Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

A Cry of Fear and a Song of Praise

22 My God, my God, why have You left me alone? Why are You so far from helping me, and from the words I cry inside myself? ² O my God, I cry during the day, but You do not answer. I cry during the night, but I find no rest. ³ Yet You are holy. The praises Israel gives You are Your throne. ⁴ Our fathers trusted in You, and You saved them. ⁵ They cried to You and were set free. They trusted in You and were not ashamed.

⁶ But I am a worm and not a man. I am put to shame by men, and am hated by the people. ⁷ All who see me make fun of me. They open their mouths and shake their heads, and say, ⁸ “He trusts in the Lord. Let the Lord help him. Let the Lord take him out of trouble, because he is happy in Him.”

⁹ But You brought me out when I was born. You made me trust when I drank my mother’s milk. ¹⁰ I was in Your care from birth. Since my mother gave birth to me, You have been my God.

¹¹ Do not be far from me, for trouble is near. And there is no one to help. ¹² Many bulls have gathered all around me. Strong bulls of Bashan stand around me. ¹³ They open their mouths wide against me, like a loud, hungry lion. ¹⁴ I am poured out like water. And all my bones are out of joint. My heart is like a melted candle within me. ¹⁵ My strength is dried up like a piece of a broken clay pot. My tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth. And You lay me in the dust of death.

Zophar Talks

20 Then Zophar the Naamathite answered, ² “My troubled thoughts make me answer, because I have no rest inside. ³ I heard the strong words that take away my honor. The spirit of my understanding makes me answer. ⁴ Do you not know from long ago, since man was put on earth, ⁵ that the honor of the sinful is short, and the joy of the sinful lasts only a short time? ⁶ Even if his pride is as high as the heavens and his head touches the clouds, ⁷ he will be gone forever, like his own waste. Those who have seen him will say, ‘Where is he?’ ⁸ He will fly away like a dream, and not be found. He will be driven away like a dream of the night. ⁹ The eye which saw him will see him no more. His place will no longer see him. ¹⁰ His sons will look for the favor of the poor. And his hands will give back his riches. ¹¹ His bones are full of the strength of the young, but it will lie down with him in the dust.

¹² “Sin is sweet in his mouth. He hides it under his tongue. ¹³ He hates to let it go, and holds it in his mouth. ¹⁴ Yet his food in his stomach is changed to the poison of snakes inside him. ¹⁵ He eats riches, but will spit them up. God will take them out of his stomach. ¹⁶ He will drink the poison of snakes. The snake’s tongue will kill him. ¹⁷ He will not look at the rivers, the rivers flowing with honey and milk. ¹⁸ He must return what he has worked for, and can not eat it. He will not have joy from the riches of his trading. ¹⁹ For he has taken from the poor and left them with nothing. He has taken houses which he has not built.

²⁰ “Because he thought he never had enough, he has nothing that gives him joy. ²¹ There was nothing more for him to get, so his having everything will not last. ²² Even when he has many riches, he will have trouble. Everyone who suffers will come against him. ²³ When he fills his stomach, God will send His great anger on him. He will send it on him while he is eating. ²⁴ He may get away from the iron sword, but the brass bow will shoot an arrow in him. ²⁵ It cuts through his body and comes out of his back. The shining arrow comes out of his liver. Much fear comes upon him. ²⁶ Complete darkness is stored up for his riches. A fire not kept going by man will burn him up. It will destroy all that is left in his tent. ²⁷ The heavens will make his sin known, and the earth will rise up against him. ²⁸ The things of his house will be carried away. They will be taken away in the day of God’s anger. ²⁹ This is what God has for sinful men. It is what God chooses to give to them.”

Jesus Speaks Sharp Words to the Leaders ^(A)

15 Some of the teachers of the Law and the proud religious law-keepers from Jerusalem came to Jesus. They asked, ² “Why do Your followers not obey the teaching that was given to them by our fathers? They do not wash their hands before they eat.” ³ Jesus said to them, “Why do you break the Law of God by trying to keep their teaching? ⁴ For God said, ‘Show respect to your father and mother.’ ^(B) And, ‘He who curses his father or mother will be put to death.’ ^{(C) 5} But you say that if a man says to his parents that anything he has, that might have been of help to them, is already given to God, ⁶ he does not have to show respect by helping his father and mother. You are putting aside the Word of God to keep their teaching. ⁷ You who pretend to be someone you are not, Isaiah told about you. He said, ⁸ ’These people show respect to Me with their mouth, but their heart is far from Me. ⁹ Their worship of Me is worth nothing. They teach what men have made up.’” ^(D)