Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

³ Do not put your trust in the rulers of this world—kings and princes.
    Do not expect any rescue from mortal men.
⁴ As soon as their breath leaves them, they return to the earth;
    on that day, all of them perish—their dreams, their plans, and their memories.

⁵ Blessed are those whose help comes from the God of Jacob,
    whose hope is centered in the Eternal their God—
⁶ Who created the heavens, the earth,
    the seas, and all that lives within them;
Who stays true and remains faithful forever;
⁷ Who works justice for those who are pressed down by the world,
    providing food for those who are hungry.

The Eternal frees those who are imprisoned;
⁸ He makes the blind see.
    He lifts up those whose backs are bent in labor;
    He cherishes those who do what is right.
⁹ The Eternal looks after those who journey in a land not their own;
    He takes care of the orphan and the widow,
    but He frustrates the wicked along their way.

¹⁰ The Eternal will reign today, tomorrow, and forever.
    People of Zion, your God will rule forever over all generations.
Praise the Eternal!

⁹ People: That’s why we can’t make things right;
        good and true can’t gain any ground on us.
    We look earnestly for a bright spot, but there isn’t
        even a glimmer of hope; it’s darkness all around.
¹⁰     We are left to stumble along, grabbing at whatever seems solid,
        like the blind finding their way down a strange and threatening street.
    In broad daylight—when we should have sight—we stumble and fall as in the dark.
        We are already like the dead among those brimming with health.
¹¹     We growl like bears and moan like doves.
        We hope that maybe, just maybe, it will all turn out right;
    But it doesn’t. We look for liberation, but it’s too far away.
¹²     For our wrongdoing runs too deep before You.
        Our sins stack up against us—sure evidence of our guilt.
    For our offenses are always with us; they are insidious and lasting, as You know.
        Our guilt says it all. We know it, too.
¹³     We took You for nothing, and did just the opposite of Your commands.
        We broke our promises to You, ignored and rejected You.
    We hatched up schemes to oppress others and rebel, to twist the truth for our gain
        while presenting it as honest-to-God fact.
¹⁴     When justice calls, we turn it away.
        Righteousness knows to keep its distance,
    For truth stumbles in the public square,
        and honesty is not allowed to enter.
¹⁵     There is no truth-telling anymore,
        and anyone who tries to do right finds he is the next target.

It’s true. The Eternal One saw it all
    and was understandably perturbed at the absence of justice.
¹⁶ God looked long and hard, but there wasn’t a single person
    who tried to put a stop to the injustice and lies.
So God took action. His own strong arm reached out and brought salvation.
    His own righteousness—good and pure—sustained Him.
¹⁷ But God’s equipment was that of no ordinary warrior:
    He strapped on righteousness as His breastplate,
And put on the helmet of salvation.
    Wrapped in vengeance for clothing and passion as a cloak, God prepared for war.
¹⁸ Finally, God determined they must get what they’ve earned:
    fury to those who oppose Him, vengeance against those who are against Him.
To the ends of the known world, God will go to render justice.
¹⁹ This is how people from east to west will come to respect the name
    and honor the glory of the Eternal.
For He will come on like a torrential flood driven by the Eternal’s winds.