Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Psalm 75
Thanksgiving for God’s Wondrous Deeds
To the leader: Do Not Destroy. A Psalm of Asaph. A Song.
1 We give thanks to you, O God;
we give thanks; your name is near.
People tell of your wondrous deeds.(A)
2 At the set time that I appoint,
I will judge with equity.
3 When the earth totters, with all its inhabitants,
it is I who keep its pillars steady. Selah
4 I say to the boastful, “Do not boast,”
and to the wicked, “Do not lift up your horn;(B)
5 do not lift up your horn on high
or speak with insolent neck.”(C)
6 For not from the east or from the west
and not from the wilderness comes lifting up,(D)
7 but it is God who executes judgment,
putting down one and lifting up another.(E)
8 For in the hand of the Lord there is a cup
with foaming wine, well mixed;
he will pour a draught from it,
and all the wicked of the earth
shall drain it down to the dregs.(F)
9 But I will rejoice[a] forever;
I will sing praises to the God of Jacob.(G)
10 All the horns of the wicked I will cut off,
but the horns of the righteous shall be exalted.(H)
40 And the Lord said to Job:
Job’s Response to God
3 Then Job answered the Lord:
4 “See, I am of small account; what shall I answer you?
I lay my hand on my mouth.(B)
5 I have spoken once, and I will not answer,
twice but will proceed no further.”(C)
God’s Challenge to Job
6 Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind:(D)
7 “Gird up your loins like a man;
I will question you, and you declare to me.(E)
8 Will you even put me in the wrong?
Will you condemn me that you may be justified?(F)
9 Have you an arm like God,
and can you thunder with a voice like his?(G)
10 “Deck yourself with majesty and dignity;
clothe yourself with glory and splendor.(H)
11 Pour out the overflowings of your anger,
and look on all who are proud and humble them.(I)
12 Look on all who are proud and bring them low;
tread down the wicked where they stand.(J)
13 Hide them all in the dust together;
bind their faces in the world below.[b]
14 Then I will also acknowledge to you
that your own right hand can give you victory.(K)
15 “Look at Behemoth,
which I made just as I made you;
it eats grass like an ox.(L)
16 Its strength is in its loins
and its power in the muscles of its belly.
17 It makes its tail stiff like a cedar;
the sinews of its thighs are knit together.
18 Its bones are tubes of bronze,
its limbs like bars of iron.
19 “It is the first of the great acts of God;
only its Maker can approach it with the sword.(M)
20 For the mountains yield food for it
where all the wild animals play.(N)
21 Under the lotus plants it lies,
in the covert of the reeds and in the marsh.
22 The lotus trees cover it for shade;
the willows of the wadi surround it.(O)
23 Even if the river is turbulent, it is not frightened;
it is confident though Jordan rushes against its mouth.
24 Can one take it with hooks[c]
or pierce its nose with a snare?(P)
The Peril of Falling Away
6 Therefore let us go on[a] toward perfection,[b] leaving behind the basic teaching about Christ and not laying again the foundation: repentance from dead works and faith toward God,(A) 2 instruction about baptisms and laying on of hands, resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment.(B) 3 And we will do[c] this, if God permits. 4 For it is impossible to restore again to repentance those who have once been enlightened and have tasted the heavenly gift and have shared in the Holy Spirit(C) 5 and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come(D) 6 and then have fallen away, since they are crucifying again the Son of God to their own harm and are holding him up to contempt.(E) 7 Ground that drinks up the rain falling on it repeatedly and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is cultivated receives a blessing from God.(F) 8 But if it produces thorns and thistles, it is worthless and on the verge of being cursed; its end is to be burned over.(G)
9 Even though we speak in this way, beloved, we are confident of better things in your case, things that belong to salvation. 10 For God is not unjust; he will not overlook your work and the[d] love that you showed for his sake[e] in serving the saints, as you still do.(H) 11 And we want each one of you to show the same diligence so as to realize the full assurance of hope to the very end,(I) 12 so that you may not become sluggish but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.(J)
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.