25 I have heard the prophets who prophesy lies in my name say, “I had a dream! I had a dream!” 26 How long? Will the hearts of the prophets who prophesy lies and their own deceitful fancies ever turn back? 27 By the dreams they tell each other, they plan to make my people forget my name, just as their ancestors forgot my name for Baal.(B) 28 Let the prophets who have dreams tell their dreams; let those who have my word speak my word truthfully!
What has straw to do with wheat?[b]
—oracle of the Lord.(C)
29 Is not my word like fire—oracle of the Lord—
like a hammer shattering rock?
30 Therefore I am against the prophets—oracle of the Lord—those who steal my words from each other.(D) 31 Yes, I am against the prophets—oracle of the Lord—those who compose their own speeches and call them oracles. 32 Yes, I am against the prophets who tell lying dreams—oracle of the Lord—those who lead my people astray by recounting their reckless lies. It was not I who sent them or commanded them; they do this people no good at all—oracle of the Lord.(E)
Chapter 2[a]
Generosity of God’s Plan.[b] 1 (A)You were dead in your transgressions and sins[c] 2 in which you once lived following the age of this world,[d] following the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the disobedient.(B) 3 All of us once lived among them in the desires of our flesh, following the wishes of the flesh and the impulses, and we were by nature children of wrath, like the rest.(C) 4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of the great love he had for us, 5 (D)even when we were dead in our transgressions, brought us to life with Christ[e] (by grace you have been saved), 6 raised us up with him, and seated us with him in the heavens in Christ Jesus,(E) 7 that in the ages to come he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.(F) 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not from you; it is the gift of God;(G) 9 it is not from works, so no one may boast.(H) 10 For we are his handiwork, created in Christ Jesus for the good works that God has prepared in advance, that we should live in them.(I)
One in Christ.[f]
Scripture texts, prefaces, introductions, footnotes and cross references used in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC All Rights Reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.