Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Psalm 55[a]
A Lament over Betrayal
1 For the leader. On stringed instruments. A maskil of David.
I
2 Listen, God, to my prayer;(A)
do not hide from my pleading;
3 hear me and give answer.
I rock with grief; I groan
4 at the uproar of the enemy,
the clamor of the wicked.
They heap trouble upon me,
savagely accuse me.
5 My heart pounds within me;
death’s terrors fall upon me.
6 Fear and trembling overwhelm me;
shuddering sweeps over me.
7 I say, “If only I had wings like a dove
that I might fly away and find rest.(B)
8 Far away I would flee;
I would stay in the desert.(C)
Selah
9 “I would soon find a shelter
from the raging wind and storm.”
II
10 Lord, check and confuse their tongues.
For I see violence and strife in the city
11 making rounds on its walls day and night.
Within are mischief and trouble;
12 treachery is in its midst;
oppression and fraud never leave its streets.(D)
13 For it is not an enemy that reviled me—
that I could bear—
Not a foe who viewed me with contempt,
from that I could hide.
14 But it was you, my other self,
my comrade and friend,(E)
15 You, whose company I enjoyed,
at whose side I walked
in the house of God.
Chapter 8
Bildad’s First Speech. 1 Bildad the Shuhite answered and said:
2 How long will you utter such things?
The words from your mouth are a mighty wind!
3 Does God pervert judgment,(A)
does the Almighty pervert justice?
4 If your children have sinned against him
and he has left them in the grip of their guilt,
5 Still, if you yourself have recourse to God
and make supplication to the Almighty,
6 Should you be blameless and upright,
surely now he will rouse himself for you
and restore your rightful home.
7 Though your beginning was small,
your future will flourish indeed.
8 Inquire of the former generations,
pay attention to the experience of their ancestors—(B)
9 As we are but of yesterday and have no knowledge,
because our days on earth are but a shadow—(C)
10 Will they not teach you and tell you
and utter their words of understanding?
11 [a]Can the papyrus grow up without mire?
Can the reed grass flourish without water?
12 While it is yet green and uncut,
it withers quicker than any grass.
13 So is the end of everyone who forgets God,
and so shall the hope of the godless perish.
14 His confidence is but a gossamer thread,
his trust is a spider’s house.
15 He shall lean upon his house, but it shall not stand;
he shall cling to it, but it shall not endure.
16 He thrives in full sun,
and over his garden his shoots go forth;
17 About a heap of stones his roots are entwined;
among the rocks he takes hold.
18 Yet if one tears him from his place,
it will disown him: “I have never seen you!”
19 There he lies rotting beside the road,
and out of the soil another sprouts.
20 Behold, God will not cast away the upright;
neither will he take the hand of the wicked.
21 Once more will he fill your mouth with laughter
and your lips with rejoicing.
22 Those who hate you shall be clothed with shame,
and the tent of the wicked shall be no more.
III. Answers to the Corinthians’ Questions
A. Marriage and Virginity[a]
Chapter 7
Advice to the Married.[b] 1 Now in regard to the matters about which you wrote: “It is a good thing for a man not to touch a woman,”[c] 2 but because of cases of immorality every man should have his own wife, and every woman her own husband. 3 The husband should fulfill his duty toward his wife, and likewise the wife toward her husband. 4 A wife does not have authority over her own body, but rather her husband, and similarly a husband does not have authority over his own body, but rather his wife. 5 Do not deprive each other, except perhaps by mutual consent for a time, to be free for prayer, but then return to one another, so that Satan may not tempt you through your lack of self-control. 6 This I say by way of concession,[d] however, not as a command. 7 Indeed, I wish everyone to be as I am, but each has a particular gift from God,[e] one of one kind and one of another.(A)
8 [f](B)Now to the unmarried and to widows I say: it is a good thing for them to remain as they are, as I do, 9 but if they cannot exercise self-control they should marry, for it is better to marry than to be on fire.
Scripture texts, prefaces, introductions, footnotes and cross references used in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC All Rights Reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.