Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
49 Remember Your Word to Your servant, for You have given me hope. 50 Your Word has given me new life. This is my comfort in my suffering. 51 The proud always laugh at me, but I do not turn away from Your Law. 52 I have remembered Your Law from a long time ago, O Lord, and I am comforted. 53 Burning anger comes upon me because of the sinful who turn away from Your Law. 54 Your Laws are my songs in whatever house I stay. 55 I remember Your name in the night, O Lord, and I have kept Your Law. 56 It has become my way to obey Your Law.
A Promise for the Future
36 “So now this is what the Lord God of Israel says about this city of which you say, ‘It is given over to the king of Babylon because of the sword, hunger, and disease.’ 37 I will gather them out of all the lands to which I have driven them in My strong anger. And I will bring them back to this place to live where they will be safe. 38 They will be My people, and I will be their God. 39 I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear Me always, for their own good and for the good of their children after them. 40 I will make an agreement with them that I will not turn away from them. I will do good to them, an agreement that will last forever. And I will help them fear Me in their hearts so they will not turn away from Me. 41 I will have joy in doing good to them. And I will be faithful to plant them in this land with all My heart and with all My soul. 42 For the Lord says, ‘Just as I brought all this trouble on these people, so I am going to bring all the good on them that I have promised them. 43 Fields will be bought in this land of which you say, “It is a waste, without man or animal. It is given over to the Babylonians.” 44 Men will buy fields for money, write their names and put their marks on agreements while people watch them do this in the land of Benjamin and in the places around Jerusalem. Also they will do this in the cities of Judah, in the cities of the hill country, in the cities of the valley, and in the cities of the Negev. For I will bring them back to their own land,’ says the Lord.”
5 Listen, you rich men! Cry about the troubles that will come to you. 2 Your riches are worth nothing. Your fine clothes are full of moth holes. 3 Your gold and silver have rusted. Their rust will speak against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have saved riches for yourselves for the last days. 4 See! The men working in your fields are crying against you because you have kept back part of their pay. Their cries have been heard by the Lord Who hears His people. 5 You have had everything while you lived on the earth and have enjoyed its fun. You have made your hearts fat and are ready to be killed as an animal is killed. 6 You have killed men who are right with God who were not making it hard for you.
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