Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

⁴ All of those cruel people
    strut and boast,
⁵ and they crush and wound
    your chosen nation, Lord.
⁶ They murder widows,
    foreigners, and orphans.
⁷ Then they say,
“The Lord God of Jacob
    doesn't see or know.”

⁸ Can't you fools see?
    Won't you ever learn?
⁹ God gave us ears and eyes!
    Can't he hear and see?
¹⁰ God instructs the nations
and gives knowledge to us all.
    Won't he also correct us?
^11 (A) The Lord knows how useless
    our plans really are.

¹² Our Lord, you bless everyone
that you instruct and teach
    by using your Law.
¹³ You give them rest
    from their troubles,
until a pit can be dug
    for the wicked.
¹⁴ You won't turn your back
    on your chosen nation.
¹⁵ Justice and fairness
    will go hand in hand,
and all who do right
    will follow along.

¹⁶ Who will stand up for me
    against those cruel people?
¹⁷ If you had not helped me, Lord,
I would soon have gone
    to the land of silence.^[a]
18 When I felt my feet slipping,
you came with your love
    and kept me steady.
¹⁹ And when I was burdened
    with worries,
you comforted me
    and made me feel secure.
²⁰ But you are opposed
    to dishonest lawmakers
²¹ who gang up to murder
    innocent victims.

²² You, Lord God, are my fortress,
that mighty rock^[b]
    where I am safe.
²³ You will pay back my enemies,
and you will wipe them out
    for the evil they did.

³ I answered, “I know
    that you look for truth.
You punished your people
    for their lies,
but in spite of the pain,
    they became more stubborn
and refused to turn back
    to you.”
⁴ Then I thought to myself,
“These common people
    act like fools,
and they have never learned
what the Lord their God
    demands of them.
⁵ So I'll go and talk to the leaders.
They know what God demands.”
    But even they had decided
    not to obey the Lord.

⁶ The people have rebelled
and rejected the Lord
    too many times.
So enemies will attack
like lions from the forest
    or wolves from the desert.
Those enemies will watch
    the towns of Judah,
and like leopards
they will tear to pieces
    whoever goes outside.

⁹ Why shouldn't I punish
    the people of Judah?
¹⁰ I will tell their enemies,
    “Go through my vineyard.
Don't destroy the vines,
    but cut off the branches,
because they are the people
    who don't belong to me.”

¹¹ In every way, Judah and Israel
    have been unfaithful to me.
* ¹² Their prophets lie and say,
    “The Lord won't punish us.
We will have peace
    and plenty of food.”
¹³ They tell these lies in my name,
so now they will be killed in war
    or starve to death.

¹⁴ I am the Lord God All-Powerful.
Jeremiah, I will tell you
    exactly what to say.
Your words will be a fire;
Israel and Judah
    will be the fuel.

¹⁵ People of Israel,
    I have made my decision.
An army from a distant country
    will attack you.
I've chosen an ancient nation,
and you won't understand
    their language.
¹⁶ All of them are warriors,
    and their arrows bring death.
¹⁷ This nation will eat your crops
    and livestock;
they will leave no fruit
    on your vines or fig trees.
And although you feel safe
    behind thick walls,
your towns will be destroyed
    and your children killed.