Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

¹² But you, O Yahweh, remain forever.
    You are remembered throughout every generation.
¹³ You will rise and have compassion on Zion,
    because it is time to grant a favor to it.
        Indeed, the appointed time has come.
¹⁴ Your servants value Zion’s stones,
    and they pity its rubble.
¹⁵ The nations will fear Yahweh’s name.
    All the kings of the earth will fear your glory.
¹⁶ When Yahweh builds Zion,
    he will appear in his glory.
¹⁷ He will turn his attention to the prayers
    of those who have been abandoned.
    He will not despise their prayers.
¹⁸ This will be written down for a future generation
    so that a people yet to be created may praise Yah:
¹⁹ “Yahweh looked down from his holy place high above.
    From heaven he looked at the earth.
²⁰ He heard the groans of the prisoners
    and set free those who were condemned to death.
²¹ Yahweh’s name is announced in Zion
    and his praise in Jerusalem
²² when nations and kingdoms gather
    to worship Yahweh.”

²³ He has weakened my strength along the way.
    He has reduced the number of my days.
²⁴ I said, “My El, don’t take me now in the middle of my life.
    Your years continue on throughout every generation.
²⁵ Long ago you laid the foundation of the earth.
    Even the heavens are the works of your hands.
²⁶ They will come to an end, but you will still go on.
    They will all wear out like clothing.
        You will change them like clothes,
            and they will be thrown away.
²⁷ But you remain the same, and your life will never end.
²⁸ The children of your servants will go on living here.
    Their descendants will be secure in your presence.”

² “If only my grief could be weighed,
    if only my misery could be laid on the scales with it,
³ then they would be heavier than the sand of the seas.
    I spoke carelessly
⁴         because the arrows of Shadday have found their target in me,
            and my spirit is drinking their poison.
            Eloah’s terrors line up in battle against me.

⁵ “Does a wild donkey bray when it’s eating grass,
    or does an ox make a sound over its hay?
⁶ Is tasteless food eaten without salt,
    or is there any flavor in the white of an egg?^[a]
7         I refuse to touch such things.
        They are disgusting to me.^[b]

⁸ “How I wish that my prayer would be answered—
    that Eloah would give me what I’m hoping for,
⁹ that Eloah would finally be willing to crush me,
    that he would reach out to cut me off.
¹⁰ Then I would still have comfort.
    I would be happy despite my endless pain,
        because I have not rejected the words of the Holy One.
¹¹ What strength do I have left that I can go on hoping?
    What goal do I have that I would want to prolong my life?
¹² Do I have the strength of rocks?
    Does my body have the strength of bronze?
¹³ Am I not completely helpless?
    Haven’t my skills been taken away from me?