Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
77 (0) For the leader. For Y’dutun. A psalm of Asaf:
2 (1) I cry aloud to God,
aloud to God; and he hears me.
3 (2) On the day of my distress I am seeking Adonai;
my hands are lifted up;
my tears flow all night without ceasing;
my heart refuses comfort.
4 (3) When remembering God, I moan;
when I ponder, my spirit fails. (Selah)
5 (4) You hold my eyelids [and keep me from sleeping];
I am too troubled to speak.
6 (5) I think about the days of old,
the years of long ago;
7 (6) in the night I remember my song,
I commune with myself, my spirit inquires:
8 (7) “Will Adonai reject forever?
will he never show his favor again?
9 (8) Has his grace permanently disappeared?
Is his word to all generations done away?
10 (9) Has God forgotten to be compassionate?
Has he in anger withheld his mercy?” (Selah)
11 (10) Then I add, “That’s my weakness —
[supposing] the Most High’s right hand could change.”
12 (11) So I will remind myself of Yah’s doings;
yes, I will remember your wonders of old.
13 (12) I will meditate on your work
and think about what you have done.
14 (13) God, your way is in holiness.
What god is as great as God?
15 (14) You are the God who does wonders,
you revealed your strength to the peoples.
16 (15) With your arm you redeemed your people,
the descendants of Ya‘akov and Yosef. (Selah)
17 (16) The water saw you, God;
the water saw you and writhed in anguish,
agitated to its depths.
18 (17) The clouds poured water, the skies thundered,
and your arrows flashed here and there.
19 (18) The sound of your thunder was in the whirlwind,
the lightning flashes lit up the world,
the earth trembled and shook.
20 (19) Your way went through the sea,
your path through the turbulent waters;
but your footsteps could not be traced.
21 (20) You led your people like a flock
under the care of Moshe and Aharon.
30 The words of Agur the son of Yakeh, the prophecy. The man says to Iti’el, to Iti’el and Ukhal:
2 I am more boorish than anyone,
I lack human discernment;
3 I have not learned enough wisdom
to know the Holy One.
4 Who has gone up to heaven and come down?
Who has cupped the wind in the palms of his hands?
Who has wrapped up the waters in his cloak?
Who established all the ends of the earth?
What is his name, and what is his son’s name?
Surely you know!
5 Every word of God’s is pure;
he shields those taking refuge in him.
6 Don’t add anything to his words;
or he will rebuke you, and you be found a liar.
7 [God,] I have asked two things of you;
don’t deny them to me as long as I live —
8 keep falsehood and futility far from me,
and give me neither poverty nor wealth.
Yes, provide just the food I need today;
9 for if I have too much, I might deny you
and say, “Who is Adonai?”
And if I am poor, I might steal
and thus profane the name of my God.
4 Then the Spirit led Yeshua up into the wilderness to be tempted by the Adversary. 2 After Yeshua had fasted forty days and nights, he was hungry. 3 The Tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, order these stones to become bread.” 4 But he answered, “The Tanakh says,
‘Man does not live on bread alone,
but on every word that comes from the mouth of Adonai’”[a]
5 Then the Adversary took him to the holy city and set him on the highest point of the Temple. 6 “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “jump! For the Tanakh says,
‘He will order his angels to be responsible for you. . . .
They will support you with their hands,
so that you will not hurt your feet on the stones.’”[b]
7 Yeshua replied to him, “But it also says, ‘Do not put Adonai your God to the test.’”[c]
8 Once more, the Adversary took him up to the summit of a very high mountain, showed him all the kingdoms of the world in all their glory, 9 and said to him, “All this I will give you if you will bow down and worship me.” 10 “Away with you, Satan!” Yeshua told him, “For the Tanakh says,
‘Worship Adonai your God, and serve only him.’” [d]
11 Then the Adversary let him alone, and angels came and took care of him.
Copyright © 1998 by David H. Stern. All rights reserved.