Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
(For the music leader. To the tune “Lily of the Promise.” A special psalm by David for teaching. He wrote it during his wars with the Arameans of northern Syria,[a] when Joab came back and killed twelve thousand Edomites[b] in Salt Valley.)
You Can Depend on God
1 (A) You, God, are angry with us!
We are rejected and crushed.
Make us strong again!
2 You made the earth shake
and split wide open;
now heal its wounds
and stop its trembling.
3 You brought hard times
on your people,
and you gave us wine
that made us stagger.
4 You gave a signal to those
who worship you,
so they could escape
from enemy arrows.[c]
5 Answer our prayers, God!
Use your powerful arm
and give us victory.
Then the people you love
will be safe.
6 Our God, you solemnly promised,
“I would gladly divide up
the city of Shechem
and give away Succoth Valley
piece by piece.
7 The lands of Gilead
and Manasseh are mine.
Ephraim is my war helmet,
and Judah is the symbol
of my royal power.
8 Moab is merely my washbasin.
Edom belongs to me,
and I shout in triumph
over the Philistines.”
9 Our God, who will bring me
to the fortress,
or lead me to Edom?
10 Have you rejected us
and deserted our armies?
11 Help us defeat our enemies!
No one else can rescue us.
12 You will give us victory
and crush our enemies.
Israel and Judah Compared
12 Israel is deceitful to me,
their loyal and holy God;
they surround me with lies,
and Judah worships
other gods.[a]
12 All day long Israel chases
wind from the desert;
deceit and violence
are found everywhere.
Treaties are made with Assyria;
olive oil is taken to Egypt.
Israel and Judah Condemned
2 The Lord also brings charges
against the people of Judah,
the descendants of Jacob.
He will punish them
for what they have done.
3 (A)(B) Even before Jacob was born,
he cheated his brother,[b]
and when he grew up,
he fought against God.[c]
4 (C) At Bethel, Jacob wrestled
with an angel and won;
then with tears in his eyes,
he asked for a blessing,
and God spoke to us[d] there.
5 God's name is the Lord,
the Lord God All-Powerful.
6 So return to your God.
Patiently trust him,
and show love and justice.
7 Israel, you enjoy cheating
and taking advantage
of others.
8 You say to yourself, “I'm rich!
I earned it all on my own,
without committing a sin.”[e]
The Lord Is Still the God of Israel
9 (D) Israel, I, the Lord,
am still your God,
just as I have been
since the time
you were in Egypt.
Now I will force you
to live in tents once again,
as you did in the desert.[f]
10 I spoke to the prophets—
often I spoke in visions.
And so, I will send my prophets
with messages of doom.
11 Gilead is terribly sinful
and will end up ruined.
Bulls are sacrificed in Gilgal
on altars made of stones,
but those stones will be scattered
in every field.
12 (E) Jacob[g] escaped to Syria[h]
where he tended sheep
to earn himself a wife.
13 (F) I sent the prophet Moses
to lead Israel from Egypt
and to keep them safe.
14 Israel, I will make you pay
for your violent crimes
and for insulting me.
Some Rules for Christian Living
18 (A) A wife must put her husband first. This is her duty as a follower of the Lord.
19 (B) A husband must love his wife and not abuse her.
20 (C) Children must always obey their parents. This pleases the Lord.
21 (D) Parents, don't be hard on your children. If you are, they might give up.
22 (E) Slaves, you must always obey your earthly masters. Try to please them at all times, and not just when you think they are watching. Honor the Lord and serve your masters with your whole heart. 23 Do your work willingly, as though you were serving the Lord himself, and not just your earthly master. 24 In fact, the Lord Christ is the one you are really serving, and you know he will reward you. 25 (F) But Christ has no favorites! He will punish evil people, just as they deserve.
4 (G) Slave owners, be fair and honest with your slaves. Don't forget that you have a Master in heaven.
Copyright © 1995 by American Bible Society For more information about CEV, visit www.bibles.com and www.cev.bible.