Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

God’s People Are Safe

125 Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved but stands forever. ² The Lord is around His people like the mountains are around Jerusalem, now and forever. ³ For the sinful will not rule over the land of those who are right with God. So those who are right and good may not use their hands to do wrong.

⁴ O Lord, do good to those who are good, and to those who are right in their hearts. ⁵ But the Lord will let all those who turn aside to their sinful ways go with those who are sinners. Peace be upon Israel.

Wise Sayings for Good Use

1 These are the wise sayings of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel: ² They show you how to know wisdom and teaching, to find the words of understanding. ³ They help you learn about the ways of wisdom and what is right and fair. ⁴ They give wisdom to the child-like, and much learning and wisdom to those who are young. ⁵ A wise man will hear and grow in learning. A man of understanding will become able ⁶ to understand a saying and a picture-story, the words of the wise and what they mean.

⁷ The fear of the Lord is the beginning of much learning. Fools hate wisdom and teaching.

⁸ Hear your father’s teaching, my son, and do not turn away from your mother’s teaching. ⁹ For they are a glory to your head and a chain of beauty around your neck. ¹⁰ My son, if sinners try to lead you into sin, do not go with them. ¹¹ If they say, “Come with us. Let us lie in wait to kill someone. Let us set a trap for those who are without blame. ¹² Let us swallow them alive like death, as those who go down to the grave. ¹³ We will find all kinds of things of great worth. We will fill our houses with the stolen riches. ¹⁴ Throw in your share with us. We will all have one money bag.”

¹⁵ My son, do not walk in the way with them. Keep your feet from their path. ¹⁶ For their feet run to sin and hurry to kill. ¹⁷ Yes, the net is spread for nothing if the bird is watching. ¹⁸ They set traps for their own lives and wait to die. ¹⁹ Such are the ways of all who get things by hurting others. Their desire for stolen riches takes away their own lives.

2 So you can say nothing because you are guilty when you say someone else is guilty. While you say someone is guilty, you are doing the same things he does. ² We know that God will say those who do such things are guilty. ³ Do you think God will punish others for doing wrong and let you keep sinning? ⁴ Do you forget about His loving-kindness to you? Do you forget how long He is waiting for you? You know that God is kind. He is trying to get you to be sorry for your sins and turn from them. ⁵ Because you are not sorry for your sins and will not turn from them, you will be punished even more on the day of God’s anger. God will be right in saying you are guilty. ⁶ He will give to every man what he should get for the things he has done. ⁷ Those who keep on doing good and are looking for His greatness and honor will receive life that lasts forever. ⁸ Those who love only themselves and do not obey the truth, but do what is wrong, will be punished by God. His anger will be on them. ⁹ Every Jew and every person who is not a Jew who sins will suffer and have great sorrow. ¹⁰ But God will give His greatness and honor and peace to all those who obey the truth. Both Jews and those who are not Jews will receive this. ¹¹ God does not show favor to one man more than to another.