Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Psalm 77
Confidence in a Time of Crisis
For the choir director: according to Jeduthun. Of Asaph.(A) A psalm.
1 I cry aloud to God,
aloud to God, and He will hear me.(B)
2 I sought the Lord in my day of trouble.
My hands were continually lifted up
all night long;
I refused to be comforted.(C)
3 I think of God; I groan;
I meditate; my spirit becomes weak.(D)
4 You have kept me from closing my eyes;
I am troubled and cannot speak.(E)
5 I consider days of old,
years long past.(F)
6 At night I remember my music;
I meditate in my heart, and my spirit ponders.(G)
7 “Will the Lord reject forever
and never again show favor?(H)
8 Has His faithful love ceased forever?
Is His promise at an end for all generations?(I)
9 Has God forgotten to be gracious?
Has He in anger withheld His compassion?”(J)
10 So I say, “I am grieved[a]
that the right hand of the Most High has changed.”(K)
11 I will remember the Lord’s works;
yes, I will remember Your ancient wonders.(L)
12 I will reflect on all You have done
and meditate on Your actions.(M)
13 God, Your way is holy.
What god is great like God?(N)
14 You are the God who works wonders;
You revealed Your strength among the peoples.(O)
15 With power You redeemed Your people,
the descendants of Jacob and Joseph.(P)
16 The waters saw You, God.
The waters saw You; they trembled.
Even the depths shook.(Q)
17 The clouds poured down water.
The storm clouds thundered;
Your arrows flashed back and forth.(R)
18 The sound of Your thunder was in the whirlwind;
lightning lit up the world.(S)
The earth shook and quaked.(T)
19 Your way went through the sea
and Your path through the great waters,
but Your footprints were unseen.(U)
20 You led Your people like a flock(V)
by the hand of Moses and Aaron.(W)
8 However, if I were you, I would appeal to God
and would present my case to Him.(A)
9 He does great(B) and unsearchable things,
wonders without number.(C)
10 He gives rain to the earth
and sends water to the fields.(D)
11 He sets the lowly on high,
and mourners are lifted to safety.(E)
12 He frustrates the schemes of the crafty
so that they[a] achieve no success.
13 He traps the wise in their craftiness
so that the plans of the deceptive
are quickly brought to an end.(F)
14 They encounter darkness by day,
and they grope at noon
as if it were night.(G)
15 He saves the needy from their sharp words[b](H)
and from the clutches of the powerful.
16 So the poor have hope,
and injustice shuts its mouth.(I)
17 See how happy the man is God corrects;
so do not reject the discipline of the Almighty.
18 For He crushes but also binds up;
He strikes, but His hands also heal.(J)
19 He will rescue you from six calamities;
no harm will touch you in seven.
20 In famine He will redeem you from death,
and in battle, from the power of the sword.(K)
21 You will be safe from slander[c]
and not fear destruction when it comes.(L)
22 You will laugh at destruction and hunger
and not fear the animals of the earth.
23 For you will have a covenant with the stones of the field,
and the wild animals will be at peace with you.(M)
24 You will know that your tent is secure,(N)
and nothing will be missing when you inspect your home.
25 You will also know that your offspring will be many
and your descendants like the grass of the earth.
26 You will approach the grave(O) in full vigor,(P)
as a stack of sheaves is gathered in its season.
27 We have investigated this, and it is true!
Hear it and understand it for yourself.
Do No Evil
8 Now finally, all of you should be like-minded and sympathetic, should love believers,[a](A) and be compassionate(B) and humble,[b] 9 not paying back evil for evil(C) or insult for insult but, on the contrary, giving a blessing,(D) since you were called for this, so that you can inherit a blessing.
10 For the(E) one who wants to love life
and to see good days
must keep his tongue from evil(F)
and his lips from speaking deceit,(G)
11 and he must turn away(H) from evil
and do what is good.
He must seek peace(I) and pursue it,
12 because the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous
and His ears are open to their request.
But the face of the Lord is against
those who do what is evil.[c]
Undeserved Suffering
13 And who will harm[d] you if you are deeply committed to what is good?[e] 14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness,(J) you are blessed. Do not fear what they fear(K) or be disturbed,(L)[f] 15 but honor[g] the Messiah[h] as Lord in your hearts. Always be ready to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason[i] for the hope that is in you.(M) 16 However, do this with gentleness and respect, keeping your conscience clear,[j][k](N) so that when you are accused,[l] those who denounce your Christian life[m] will be put to shame. 17 For it is better to suffer(O) for doing good, if that should be God’s will,[n] than for doing evil.
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