Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
God Helps Men in Trouble
107 Give thanks to the Lord for He is good! His loving-kindness lasts forever! 2 Let the people who have been saved say so. He has bought them and set them free from the hand of those who hated them. 3 He gathered them from the lands, from east and west, from north and south.
4 Some traveled through the desert wastes. They did not find a way to a city where they could live. 5 They were hungry and thirsty. Their souls became weak within them. 6 Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble. And He took them out of their suffering. 7 He led them by a straight path to a city where they could live. 8 Let them give thanks to the Lord for His loving-kindness and His great works to the children of men! 9 For He fills the thirsty soul. And He fills the hungry soul with good things.
43 Let the wise man think about these things. And may he think about the loving-kindness of the Lord.
Israel Worships False Gods
8 “Put the horn to your lips! Men who hate us are coming like an eagle to fight against the house of the Lord, because the people of Israel have sinned against My agreement and would not obey My Law. 2 They cry out to Me, ‘My God, we of Israel know You!’ 3 Israel has turned away from the good, and those who hate him will come after him. 4 They have set up kings, but not by Me. They have chosen leaders, but I did not know it. They have made false gods for themselves out of silver and gold, so they will be destroyed. 5 O Samaria, I will have nothing to do with the calf you worship. My anger burns against them! How long will it be before they are pure 6 in Israel? A workman made this calf, so it is not God. The calf of Samaria will be broken to pieces. 7 They plant the wind and they will gather the storm. The standing grain has no heads, and will give no food. If it were to give food, strangers would eat it.
8 “Israel is eaten up. They are now among the nations like a pot that is of no worth. 9 They have gone up to Assyria like a wild donkey all alone. Ephraim has hired lovers. 10 Even when they hire people among the nations to help them, I will now gather them together. And they will begin to waste away because the powerful king will make it hard for them.
11 “Because Ephraim has made many altars for sin gifts, they have become altars for sinning. 12 I wrote 10,000 of My Laws for him, but they think of them as something strange. 13 They give gifts to Me and eat the meat of the gifts, but the Lord is not pleased with them. Now He will remember their wrong-doing and punish them for their sins. They will return to Egypt. 14 Israel has forgotten his Maker and built great houses. And Judah has built many strong cities ready for battle. But I will send a fire upon its cities that will destroy its beautiful houses.”
33 God’s riches are so great! The things He knows and His wisdom are so deep! No one can understand His thoughts. No one can understand His ways. 34 The Holy Writings say, “Who knows the mind of the Lord? Who is able to tell Him what to do?” (A) 35 “Who has given first to God, that God should pay him back?” (B) 36 Everything comes from Him. His power keeps all things together. All things are made for Him. May He be honored forever. Let it be so.
Copyright © 1969, 2003 by Barbour Publishing, Inc.