Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

Shiggaion of David, which he sang to Jehovah, concerning the words of Cush the Benjaminite.

7 Jehovah my God, in thee have I trusted: save me from all my pursuers, and deliver me;

² Lest he tear my soul like a lion, crushing it while there is no deliverer.

³ Jehovah my God, if I have done this, if there be iniquity in my hands;

⁴ If I have rewarded evil to him that was at peace with me; (indeed I have freed him that without cause oppressed me;)

⁵ Let the enemy pursue after my soul, and take [it], and let him tread down my life to the earth, and lay my glory in the dust. Selah.

⁶ Arise, Jehovah, in thine anger; lift thyself up against the raging of mine oppressors, and awake for me: thou hast commanded judgment.

⁷ And the assembly of the peoples shall encompass thee; and for their sakes return thou on high.

⁸ Jehovah shall minister judgment to the peoples. Judge me, Jehovah, according to my righteousness, and according to mine integrity which is in me.

⁹ Oh let the wrong of the wicked come to an end, and establish thou the righteous [man]; even thou that triest the hearts and reins, the righteous God.

¹⁰ My shield is with God, who saveth the upright in heart.

¹¹ God is a righteous judge, and a God who is indignant all the day.

¹² If one turn not, he will sharpen his sword; he hath bent his bow and made it ready,

¹³ And he hath prepared for him instruments of death; his arrows hath he made burning.

¹⁴ Behold, he travaileth with iniquity, yea, he hath conceived mischief, and brought forth falsehood:

¹⁵ He digged a pit, and hollowed it out, and is fallen into the hole that he made.

¹⁶ His mischief shall return upon his own head, and his violence shall come down upon his own pate.

¹⁷ I will praise Jehovah according to his righteousness, and will sing forth the name of Jehovah the Most High.

⁹ Publish in the palaces at Ashdod, and in the palaces in the land of Egypt, and say, Assemble yourselves upon the mountains of Samaria, and behold the great uproar in the midst thereof, and the oppressions that are within her:

¹⁰ and they know not to do right, saith Jehovah, who store up violence and plunder in their palaces.

¹¹ Therefore thus saith the Lord Jehovah: An adversary!—even round about the land! And he shall bring down thy strength from thee, and thy palaces shall be pillaged.

¹² Thus saith Jehovah: Like as the shepherd rescueth out of the jaw of the lion two legs, or a piece of an ear; so shall the children of Israel be rescued that sit in Samaria in the corner of a couch, and upon the damask of a bed.

¹³ Hear ye, and testify in the house of Jacob, saith the Lord Jehovah, the God of hosts,

¹⁴ that in the day that I shall visit the transgressions of Israel upon him, I will also punish the altars of Bethel; and the horns of the altar shall be cut off, and fall to the ground.

¹⁵ And I will smite the winter-house with the summer-house; and the houses of ivory shall perish, and many houses shall have an end, saith Jehovah.

4 Hear this word, ye kine of Bashan, that are in the mountain of Samaria, that oppress the poor, that crush the needy, that say to their lords, Bring, and let us drink:

² the Lord Jehovah hath sworn by his holiness, that behold, days shall come upon you, when he will take you away with hooks, and your posterity with fish-hooks;

³ and ye shall go out by the breaches, every one straight before her, and ye shall be cast out to Harmon, saith Jehovah.

⁴ Come to Bethel, and transgress; at Gilgal multiply transgression; and bring your sacrifices in the morning, your tithes every three days,

⁵ and burn a thank-offering with leaven, and proclaim, publish, voluntary offerings: for this pleaseth you, children of Israel, saith the Lord Jehovah.

2 My brethren, do not have the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, [Lord] of glory, with respect of persons:

² for if there come unto your synagogue a man with a gold ring in splendid apparel, and a poor man also come in in vile apparel,

³ and ye look upon him who wears the splendid apparel, and say, Do thou sit here well, and say to the poor, Do thou stand there, or sit here under my footstool:

⁴ have ye not made a difference among yourselves, and become judges having evil thoughts?

⁵ Hear, my beloved brethren: Has not God chosen the poor as to the world, rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to them that love him?

⁶ But *ye* have despised the poor [man]. Do not the rich oppress you, and [do not] *they* drag you before [the] tribunals?

⁷ And [do not] *they* blaspheme the excellent name which has been called upon you?