Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
For the Chief Musician. To the tune of “The Lilies of the Covenant.” A Psalm by Asaph.
80 Hear us, Shepherd of Israel,
you who lead Joseph like a flock,
you who sit above the cherubim, shine out.
2 Before Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh, stir up your might!
Come to save us!
8 You brought a vine out of Egypt.
You drove out the nations, and planted it.
9 You cleared the ground for it.
It took deep root, and filled the land.
10 The mountains were covered with its shadow.
Its boughs were like God’s cedars.
11 It sent out its branches to the sea,
its shoots to the River.
12 Why have you broken down its walls,
so that all those who pass by the way pluck it?
13 The boar out of the wood ravages it.
The wild animals of the field feed on it.
14 Turn again, we beg you, God of Armies.
Look down from heaven, and see, and visit this vine,
15 the stock which your right hand planted,
the branch that you made strong for yourself.
16 It’s burned with fire.
It’s cut down.
They perish at your rebuke.
17 Let your hand be on the man of your right hand,
on the son of man whom you made strong for yourself.
18 So we will not turn away from you.
Revive us, and we will call on your name.
19 Turn us again, Yahweh God of Armies.
Cause your face to shine, and we will be saved.
3 For, behold,[a] the Lord, Yahweh of Armies, takes away from Jerusalem and from Judah supply and support,
the whole supply of bread,
and the whole supply of water;
2 the mighty man,
the man of war,
the judge,
the prophet,
the diviner,
the elder,
3 the captain of fifty,
the honorable man,
the counselor,
the skilled craftsman,
and the clever enchanter.
4 I will give boys to be their princes,
and children shall rule over them.
5 The people will be oppressed,
everyone by another,
and everyone by his neighbor.
The child will behave himself proudly against the old man,
and the wicked against the honorable.
6 Indeed a man shall take hold of his brother in the house of his father, saying,
“You have clothing, you be our ruler,
and let this ruin be under your hand.”
7 In that day he will cry out, saying, “I will not be a healer;
for in my house is neither bread nor clothing.
You shall not make me ruler of the people.”
8 For Jerusalem is ruined, and Judah is fallen;
because their tongue and their doings are against Yahweh,
to provoke the eyes of his glory.
9 The look of their faces testify against them.
They parade their sin like Sodom.
They don’t hide it.
Woe to their soul!
For they have brought disaster upon themselves.
10 Tell the righteous that it will be well with them,
for they will eat the fruit of their deeds.
11 Woe to the wicked!
Disaster is upon them,
for the deeds of their hands will be paid back to them.
12 As for my people, children are their oppressors,
and women rule over them.
My people, those who lead you cause you to err,
and destroy the way of your paths.
13 Yahweh stands up to contend,
and stands to judge the peoples.
14 Yahweh will enter into judgment with the elders of his people
and their leaders:
“It is you who have eaten up the vineyard.
The plunder of the poor is in your houses.
15 What do you mean that you crush my people,
and grind the face of the poor?” says the Lord, Yahweh of Armies.
16 Moreover Yahweh said, “Because the daughters of Zion are arrogant,
and walk with outstretched necks and flirting eyes,
walking daintily as they go,
jingling ornaments on their feet;
17 therefore the Lord brings sores on the crown of the head of the women of Zion,
and Yahweh will make their scalps bald.”
32 But remember the former days, in which, after you were enlightened, you endured a great struggle with sufferings: 33 partly, being exposed to both reproaches and oppressions, and partly, becoming partakers with those who were treated so. 34 For you both had compassion on me in my chains and joyfully accepted the plundering of your possessions, knowing that you have for yourselves a better possession and an enduring one in the heavens. 35 Therefore don’t throw away your boldness, which has a great reward. 36 For you need endurance so that, having done the will of God, you may receive the promise.
37 “In a very little while,
he who comes will come and will not wait.
38 But the righteous one will live by faith.
If he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.”(A)
39 But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the saving of the soul.
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