Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Psalm 76[a]
God, Defender of Zion
1 For the director.[b] With stringed instruments. A psalm of Asaph. A song.
2 [c]God is renowned in Judah;
his name is great in Israel.
3 His tent has been established in Salem,
his dwelling place in Zion.
4 There he shattered the flashing arrows,
shields and swords and weapons of war. Selah
5 [d]You are awesome and resplendent,
more majestic than the everlasting mountains.
6 The bold warriors lie plundered
and sleeping their last sleep.[e]
And not one of the men of war
can lift up his hands.
7 At your rebuke, O God of Jacob,
both chariots and horses lie prostrate.
8 You indeed are awesome;
who can stand in your presence when your anger is aroused?
9 You thundered your verdicts from the heavens;
the earth in its terror was silent
10 when you arose, O God, to judge,
to rescue all the afflicted of the land.[f] Selah
11 Human wrath only serves to praise you;[g]
those who survive your anger will cling to you.
12 [h]Make vows to the Lord, your God, and keep them;
let all the lands nearby
bring gifts to the Awesome One,
13 who breaks the spirit of rulers
and inspires fear in the kings of the earth.
Chapter 66
True and False Worship
1 Thus says the Lord:
The heavens are my throne
and the earth is my footstool.
What house could you build for me?
What is to be my resting place?
2 All these things were made by me,
and so all these things are mine,
says the Lord.
The one for whom I have regard
is humble and contrite in spirit
and trembles at my word.
3 Whoever slaughters an ox
is like one who kills a man;
whoever sacrifices a lamb
is like one who breaks a dog’s neck;
whoever presents an offering of grain
is like one who offers a swine’s blood;
whoever burns incense as a memorial
is like one who blesses an idol.
These people have chosen their own ways,
and they delight in their loathsome abominations.
4 I in turn will choose to punish them harshly
and bring upon them what they fear
because, when I called, no one answered,
and when I spoke, they refused to listen.
Rather, they did what was evil in my sight
and chose what displeased me.
5 Hear the word of the Lord,
you who tremble at his word.
Your brethren who hate you
and reject you because of my name, have said,
“Let the Lord be glorified
so that we may witness your joy”;
however, they themselves will be put to shame.
6 Listen! There is an uproar from the city,
a voice from the temple.
Such is the sound of the Lord
bringing retribution to his enemies.
Mother Zion
7 Before she entered into labor,
she gave birth.
Before she experienced the birth pains,
she delivered a son.
8 Who ever heard of such a thing?
Who has ever seen anything like this?
Can a country be born in a single day?
Can a nation be delivered in a single moment?
Yet Zion was scarcely in labor
when she brought forth her children.
9 Shall I open the womb and not deliver?
says the Lord.
Shall I close the womb at the moment of delivery?
says your God.
10 Rejoice with Jerusalem and be glad for her,
all you who love her.
Be joyful as you rejoice with her,
all you who mourned over her,
11 so that you may suck fully and be satisfied
from her consoling breast,
as you drink deeply with delight
at her abundant bosom.
12 For thus says the Lord:
I will make prosperity flow over her like a river,
and the wealth of the nations
like a turbulent overflowing stream.
You will be nursed and carried in her arms
and fondled in her lap.
13 As a mother comforts her child,
so will I comfort you;
in Jerusalem you will find your comfort.
23 Concerning Idol Offerings.“All things are lawful,” you may say—but not all things are beneficial. All things may be lawful—but not all things are constructive. 24 No one should seek his own advantage in preference to that of his neighbor. 25 You may eat whatever meat is sold in the market without raising questions on grounds of conscience, 26 for “the earth and all it contains belong to the Lord.”
27 If an unbeliever invites you to a meal and you decide to accept, eat whatever is set before you without raising any questions on the grounds of conscience. 28 However, if someone says to you, “This food was offered in sacrifice,” then do not eat it, out of consideration for the one who informed you and for the sake of conscience— 29 I mean the other person’s conscience, not your own. For why should my freedom be governed by someone else’s conscience? 30 If I partake of the meal with thankfulness, why should I be criticized for eating food for which I give thanks?
31 Give No Offense. Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God. 32 Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the Church of God, 33 just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own good but that of the many, so that they may be saved.
Chapter 11
1 Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.
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