Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
To the chief Musician. 'Destroy not.' Of David. Michtam.
58 Is righteousness indeed silent? Do ye speak it? Do ye judge with equity, ye sons of men?
2 Yea, in heart ye work wickedness; ye weigh out the violence of your hands in the earth.
3 The wicked go astray from the womb; they err as soon as they are born, speaking lies.
4 Their poison is like the poison of a serpent: [they are] like the deaf adder which stoppeth her ear;
5 Which doth not hearken to the voice of enchanters, of one charming ever so wisely.
6 O God, break their teeth in their mouth; break out the great teeth of the young lions, O Jehovah.
7 Let them melt away as waters that flow off; when he aimeth his arrows, let them be as blunted:
8 Let them be as a snail that melteth as it passeth away; [like] the untimely birth of a woman, let them not see the sun.
9 Before your pots feel the thorns, green or burning,—they shall be whirled away.
10 The righteous shall rejoice when he seeth the vengeance; he shall wash his footsteps in the blood of the wicked:
11 And men shall say, Verily there is fruit for the righteous; verily there is a God that judgeth in the earth.
23 How sayest thou, I am not defiled, I have not gone after the Baals? See thy way in the valley, acknowledge what thou hast done—a swift dromedary traversing her ways!
24 —a wild ass, used to the wilderness, that snuffeth up the wind in her desire! In her ardour, who shall turn her away? All they that seek her will not weary themselves; in her month they shall find her.
25 Withhold thy foot from being unshod, and thy throat from thirst. But thou saidst, There is no hope; no, for I love strangers, and after them will I go.
26 As a thief is ashamed when he is found, so shall the house of Israel be ashamed—they, their kings, their princes, and their priests, and their prophets—
27 saying to a stock, Thou art my father; and to a stone, Thou hast brought me forth; for they have turned the back unto me, and not the face; and in the time of their trouble they will say, Arise, and save us!
28 Where then are thy gods that thou hast made for thyself? let them arise, if they can save thee in the time of thy trouble: for as the number of thy cities, are thy gods, O Judah.
29 Wherefore would ye contend with me? Ye all have transgressed against me, saith Jehovah.
30 In vain have I smitten your children: they received no correction. Your own sword hath devoured your prophets, like a destroying lion.
31 O generation, mark ye the word of Jehovah. Have I been a wilderness unto Israel, or a land of thick darkness? Wherefore say my people, We have dominion; we will come no more unto thee?
32 Doth a virgin forget her ornaments, a bride her attire? But my people have forgotten me days without number.
33 How dost thou trim thy way to seek love! Therefore hast thou also accustomed thy ways to wickedness.
34 Yea, in thy skirts is found the blood of the souls of the innocent poor, whom thou didst not encounter breaking in, but [it is found] upon all these.
35 And thou sayest, Indeed I am innocent; his anger will turn from me. Behold, I will enter into judgment with thee because thou sayest, I have not sinned.
36 Why dost thou gad about so much, and change thy way? Thou shalt also be brought to shame by Egypt, as thou wast brought to shame by Assyria.
37 Thou shalt indeed go forth from her with thy hands upon thy head; for Jehovah hath rejected those thou confidest in, and thou shalt not prosper by them.
7 Remember your leaders who have spoken to you the word of God; and considering the issue of their conversation, imitate their faith.
8 Jesus Christ [is] the same yesterday, and to-day, and to the ages [to come].
9 Be not carried away with various and strange doctrines; for [it is] good that the heart be confirmed with grace, not meats; those who have walked in which have not been profited by [them].
10 We have an altar of which they have no right to eat who serve the tabernacle;
11 for of those beasts whose blood is carried [as sacrifices for sin] into the [holy of] holies by the high priest, of these the bodies are burned outside the camp.
12 Wherefore also Jesus, that he might sanctify the people by his own blood, suffered without the gate:
13 therefore let us go forth to him without the camp, bearing his reproach:
14 for we have not here an abiding city, but we seek the coming one.
15 By him therefore let us offer [the] sacrifice of praise continually to God, that is, [the] fruit of [the] lips confessing his name.
16 But of doing good and communicating [of your substance] be not forgetful, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.
17 Obey your leaders, and be submissive; for *they* watch over your souls as those that shall give account; that they may do this with joy, and not groaning, for this [would be] unprofitable for you.
18 Pray for us: for we persuade ourselves that we have a good conscience, in all things desirous to walk rightly.
19 But I much more beseech [you] to do this, that I may the more quickly be restored to you.
20 But the God of peace, who brought again from among [the] dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, in [the power of the] blood of [the] eternal covenant,
21 perfect you in every good work to the doing of his will, doing in you what is pleasing before him through Jesus Christ; to whom [be] glory for the ages of ages. Amen.
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