Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
A Cry for Help
A prayer of a person who is suffering when he is ·discouraged [faint; disturbed] and ·tells the Lord his complaints [L pours out his concerns before the Lord].
102 Lord, listen to my prayer;
let my cry for help come to you.
2 Do not hide your ·presence [L face] from me
in my time of ·trouble [distress].
·Pay attention [L Extend your ear] to me.
·When I cry for help [L On the day I call], answer me quickly.
3 My ·life [L days] is ·passing away [vanishing] like smoke,
and my bones are burned up ·with fire [L like a furnace/oven/or glowing embers].
4 My heart is like grass
that has been ·cut [stricken] and dried.
I forget to eat my ·food [or bread].
5 Because of ·my grief [L the sounds of my groans],
my ·skin hangs on my bones [L bones cling to my flesh].
6 I am like a ·desert [wilderness] owl,
like an owl living among the ·ruins [wastelands; Is. 34:10–15; Zeph. 2:13–15].
7 I ·lie awake [or keep watch].
I am like a lonely bird on a ·housetop [roof].
8 All day long enemies ·insult [scorn; reproach] me;
those who ·make fun of [mock] me use my name as a curse.
9 I eat ashes for ·food [or bread],
and my tears ·fall into [mingle with] my drinks.
10 Because of your ·great anger [L wrath and indignation],
you have picked me up and thrown me away.
11 My days are like a passing shadow;
I am like dried grass.
12 But, Lord, you ·rule [L are enthroned] forever,
and your ·fame [memory] ·goes on and on [L throughout the generations].
13 You will ·come [L rise up] and have ·mercy [compassion] on ·Jerusalem [L Zion; C the location of the Temple],
because the time has now come to be ·kind [gracious] to her;
the ·right [appointed] time has come.
14 Your servants ·love even [are pleased/delighted with] her stones;
they even ·care about [L have pity/compassion for] her dust.
15 Nations will fear the name of the Lord,
and all the kings on earth ·will honor you [L your glory; C God’s manifest presence].
16 The Lord will rebuild ·Jerusalem [L Zion; C the location of the Temple];
there his glory [C manifest presence] will be seen.
17 He will answer the prayers of the ·needy [lowly; L naked];
he will not ·reject [despise] their prayers.
24 Also give a message to Shemaiah from the Nehelamite family. 25 The Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts], the God of Israel, says: “Shemaiah, you sent ·letters [scrolls] in your name to all the people in Jerusalem, to the priest Zephaniah son of Maaseiah, and to all the priests. 26 You said to Zephaniah, ‘The Lord has made you priest in place of Jehoiada. You are to be in charge of the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord. You should arrest any ·madman [crazy person] who acts like a prophet. Place him in stocks [C wooden restraints] and put an iron collar around his neck. 27 Now Jeremiah from Anathoth is acting like a prophet. So why haven’t you ·arrested [L rebuked] him? 28 He [C Jeremiah] has sent [C this message] to us in Babylon: You will be there for a long time, so build houses and settle down. Plant gardens and eat ·what they grow [L their fruit].’”
29 Zephaniah the priest read ·the letter to [L this scroll in the ear of] Jeremiah the prophet. 30 Then the Lord spoke his word to Jeremiah: 31 “Send this message to all the ·captives in Babylon [exiles]: ‘This is what the Lord says about Shemaiah the Nehelamite: Shemaiah has prophesied to you, but I did not send him. He has made you ·believe [trust; have confidence in] a lie. 32 So the Lord says, I will soon punish Shemaiah the Nehelamite and his ·family [L seed]. He will not see the good things I will do for my people, says the Lord. None of his family will be left alive among the people, because he has taught the people to ·turn [rebel] against me.’”
Wear the Full Armor of God
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his ·great [strong; mighty] power. 11 Put on the full armor of God so that you can fight against the devil’s ·evil tricks [schemes]. 12 [For] Our ·fight [conflict; struggle] is not against ·people on earth [L flesh and blood] but against the rulers and authorities and the ·powers [or cosmic powers/rulers] of this ·world’s darkness [L darkness], against the spiritual powers of evil in the heavenly ·world [realm; places]. 13 ·That is why you need to [L For this reason,] put on God’s full armor. Then on the day of evil [C persecution generally or end-time tribulation] you will be able to ·stand strong [keep your ground; resist the enemy]. And ·when you have finished the whole fight [L after you have done/accomplished everything], you will still be standing. 14 So stand ·strong [or ready], with the belt of truth tied around your waist and the ·body armor [breastplate] of ·right living [a righteous life; or God’s own righteousness/justice; L righteousness]. 15 On your feet wear the ·Good News [Gospel] of peace ·to help you stand strong [for firm footing; or to be fully prepared]. 16 And ·also [in addition to all this; or in all circumstances] use the shield of faith with which you can ·stop [extinguish] all the ·burning arrows [T fiery darts] of the Evil One. 17 ·Accept [Receive; or Take] the helmet of salvation, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the ·word [message] of God. 18 Pray ·in [or in dependence on] the Spirit at all times with all ·kinds of prayers [L prayers and requests], asking for everything you need. To do this you must always be ·ready [alert] ·and never give up [L with all perseverance]. Always pray for all ·God’s people [T the saints].
19 Also pray for me that when I ·speak [L open my mouth], God will give me words so that I can tell the ·secret [mystery] of the ·Good News [Gospel] ·without fear [confidently; boldly]. 20 ·For this Good News […for which] I am an ambassador in ·prison [L chains; 3:1]. Pray that I will speak ·it [or for him; or in him] ·without fear [boldly; confidently], as I should.
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