Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
104 I will praise the Lord.
Lord my God, you are very great.
You are dressed in glory and majesty.
2 The Lord wraps himself in light as if it were a robe.
He spreads out the heavens like a tent.
3 He builds his palace high in the heavens.
He makes the clouds serve as his chariot.
He rides on the wings of the wind.
4 He makes the winds serve as his messengers.
He makes flashes of lightning serve him.
5 He placed the earth on its foundations.
It can never be moved.
6 You, Lord, covered it with the oceans like a blanket.
The waters covered the mountains.
7 But you commanded the waters, and they ran away.
At the sound of your thunder they rushed off.
8 They flowed down the mountains.
They went into the valleys.
They went to the place you appointed for them.
9 You drew a line they can’t cross.
They will never cover the earth again.
24 Lord, you have made so many things!
How wise you were when you made all of them!
The earth is full of your creatures.
35 But may sinners be gone from the earth.
May evil people disappear.
I will praise the Lord.
Praise the Lord.
36 Elihu continued,
2 “Put up with me a little longer.
I’ll show you I can speak up for God even more.
3 I get my knowledge from far away.
I’ll announce that the God who made me is fair.
4 You can be sure that my words are true.
One who has perfect knowledge is talking to you.
5 “God is mighty, but he doesn’t hate people.
He’s mighty, and he knows exactly what he’s going to do.
6 He doesn’t keep alive those who are evil.
Instead, he gives suffering people their rights.
7 He watches over those who do what is right.
He puts them on thrones as if they were kings.
He honors them forever.
8 But some people are held by chains.
Their pain ties them up like ropes.
9 God tells them what they’ve done.
He tells them they’ve become proud and sinned against him.
10 He makes them listen when he corrects them.
He commands them to turn away
from the evil things they’ve done.
11 If they obey him and serve him,
they’ll enjoy a long and happy life.
Things will go well with them.
12 But if they don’t listen to him,
they’ll be killed by swords.
They’ll die because they didn’t want to know anything about him.
13 “Those whose hearts are ungodly are always angry.
Even when God puts them in chains,
they don’t cry out for help.
14 They die while they are still young.
They die among the male prostitutes at the temples.
15 But God saves suffering people while they suffer.
He speaks to them while they are hurting.
16 “Job, he wants to take you out of the jaws of trouble.
He wants to bring you to a wide and safe place.
He’d like to seat you at a table that is loaded with the best food.
7 Christ has accepted you. So accept one another in order to bring praise to God. 8 I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the Jews. He teaches us that God is true. He shows us that God will keep the promises he made to the founders of our nation. 9 Jesus became a servant of the Jews. He did this so that the Gentiles might give glory to God for his mercy. It is written,
“I will praise you among the Gentiles.
I will sing the praises of your name.” (2 Samuel 22:50; Psalm 18:49)
10 Again it says,
“You Gentiles, be full of joy.
Be joyful together with God’s people.” (Deuteronomy 32:43)
11 And again it says,
“All you Gentiles, praise the Lord.
Let all the nations sing praises to him.” (Psalm 117:1)
12 And Isaiah says,
“The Root of Jesse will grow up quickly.
He will rule over the nations.
The Gentiles will put their hope in him.” (Isaiah 11:10)
13 May the God who gives hope fill you with great joy. May you have perfect peace as you trust in him. May the power of the Holy Spirit fill you with hope.
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