Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

39 I thought, “I will guard my ways, so that I do not sin with my tongue. I will keep my mouth bridled while the wicked are in my sight.

² I was dumb and spoke nothing. I kept silent, even from good; and my sorrow was more stirred.

³ My heart was hot within me. While I was musing, the fire kindled and I spoke with my tongue:

⁴ “LORD, let me know my end, and the measure of my days, what it is. Let me know how long I have to live.”

⁵ Behold, You have made my days as a handbreadth and my age as nothing in Your sight. Surely, every man is altogether vanity in his best state. Selah.

⁶ Doubtless, man walks in a shadow, and disquiets himself pointlessly. He heaps up riches and cannot tell who shall gather them.

⁷ And now LORD, for what do I wait? My hope is even in You.

⁸ Deliver me from all my transgressions, and do not make me a rebuke to the foolish.

⁹ I should have been dumb, and not have opened my mouth, because You did it.

¹⁰ Take Your plague away from me; for I am consumed by the stroke of Your hand.

¹¹ When, with rebukes, You chastise man for iniquity, You make his beauty melt away as a moth. Surely, every man is vanity. Selah.

¹² Hear my prayer, O LORD; and hear my cry. Do not keep silent at my tears; for I am a stranger with You and a sojourner, as all my fathers.

¹³ Keep Your anger from me, so that I may recover my strength before I go away and am no more. To him who excels: A Psalm of David.

26 But Job answered, and said,

² “Whom do you help who has no power? Do you save the arm that has no strength?

³ “Whom do you counsel who has no wisdom? Whom do you show right in abundance?

⁴ “To whom do you declare these words? Or whose spirit comes out of you?

⁵ “The dead things are formed under the waters, and near to them.

⁶ “The grave is naked before Him, and there is no covering for destruction.

⁷ “He stretches out the North over the empty place, and hangs the Earth upon nothing.

⁸ “He binds the waters in His clouds, and the cloud is not broken under them.

⁹ “He holds back the face of His throne, and spreads His cloud upon it.

¹⁰ “He has set bounds around the waters, until the day and night come to an end.

¹¹ “The pillars of Heaven tremble and quake at His reproof.

¹² “The sea is calm by His power, and by His understanding He strikes its pride.

¹³ “His Spirit has garnished the heavens. His Hand has formed the crooked serpent.

¹⁴ “Lo, these are part of His ways. But how little a portion we hear of Him? And who can understand His fearful power?”

⁹ After these things I looked. And lo, a great multitude (which no man could number) of all nations and tribes and people and tongues stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with long white robes and palms in their hands.

¹⁰ And they cried with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation comes from our God Who sits upon the throne, and from the Lamb.”

¹¹ And all the angels stood around the throne, and around the elders, and the four beasts. And they fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God,

¹² Saying, “Amen! Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and might be to our God for evermore! Amen!”

¹³ And one of the elders spoke, saying to me, “Who are these who are clothed in long white robes? And from where have they come?”

¹⁴ And I said to him, “Lord, you know.” And he said to me, “These are those who came out of great tribulation and have washed their long robes and have made their long robes white in the blood of the Lamb.

¹⁵ Therefore, they are in the presence of the throne of God and serve Him day and night in His Temple. And He who sits on the throne will dwell among them.

¹⁶ They shall hunger no more, nor thirst anymore, nor shall the Sun fall upon them, nor any heat.

¹⁷ For the Lamb, Who is in the midst of the throne, shall govern them and shall lead them to the lively fountains of waters. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.”