Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
God Abases the Proud, but Exalts the Righteous.
For the choir director; set to [a]Al-tashheth. A Psalm of Asaph, a Song.
75 We (A)give thanks to You, O God, we give thanks,
For Your name is (B)near;
Men declare (C)Your wondrous works.
2 “When I select an (D)appointed time,
It is I who (E)judge with equity.
3 “The (F)earth and all who dwell in it [b]melt;
It is I who have firmly set its (G)pillars. [c]Selah.
4 “I said to the boastful, ‘Do not boast,’
And to the wicked, ‘(H)Do not lift up the horn;
5 Do not lift up your horn on high,
(I)Do not speak with insolent [d]pride.’”
6 For not from the east, nor from the west,
Nor from the [e](J)desert comes exaltation;
7 But (K)God is the Judge;
He (L)puts down one and exalts another.
8 For a (M)cup is in the hand of the Lord, and the wine foams;
It is [f](N)well mixed, and He pours out of this;
Surely all the wicked of the earth must drain and (O)drink down its dregs.
Job: What Can I Say?
40 Then the Lord said to Job,
3 Then Job answered the Lord and said,
4 “Behold, I am insignificant; what can I reply to You?
I (C)lay my hand on my mouth.
5 “Once I have spoken, and (D)I will not answer;
Even twice, and I will add nothing more.”
God Questions Job
6 Then the (E)Lord answered Job out of the storm and said,
7 “Now (F)gird up your loins like a man;
I will (G)ask you, and you instruct Me.
8 “Will you really (H)annul My judgment?
Will you (I)condemn Me (J)that you may be justified?
9 “Or do you have an arm like God,
And can you (K)thunder with a voice like His?
10 “(L)Adorn yourself with eminence and dignity,
And clothe yourself with honor and majesty.
11 “Pour out (M)the overflowings of your anger,
And look on everyone who is (N)proud, and make him low.
12 “Look on everyone who is proud, and (O)humble him,
And (P)tread down the wicked [a]where they stand.
13 “(Q)Hide them in the dust together;
Bind [b]them in the hidden place.
14 “Then I will also [c]confess to you,
That your own right hand can save you.
God’s Power Shown in Creatures
15 “Behold now, [d]Behemoth, which (R)I made [e]as well as you;
He eats grass like an ox.
16 “Behold now, his strength in his loins
And his power in the muscles of his belly.
17 “He bends his tail like a cedar;
The sinews of his thighs are knit together.
18 “His bones are tubes of bronze;
His [f]limbs are like bars of iron.
19 “He is the (S)first of the ways of God;
Let his (T)maker bring near his sword.
20 “Surely the mountains (U)bring him food,
And all the beasts of the field (V)play there.
21 “Under the lotus plants he lies down,
In the covert of the reeds and the marsh.
22 “The lotus plants cover him with [g]shade;
The willows of the brook surround him.
23 “If a river [h]rages, he is not alarmed;
He is confident, though the (W)Jordan rushes to his mouth.
24 “Can anyone capture him [i]when he is on watch,
With [j]barbs can anyone pierce his nose?
The Peril of Falling Away
6 Therefore (A)leaving (B)the [a]elementary teaching about the [b]Christ, let us press on to [c](C)maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from (D)dead works and of faith toward God, 2 of (E)instruction about washings and (F)laying on of hands, and the (G)resurrection of the dead and (H)eternal judgment. 3 And this we will do, (I)if God permits. 4 For in the case of those who have once been (J)enlightened and have tasted of (K)the heavenly gift and have been made (L)partakers of the Holy Spirit, 5 and (M)have tasted the good (N)word of God and the powers of (O)the age to come, 6 and then have fallen away, it is (P)impossible to renew them again to repentance, [d](Q)since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame. 7 For ground that drinks the rain which often [e]falls on it and brings forth vegetation useful to those (R)for whose sake it is also tilled, receives a blessing from God; 8 but if it yields thorns and thistles, it is worthless and (S)close [f]to being cursed, and [g]it ends up being burned.
Better Things for You
9 But, (T)beloved, we are convinced of better things concerning you, and things that [h]accompany salvation, though we are speaking in this way. 10 For (U)God is not unjust so as to forget (V)your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, in having (W)ministered and in still ministering to the [i]saints. 11 And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence [j]so as to realize the (X)full assurance of (Y)hope until the end, 12 so that you will not be sluggish, but (Z)imitators of those who through (AA)faith and patience (AB)inherit the promises.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.