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)
2 When arrogance comes, disgrace follows,
but with humility comes wisdom.(C)
3 The integrity of the upright guides them,(D)
but the perversity of the treacherous destroys them.(E)
4 Wealth is not profitable on a day of wrath,
but righteousness rescues from death.(F)
5 The righteousness of the blameless clears his path,
but the wicked person will fall because of his wickedness.
6 The righteousness of the upright rescues them,
but the treacherous are trapped by their own desires.(G)
7 When the wicked person dies,
his expectation comes to nothing,
and hope placed in wealth[a][b] vanishes.(H)
8 The righteous one is rescued from trouble;
in his place, the wicked one goes in.(I)
9 With his mouth the ungodly destroys his neighbor,
but through knowledge the righteous are rescued.
11 A city is built up by the blessing of the upright,(L)
but it is torn down by the mouth of the wicked.(M)
12 Whoever shows contempt for his neighbor lacks sense,
but a person with understanding keeps silent.(N)
13 A gossip goes around revealing a secret,
but a trustworthy person keeps a confidence.(O)
14 Without guidance, a people will fall,
but with many counselors there is deliverance.(P)
15 If someone puts up security for a stranger,
he will suffer for it,(Q)
but the one who hates such agreements is protected.
16 A gracious woman gains honor,
but violent[c] people gain only riches.
18 The wicked person earns an empty wage,
but the one who sows righteousness, a true reward.(T)
20 Those with twisted minds are detestable to the Lord,
but those with blameless conduct are his delight.(W)
21 Be assured[d] that a wicked person
will not go unpunished,(X)
but the offspring of the righteous will escape.
22 A beautiful woman who rejects good sense
is like a gold ring in a pig’s snout.(Y)
24 One person gives freely,
yet gains more;(AB)
another withholds what is right,
only to become poor.(AC)
25 A generous person will be enriched,(AD)
and the one who gives a drink of water
will receive water.(AE)
26 People will curse(AF) anyone who hoards grain,
but a blessing will come to the one who sells it.(AG)
27 The one who searches for what is good(AH) seeks favor,
but if someone looks for trouble, it will come to him.(AI)
29 The one who brings ruin on his household(AL)
will inherit the wind,(AM)
and a fool will be a slave
to someone whose heart is wise.
31 If the righteous will be repaid on earth,
how much more the wicked and sinful.(AP)
Fatherly Discipline
3 For consider him who endured such hostility from sinners against himself, so that you won’t grow weary and give up.(A) 4 In struggling against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. 5 And you have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons:
My son, do not take the Lord’s discipline lightly
or lose heart when you are reproved by him,
6 for the Lord disciplines the one he loves
and punishes every son he receives.[a](B)
7 Endure suffering as discipline: God is dealing with you as sons. For what son is there that a father does not discipline? 8 But if you are without discipline—which all receive[b]—then you are illegitimate children and not sons.(C) 9 Furthermore, we had human fathers discipline us, and we respected them. Shouldn’t we submit even more to the Father of spirits and live?(D) 10 For they disciplined us for a short time based on what seemed good to them, but he does it for our benefit, so that we can share his holiness.(E) 11 No discipline seems enjoyable at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it yields the peaceful fruit(F) of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.(G)
12 Therefore, strengthen your tired hands and weakened knees,(H) 13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated[c] but healed instead.(I)
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