Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

God Puts Down the Proud and Lifts Up Those Who Are Right with Himself

75 We give thanks to You, O God. We give thanks that Your name is near. Men tell about the great things You have done. ² You say, “When the right time has come, I will be right and fair in deciding who is guilty or not. ³ When the earth and all its people shake, it is I Who will hold it together. ⁴ I said to the proud, ‘Do not speak with pride.’ And I said to the sinful, ‘Do not lift up the horn. ⁵ Do not lift your horn up high. Do not speak in your pride.’”

⁶ For honor does not come from the east or the west or from the desert. ⁷ But God is the One Who decides. He puts down one and brings respect to another. ⁸ For there is a cup in the Lord’s hand. It is full of strong wine that is well mixed. He pours out from it, and all the sinful people of the earth must drink all of it.

⁹ But as for me, I will tell of it forever. I will sing praises to the God of Jacob. ¹⁰ He will cut off all the horns of the sinful. But the horns of those who are right with God will be lifted up.

⁴ Now Mesha king of Moab raised sheep. He had to pay the king of Israel 100,000 lambs and the wool of 100,000 rams each year. ⁵ But when Ahab died, the king of Moab turned against the king of Israel. ⁶ So King Jehoram went out of Samaria at that time and called all Israel together. ⁷ Then he went and sent word to Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, saying, “The king of Moab has turned against me. Will you go with me to fight against Moab?” And Jehoshaphat said, “I will go. I am as you are. My people are as your people. My horses are as your horses.” ⁸ Then he said, “Which way should we go?” And he answered, “By the way of the desert of Edom.” ⁹ So the king of Israel went with the king of Judah and the king of Edom. They traveled around for seven days, but there was no water for the army or the cattle that followed them. ¹⁰ The king of Israel said, “It is bad! For the Lord has called these three kings to give them into the hand of Moab.” ¹¹ But Jehoshaphat said, “Is there not a man who speaks for God here? Is there no one we can ask to learn what the Lord would have us do?” One of the servants of the king of Israel answered, “Elisha the son of Shaphat is here. He poured water on the hands of Elijah.” ¹² And Jehoshaphat said, “The word of the Lord is with him.” So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to him.

¹³ Elisha said to the king of Israel, “What have I to do with you? Go to the men who tell what will happen in the future that your father and mother have gone to.” And the king of Israel said to him, “No. It is the Lord Who has called these three kings together to give them into the hand of Moab.” ¹⁴ Elisha said, “As the Lord of all lives, before Whom I stand, if I did not care for Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look at you or see you. ¹⁵ But now bring me a man who plays music.” And when the man played music, the power of the Lord came upon Elisha. ¹⁶ He said, “This is what the Lord says, ‘Make this valley full of ditches.’ ¹⁷ For the Lord says, ‘You will not see wind or rain. But that valley will be filled with water so that you and your cattle and your animals will drink.’ ¹⁸ This is only a small thing in the eyes of the Lord. He will give you the Moabites also. ¹⁹ Then you will destroy every strong city and cut down every good tree. You will close all the wells of water, and destroy every good piece of land with stones.” ²⁰ The next morning, about the time when the gift is given on the altar, water came by the way of Edom. The country was filled with water.

⁶ Do not let anyone lead you in the wrong way with foolish talk. The anger of God comes on such people because they choose to not obey Him. ⁷ Have nothing to do with them. ⁸ At one time you lived in darkness. Now you are living in the light that comes from the Lord. Live as children who have the light of the Lord in them. ⁹ This light gives us truth. It makes us right with God and makes us good. ¹⁰ Learn how to please the Lord. ¹¹ Have nothing to do with the bad things done in darkness. Instead, show that these things are wrong. ¹² It is a shame even to talk about these things done in secret. ¹³ All things can be seen when they are in the light. Everything that can be seen is in the light. ¹⁴ The Holy Writings say, “Wake up, you who are sleeping. Rise from the dead and Christ will give you light.” ^(A)

Be Filled With the Spirit of God

¹⁵ So be careful how you live. Live as men who are wise and not foolish. ¹⁶ Make the best use of your time. These are sinful days. ¹⁷ Do not be foolish. Understand what the Lord wants you to do. ¹⁸ Do not get drunk with wine. That leads to wild living. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit. ¹⁹ Tell of your joy to each other by singing the Songs of David and church songs. Sing in your heart to the Lord. ²⁰ Always give thanks for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.