Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

50 The Supreme God, God, Yahweh, has spoken
and summoned the earth,
from the rising of the sun
to its setting.
² From Zion, the perfection of beauty,
God shines forth.
³ Our God comes and he is not silent.
Before him fire devours,
and around him it is very tempestuous.
⁴ He summons the heavens above
and the earth that he might judge his people:
⁵ “Gather to me my loyal ones,
those who have made a covenant with me by sacrifice.”
⁶ And the heavens declare his righteousness,
because God himself is judge. Selah
⁷ “Hear, O my people, and I will speak,
O Israel, and I will testify against you.
I am God, your God.
⁸ It is not concerning a lack of your sacrifices that I rebuke you,
and your burnt offerings are before me continually.

²² Now consider this, you who forget God,
lest I tear you apart, and there will be none to deliver.
²³ He who sacrifices a thank offering honors me,
and he who orders his way;
I will show him the salvation of God.”

² Hear, heavens,
    and listen, earth,
        for Yahweh has spoken:
“I reared children
    and I brought them up,
        but they rebelled against me.
³ An ox knows its owner
    and a donkey the manger of its master.
Israel does not know;
    my people do not understand.
⁴ Ah, sinful nation,
    a people heavy with iniquity,
offspring of evildoers,
    children who deal corruptly.
They have forsaken Yahweh;
    they have despised the holy one of Israel.
        They are estranged and gone backward.
⁵ Why do you want to be beaten again?
    You continue in rebellion.
The whole of the head is sick,
    and the whole of the heart is faint.
⁶ From the sole of the foot and up to the head
    there is no health in it;
bruise and sore and bleeding wound have not been cleansed,
    and they have not been bound up
    and not softened with the oil.
⁷ Your country is desolate,
    your cities are burned with fire;
As for your land, aliens are devouring it in your presence,
    and it is desolate, like devastation by foreigners.
⁸ And the daughter of Zion is left like a booth in a vineyard,
    like a shelter in a cucumber field,
    like a city that is besieged.^[a]
9 If Yahweh of hosts had not left us survivors,^[b]
    we would have been as few as Sodom,
    we would have become like Gomorrah.

²¹ How has a faithful city become like a whore?
    Full of justice, righteousness lodged in her, but now murderers.
²² Your silver has become as dross;
    Your wine is diluted with waters.
²³ Your princes are rebels
    and companions of thieves.
Every one loves a bribe
    and runs after gifts.
They do not defend the orphan
    and the legal dispute of the widow does not come before them.