Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

78 A psalm for Asaph. O God, the heathens are come into thy inheritance, they have defiled thy holy temple: they have made Jerusalem as a place to keep fruit.

² They have given the dead bodies of thy servants to be meat for the fowls of the air: the flesh of thy saints for the beasts of the earth.

³ They have poured out their blood as water, round about Jerusalem and there was none to bury them.

⁴ We are become a reproach to our neighbours: a scorn and derision to them that are round about us.

¹² And render to our neighbours sevenfold in their bosom: the reproach wherewith they have reproached thee, O Lord.

¹³ But we thy people, and the sheep of thy pasture, will give thanks to thee for ever. We will shew forth thy praise, unto generation and generation.

20 And the children of Israel, and all the multitude came into the desert of Sin, in the first month: and the people abode in Cades. And Mary died there, and was buried in the same place.

² And the people wanting water, came together against Moses and Aaron:

³ And making a sedition, they said: Would God we had perished among our brethren before the Lord.

⁴ Why have you brought out the church of the Lord into the wilderness, that both we and our cattle should die?

⁵ Why have you made us come up out of Egypt, and have brought us into this wretched place which cannot be sowed, nor bringeth forth figs, nor vines, nor pomegranates, neither is there any water to drink?

⁶ And Moses and Aaron leaving the multitude, went into the tabernacle of the covenant, and fell flat upon the ground, and cried to the Lord, and said: O Lord God, hear the cry of this people, and open to them thy treasure, a fountain of living water, that being satisfied, they may cease to murmur. And the glory of the Lord appeared over them.

⁷ And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:

⁸ Take the rod, and assemble the people together, thou and Aaron thy brother, and speak to the rock before them, and it shall yield waters. And when thou hast brought forth water out of the rock, all the multitude and their cattle shall drink.

⁹ Moses therefore took the rod, which was before the Lord, as he had commanded him,

¹⁰ And having gathered together the multitude before the rock, he said to them: Hear, ye rebellious and incredulous: Can we bring you forth water out of this rock?

¹¹ And when Moses had lifted up his hand, and struck the rock twice with the rod, there came forth water in great abundance, so that the people and their cattle drank,

¹² And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron: Because you have not believed me, to sanctify me before the children of Israel, you shall not bring these people into the land, which I will give them.

¹³ This is the Water of contradiction, where the children of Israel strove with words against the Lord, and he was sanctified in them.

³² And we declare unto you, that the promise which was made to our fathers,

³³ This same God hath fulfilled to our children, raising up Jesus, as in the second psalm also is written: Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee.

³⁴ And to shew that he raised him up from the dead, not to return now any more to corruption, he said thus: I will give you the holy things of David faithful.

³⁵ And therefore, in another place also, he saith: Thou shalt not suffer thy holy one to see corruption.

³⁶ For David, when he had served in his generation, according to the will of God, slept: and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption.

³⁷ But he whom God hath raised from the dead, saw no corruption.

³⁸ Be it known therefore to you, men, brethren, that through him forgiveness of sins is preached to you: and from all the things, from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses.

³⁹ In him every one that believeth, is justified.

⁴⁰ Beware, therefore, lest that come upon you which is spoken in the prophets:

⁴¹ Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish: for I work a work in your days, a work which you will not believe, if any man shall tell it you.