Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
BOOK THREE
Psalms 73–89
The Tragedy of the Wicked, and the Blessedness of Trust in God
A Psalm of (A)Asaph.
73 Truly God is good to Israel,
To such as are pure in heart.
2 But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled;
My steps had nearly (B)slipped.
3 (C)For I was envious of the boastful,
When I saw the prosperity of the (D)wicked.
4 For there are no [a]pangs in their death,
But their strength is firm.
5 (E)They are not in trouble as other men,
Nor are they plagued like other men.
6 Therefore pride serves as their necklace;
Violence covers them (F)like a garment.
7 (G)Their [b]eyes bulge with abundance;
They have more than heart could wish.
8 (H)They scoff and speak wickedly concerning oppression;
They (I)speak [c]loftily.
9 They set their mouth (J)against the heavens,
And their tongue walks through the earth.
10 Therefore his people return here,
(K)And waters of a full cup are drained by them.
11 And they say, (L)“How does God know?
And is there knowledge in the Most High?”
12 Behold, these are the ungodly,
Who are always at ease;
They increase in riches.
13 Surely I have [d]cleansed my heart in (M)vain,
And washed my hands in innocence.
14 For all day long I have been plagued,
And chastened every morning.
15 If I had said, “I will speak thus,”
Behold, I would have been untrue to the generation of Your children.
16 When I thought how to understand this,
It was [e]too painful for me—
17 Until I went into the sanctuary of God;
Then I understood their (N)end.
18 Surely (O)You set them in slippery places;
You cast them down to destruction.
19 Oh, how they are brought to desolation, as in a moment!
They are utterly consumed with terrors.
20 As a dream when one awakes,
So, Lord, when You awake,
You shall despise their image.
32 “Now therefore, listen to me, my children,
For (A)blessed are those who keep my ways.
33 Hear instruction and be wise,
And do not disdain it.
34 (B)Blessed is the man who listens to me,
Watching daily at my gates,
Waiting at the posts of my doors.
35 For whoever finds me finds life,
And (C)obtains favor from the Lord;
36 But he who sins against me (D)wrongs his own soul;
All those who hate me love death.”
The Way of Wisdom
9 Wisdom has (E)built her house,
She has hewn out her seven pillars;
2 (F)She has slaughtered her meat,
(G)She has mixed her wine,
She has also [a]furnished her table.
3 She has sent out her maidens,
She cries out from the highest places of the city,
4 “Whoever(H) is simple, let him turn in here!”
As for him who lacks understanding, she says to him,
5 “Come,(I) eat of my bread
And drink of the wine I have mixed.
6 Forsake foolishness and live,
And go in the way of understanding.
29 By faith (A)they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land, whereas the Egyptians, attempting to do so, were drowned.
By Faith They Overcame
30 By faith (B)the walls of Jericho fell down after they were encircled for seven days. 31 By faith (C)the harlot Rahab did not perish with those who [a]did not believe, when (D)she had received the spies with peace.
32 And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of (E)Gideon and (F)Barak and (G)Samson and (H)Jephthah, also of (I)David and (J)Samuel and the prophets: 33 who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, (K)stopped the mouths of lions, 34 (L)quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. 35 (M)Women received their dead raised to life again.
Others were (N)tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. 36 Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and (O)of chains and imprisonment. 37 (P)They were stoned, they were sawn in two, [b]were tempted, were slain with the sword. (Q)They wandered about (R)in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented— 38 of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, (S)in dens and caves of the earth.
39 And all these, (T)having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, 40 God having provided something better for us, that they should not be (U)made perfect apart from us.
The Race of Faith
12 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, (V)let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and (W)let us run (X)with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the [c]author and [d]finisher of our faith, (Y)who for the joy that was set before Him (Z)endured the cross, despising the shame, and (AA)has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.