Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Psalm 102
Affliction in Light of Eternity
A prayer of an afflicted person who is weak and pours out his lament before the Lord.(A)
1 Lord, hear my prayer;
let my cry for help come before You.(B)
2 Do not hide Your face from me in my day of trouble.
Listen closely to me;
answer me quickly when I call.(C)
3 For my days vanish like smoke,
and my bones burn like a furnace.(D)
4 My heart is afflicted, withered like grass;(E)
I even forget to eat my food.(F)
5 Because of the sound of my groaning,
my flesh sticks to my bones.(G)
6 I am like a desert owl,[a]
like an owl among the ruins.(H)
7 I stay awake;(I)
I am like a solitary bird on a roof.
8 My enemies taunt me all day long;
they ridicule and curse me.(J)
9 I eat ashes like bread
and mingle my drinks with tears(K)
10 because of Your indignation and wrath;
for You have picked me up and thrown me aside.(L)
11 My days are like a lengthening shadow,
and I wither away like grass.(M)
24 To Shemaiah the Nehelamite you are to say, 25 “This is what the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: You[a] in your own name have sent out letters to all the people of Jerusalem, to the priest Zephaniah(A) son of Maaseiah, and to all the priests, saying: 26 ‘The Lord has appointed you priest in place of Jehoiada the priest to be the chief officer(B) in the temple of the Lord, responsible for every madman(C) who acts like a prophet. You must confine him in the stocks(D) and an iron collar. 27 So now, why have you not rebuked Jeremiah of Anathoth who has been acting like a prophet among you?(E) 28 For he has sent word to us in Babylon, claiming, “The exile will be long. Build houses and settle down. Plant gardens and eat their produce.”’”(F)
29 Zephaniah the priest read this letter in the hearing of Jeremiah the prophet.
A Message about Shemaiah
30 Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: 31 “Send a message to all the exiles, saying: This is what the Lord says concerning Shemaiah the Nehelamite. Because Shemaiah prophesied to you, though I did not send him, and made you trust a lie,(G) 32 this is what the Lord says: I am about to punish Shemaiah the Nehelamite and his descendants. There will not be even one of his descendants living among these people,(H) nor will any ever see the good that I will bring to My people”—this is the Lord’s declaration—“for he has preached rebellion against the Lord.”(I)
Christian Warfare
10 Finally, be strengthened by the Lord and by His vast strength.(A) 11 Put on(B) the full armor(C) of God so that you can stand against the tactics[a] of the Devil. 12 For our battle is not against flesh(D) and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities,(E) against the world powers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil(F) in the heavens.(G) 13 This is why you must take up the full armor(H) of God, so that you may be able to resist(I) in the evil day, and having prepared everything, to take your stand. 14 Stand,(J) therefore,
with truth(K) like a belt around your waist,
righteousness(L) like armor on your chest,(M)
15 and your feet sandaled with readiness
for the gospel of peace.[b]
16 In every situation take the shield(N) of faith,(O)
and with it you will be able to extinguish
all the flaming arrows of the evil one.(P)
17 Take the helmet(Q) of salvation,
and the sword(R) of the Spirit,(S)
which is God’s word.
18 Pray(T) at all times in the Spirit(U) with every prayer and request, and stay alert(V) in this with all perseverance and intercession for all the saints. 19 Pray also for me, that the message may be given to me when I open my mouth to make known with boldness(W) the mystery of the gospel. 20 For this I am an ambassador(X) in chains. Pray that I might be bold enough in Him to speak as I should.
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