Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

^9-10 O Lord, have mercy on me in my anguish. My eyes are red from weeping; my health is broken from sorrow. I am pining away with grief; my years are shortened, drained away because of sadness. My sins have sapped my strength; I stoop with sorrow and with shame.^{[a] 11} I am scorned by all my enemies and even more by my neighbors and friends. They dread meeting me and look the other way when I go by. ¹² I am forgotten like a dead man, like a broken and discarded pot. ¹³ I heard the lies about me, the slanders of my enemies. Everywhere I looked I was afraid, for they were plotting against my life.

^14-15 But I am trusting you, O Lord. I said, “You alone are my God; my times are in your hands. Rescue me from those who hunt me down relentlessly. ¹⁶ Let your favor shine again upon your servant; save me just because you are so kind!

¹³ “Be silent now and leave me alone, that I may speak—and I am willing to face the consequences. ¹⁴ Yes, I will take my life in my hand and say what I really think. ¹⁵ God may kill me for saying this—in fact, I expect him to. Nevertheless, I am going to argue my case with him.^{[a] 16} This at least will be in my favor, that I am not godless, to be rejected instantly from his presence. ¹⁷ Listen closely to what I am about to say. Hear me out.

¹⁸ “This is my case: I know that I am righteous. ¹⁹ Who can argue with me over this? If you could prove me wrong, I would stop defending myself and die.

²¹ For to me, living means opportunities for Christ, and dying—well, that’s better yet! ²² But if living will give me more opportunities to win people to Christ, then I really don’t know which is better, to live or die! ²³ Sometimes I want to live, and at other times I don’t, for I long to go and be with Christ. How much happier for me than being here! ²⁴ But the fact is that I can be of more help to you by staying!

²⁵ Yes, I am still needed down here, and so I feel certain I will be staying on earth a little longer, to help you grow and become happy in your faith; ²⁶ my staying will make you glad and give you reason to glorify Christ Jesus for keeping me safe when I return to visit you again.

²⁷ But whatever happens to me, remember always to live as Christians should, so that whether I ever see you again or not, I will keep on hearing good reports that you are standing side by side with one strong purpose—to tell the Good News ²⁸ fearlessly, no matter what your enemies may do. They will see this as a sign of their downfall, but for you it will be a clear sign from God that he is with you, and that he has given you eternal life with him. ²⁹ For to you has been given the privilege not only of trusting him but also of suffering for him. ³⁰ We are in this fight together. You have seen me suffer for him in the past; and I am still in the midst of a great and terrible struggle now, as you know so well.