Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
BOOK III
(Psalms 73–89)
Psalm 73
God’s Ways Vindicated
A psalm of Asaph.(A)
1 God is indeed good to Israel,
to the pure in heart.(B)
2 But as for me, my feet almost slipped;
my steps nearly went astray.(C)
3 For I envied the arrogant;
I saw the prosperity of the wicked.(D)
4 They have an easy time until they die,[a]
and their bodies are well fed.[b](E)
5 They are not in trouble like others;
they are not afflicted like most people.(F)
6 Therefore, pride is their necklace,
and violence covers them like a garment.(G)
7 Their eyes bulge out from fatness;
the imaginations of their hearts run wild.(H)
8 They mock, and they speak maliciously;
they arrogantly threaten oppression.(I)
9 They set their mouths against heaven,
and their tongues strut across the earth.(J)
10 Therefore his people turn to them[c]
and drink in their overflowing words.[d](K)
11 The wicked say, “How can God know?
Does the Most High know everything?” (L)
12 Look at them—the wicked!
They are always at ease,
and they increase their wealth.(M)
13 Did I purify my heart
and wash my hands in innocence for nothing?(N)
14 For I am afflicted all day long
and punished every morning.(O)
15 If I had decided to say these things aloud,
I would have betrayed your people.[e](P)
16 When I tried to understand all this,
it seemed hopeless[f](Q)
17 until I entered God’s sanctuary.
Then I understood their destiny.(R)
18 Indeed, you put them in slippery places;
you make them fall into ruin.(S)
19 How suddenly they become a desolation!
They come to an end, swept away by terrors.(T)
20 Like one waking from a dream,
Lord, when arising, you will despise their image.(U)
32 “And now, sons, listen to me;
those who keep my ways are happy.(A)
33 Listen to instruction and be wise;(B)
don’t ignore it.
34 Anyone who listens to me is happy,(C)
watching at my doors every day,
waiting by the posts of my doorway.
35 For the one who finds me finds life(D)
and obtains favor from the Lord,(E)
36 but the one who misses me[a] harms himself;(F)
all who hate me love death.”(G)
Wisdom versus Foolishness
9 Wisdom has built her house;(H)
she has carved out her seven pillars.
2 She has prepared her meat;(I) she has mixed her wine;(J)
she has also set her table.(K)
3 She has sent out her female servants;(L)
she calls out from the highest points of the city:(M)
4 “Whoever is inexperienced, enter here!”
To the one who lacks sense,(N) she says,
5 “Come, eat my bread,(O)
and drink the wine I have mixed.
6 Leave inexperience behind, and you will live;
pursue the way of understanding.
29 By faith they crossed the Red Sea as though they were on dry land. When the Egyptians attempted to do this, they were drowned.(A)
30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after being marched around by the Israelites for seven days. 31 By faith Rahab the prostitute welcomed the spies in peace and didn’t perish with those who disobeyed.(B)
32 And what more can I say? Time is too short for me to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah,(C) David, Samuel, and the prophets,(D) 33 who by faith conquered kingdoms,(E) administered justice, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions,(F) 34 quenched the raging of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, gained strength in weakness, became mighty in battle, and put foreign armies to flight.(G) 35 Women received their dead, raised to life again. Other people were tortured, not accepting release, so that they might gain a better resurrection. 36 Others experienced mockings and scourgings, as well as bonds and imprisonment.(H) 37 They were stoned,[a](I) they were sawed in two, they died by the sword, they wandered about in sheepskins, in goatskins,(J) destitute, afflicted, and mistreated. 38 The world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and on mountains, hiding in caves and holes in the ground.
39 All these were approved through their faith, but they did not receive what was promised, 40 since God had provided something better for us, so that they would not be made perfect without us.(K)
The Call to Endurance
12 Therefore, since we also have such a large cloud of witnesses(L) surrounding us, let us lay aside every hindrance and the sin that so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance(M) the race that lies before us, 2 keeping our eyes on Jesus,[b] the pioneer and perfecter[c] of our faith. For the joy that lay before him,[d] he endured the cross, despising the shame,(N) and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
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