Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Prayer with Confidence in Final Salvation
A Prayer of David.
17 Hear a just cause, O Lord,
Attend to my cry;
Give ear to my prayer which is not from deceitful lips.
2 Let my vindication come from Your presence;
Let Your eyes look on the things that are upright.
3 You have tested my heart;
You have visited me in the night;
(A)You have [a]tried me and have found [b]nothing;
I have purposed that my mouth shall not (B)transgress.
4 Concerning the works of men,
By the word of Your lips,
I have kept away from the paths of the destroyer.
5 (C)Uphold my steps in Your paths,
That my footsteps may not slip.
8 “But you, Israel, are My servant,
Jacob whom I have (A)chosen,
The descendants of Abraham My (B)friend.
9 You whom I have taken from the ends of the earth,
And called from its farthest regions,
And said to you,
‘You are My servant,
I have chosen you and have not cast you away:
10 (C)Fear not, (D)for I am with you;
Be not dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you,
Yes, I will help you,
I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’
Israel’s Rejection and God’s Purpose(A)
6 (B)But it is not that the word of God has taken no effect. For (C)they are not all Israel who are of Israel, 7 (D)nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, (E)“In Isaac your seed shall be called.” 8 That is, those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but (F)the children of the promise are counted as the seed. 9 For this is the word of promise: (G)“At this time I will come and Sarah shall have a son.”
10 And not only this, but when (H)Rebecca also had conceived by one man, even by our father Isaac 11 (for the children not yet being born, nor having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of (I)Him who calls), 12 it was said to her, (J)“The older shall serve the younger.” 13 As it is written, (K)“Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated.”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.