Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
For the director of music. A psalm of Asaph. A song to the tune of “Do Not Destroy.”
75 God, we praise you.
We praise you because you are near to us.
People talk about the wonderful things you have done.
2 You say, “I choose the appointed time to judge people.
And I judge them fairly.
3 When the earth and all its people tremble,
I keep everything from falling to pieces.
4 To the proud I say, ‘Don’t brag anymore.’
To sinners I say, ‘Don’t show off your power.
5 Don’t show it off against me.
Don’t talk back to me.’ ”
6 No one from east or west or north or south
can judge themselves.
7 God is the one who judges.
He says to one person, “You are guilty.”
To another he says, “You are not guilty.”
8 In the hand of the Lord is a cup.
It is full of wine mixed with spices.
It is the wine of his anger.
He pours it out. All the evil people on earth
drink it down to the very last drop.
9 I will speak about this forever.
I will sing praise to the God of Jacob.
10 God says, “I will destroy the power of all sinful people.
But I will make godly people more powerful.”
4 Mesha raised sheep. He was king of Moab. He had to pay the king of Israel 100,000 lambs a year. He also had to pay him with the wool of 100,000 rams a year. 5 After Ahab died, Moab’s king refused to obey the next king of Israel. 6 So at that time King Joram started out from Samaria. He gathered together all of Israel’s troops. 7 He also sent a message to Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah. Joram said, “The king of Moab is refusing to obey me. Will you go with me to fight against Moab?”
“Yes. I’ll go with you,” Jehoshaphat replied. “My men will go with you. My horses will also go with you.”
8 “What road should we take to attack Moab?” Joram asked.
“The one that goes through the Desert of Edom,” Jehoshaphat answered.
9 So the king of Israel marched out. The king of Judah and the king of Edom went with him. Their armies marched around the southern end of the Dead Sea. After seven days they ran out of water. There wasn’t any water for the men or their animals.
10 “What should we do now?” exclaimed the king of Israel. “The Lord has called us three kings together. Did he do it only to hand us over to Moab?”
11 But Jehoshaphat asked, “Isn’t there a prophet of the Lord here? Can’t we ask the Lord for advice through him?”
An officer of the king of Israel answered, “Elisha is here. He’s the son of Shaphat. Elisha used to serve Elijah.”
12 Jehoshaphat said, “The Lord speaks through him.” So the king of Israel went down to see Elisha. Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom also went there.
13 Elisha said to the king of Israel, “Why do you want to come to me? Go to your father’s prophets. Go to your mother’s prophets.”
“No,” the king of Israel answered. “The Lord called us three kings together. He did it to hand us over to Moab.”
14 Elisha said, “I serve the Lord who rules over all. You can be sure that he lives. And you can be just as sure that I have respect for Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t pay any attention to you. 15 But now bring me someone who plays the harp.”
While that person was playing the harp, the Lord’s power came on Elisha. 16 Elisha announced, “The Lord says, ‘I will fill this valley with pools of water.’ 17 This will happen because the Lord says, ‘You will not see wind or rain. But this valley will be filled with water. Then you, your cattle and your other animals will have water to drink.’ 18 This is an easy thing for the Lord to do. He will also hand Moab over to you. 19 You will destroy every city that has high walls around it. You will destroy every major town. You will cut down every good tree. You will stop up all the springs of water. And you will cover every good field with stones.”
20 The next day, the time came to offer the morning sacrifice. And then it happened! Water was flowing from the direction of Edom! In fact, the land was filled with water!
6 Don’t let anyone fool you with worthless words. People who say things like that aren’t obeying God. He is angry with them. 7 So don’t go along with people like that.
8 At one time you were in the dark. But now you are in the light because of what the Lord has done. Live like children of the light. 9 The light produces what is completely good, right and true. 10 Find out what pleases the Lord. 11 Have nothing to do with the acts of darkness. They don’t produce anything good. Show what they are really like. 12 It is shameful even to talk about what people who don’t obey do in secret. 13 But everything the light shines on can be seen. And everything that the light shines on becomes a light. 14 That is why it is said,
“Wake up, sleeper.
Rise from the dead.
Then Christ will shine on you.”
15 So be very careful how you live. Do not live like people who aren’t wise. Live like people who are wise. 16 Make the most of every opportunity. The days are evil. 17 So don’t be foolish. Instead, understand what the Lord wants. 18 Don’t fill yourself up with wine. Getting drunk will lead to wild living. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit. 19 Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord. 20 Always give thanks to God the Father for everything. Give thanks to him in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
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