Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Praise to God for His Glory and Strength
A psalm of David.[a]
29 Ascribe to Yahweh, O sons of God,[b]
ascribe to Yahweh glory and strength.
2 Ascribe to Yahweh the glory due[c] his name.
Worship Yahweh in holy array.
3 The voice of Yahweh is over the waters;
the God of glory thunders.
Yahweh is over many waters.
4 The voice of Yahweh is powerful.
The voice of Yahweh is majestic.
5 The voice of Yahweh breaks the cedars.
Yahweh shatters even the cedars of Lebanon.
6 And he makes them skip like a calf;
Lebanon and Sirion like a young wild ox.
7 The voice of Yahweh flashes[d] flames of fire.
8 The voice of Yahweh shakes the wilderness.
Yahweh shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.
9 The voice of Yahweh causes deer[e] to give birth
and strips the forests bare.
And at his temple all in it say, “Glory!”
10 Yahweh sits enthroned at the flood,
and Yahweh sits as king forever.
11 May Yahweh give strength to his people.
May Yahweh bless his people with peace.
Qohelet’s Investigation of Self-Indulgence
2 I said to myself,[a] “Come! I will test[b] pleasure to see whether it is worthwhile.”[c] But look, “This also is vanity!” 2 I said of laughter, “It is folly!” and of pleasure, “What does it accomplish?”[d] 3 I also explored[e] the effects of indulging my flesh[f] with wine. My mind guiding me with wisdom, I investigated[g] folly so that I might discover what is good under heaven[h] for humans[i] to do during the days of their lives.[j]
Qohelet’s Investigation of Personal Accomplishment
4 I accomplished great things.[k] I built for myself houses; I planted for myself vineyards. 5 I made for myself gardens and parks, and I planted all sorts of fruit trees in them. 6 I made for myself pools of water from which to irrigate a grove of flourishing trees. 7 I acquired male slaves and female slaves, as well as children born in my house. I also had livestock, cattle, and flocks more than anyone who was before me in Jerusalem. 8 I also gathered to myself silver and gold—the royal and provincial treasuries. I acquired for myself male and female singers, as well as the delight of men,[l] voluptuous concubines.[m]
9 Thus, I accomplished far more[n] than anyone who was before me in Jerusalem—indeed, my wisdom stood by me. 10 I neither withheld anything from my eyes that they desired, nor did I deprive any pleasure from my heart. My heart rejoiced in all my toil, for this was my reward from all my toil. 11 Yet when I considered[o] all the effort which I expended and the toil with which I toiled to do, then behold, “Everything is vanity and chasing wind! There is nothing profitable under the sun!”
Paul’s Approach to Ministry in Corinth
2 And I, when I[a] came to you, brothers, did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony[b] of God. 2 For I decided not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 3 And I came to you in weakness and in fear and with much trembling, 4 and my speech and my preaching were not with the persuasiveness[c] of wisdom, but with a demonstration of the Spirit and power, 5 in order that your faith would not be in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
The Wisdom Revealed by the Spirit
6 Now we do speak wisdom among the mature, but wisdom not of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are perishing, 7 but we speak the hidden wisdom of God in a mystery, which God predestined before the ages for our glory, 8 which none of the rulers of this age knew. For if they had known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9 But just as it is written,
“Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard,
and have not entered into the heart of man,
all that[d] God has prepared for those who love him.”[e]
10 For[f] to us God has revealed them through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God.
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