Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Prayer of an Afflicted Man for Mercy on Himself and on Zion.
A Prayer of the afflicted when he is weak and [a]pours out his complaint before the Lord.
102 (A)Hear my prayer, Lord!
And let my cry for help (B)come to You.
2 (C)Do not hide Your face from me on the day of my distress;
(D)Incline Your ear to me;
On the day when I call (E)answer me quickly.
3 For my days (F)have ended in smoke,
And my (G)bones have been scorched like a hearth.
4 My heart (H)has been struck like [b]grass and has (I)withered,
Indeed, I (J)forget to eat my bread.
5 Because of the [c]loudness of my groaning
My (K)bones [d]cling to my flesh.
6 I resemble a (L)pelican of the wilderness;
I have become like an owl of the ruins.
7 I (M)lie awake,
I have become like a solitary bird on a housetop.
8 My enemies (N)have taunted me all day long;
Those who [e](O)deride me [f]have used my name as a (P)curse.
9 For I have eaten ashes like bread,
And (Q)mixed my drink with weeping
10 (R)Because of Your indignation and Your wrath;
For You have (S)lifted me up and thrown me away.
11 My days are like a [g](T)lengthened shadow,
And [h]I (U)wither away like [i]grass.
12 But You, Lord, [j](V)remain forever,
And Your [k](W)name remains to all generations.
13 You will (X)arise and have (Y)compassion on Zion;
For (Z)it is time to be gracious to her,
For the (AA)appointed time has come.
14 Surely Your servants [l]take pleasure in her stones,
And feel pity for her dust.
15 [m]So the [n](AB)nations will fear the name of the Lord,
And (AC)all the kings of the earth, Your glory.
16 For the Lord has (AD)built up Zion;
He has (AE)appeared in His glory.
17 He has (AF)turned His attention to the prayer of the [o]destitute
And has not despised their prayer.
5 (A)Trust in the Lord with all your heart
And (B)do not lean on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways (C)acknowledge Him,
And He will (D)make your paths straight.
7 (E)Do not be wise in your own eyes;
(F)Fear the Lord and turn away from evil.
8 It will be (G)healing to your [a]body
And (H)refreshment to your bones.
9 (I)Honor the Lord from your wealth,
And from the (J)first of all your produce;
10 Then your (K)barns will be filled with plenty,
And your (L)vats will overflow with new wine.
11 (M)My son, do not reject the [b]discipline of the Lord
Or loathe His rebuke,
12 For (N)whom the Lord loves He disciplines,
Just (O)as a father disciplines the son in whom he delights.
44 “Our fathers had (A)the tabernacle of testimony in the wilderness, just as He who spoke to Moses directed him to make it (B)according to the pattern which he had seen. 45 Our fathers in turn received it, and they also (C)brought it in with Joshua upon dispossessing the [a]nations that God drove out from our fathers, until the time of David. 46 [b](D)David found favor in God’s sight, and (E)asked that he might [c]find a dwelling place for the [d]house of Jacob. 47 But it was (F)Solomon who built a house for Him. 48 However, (G)the Most High does not dwell in houses made by human hands; as the prophet says:
49 ‘(H)Heaven is My throne,
And the earth is the footstool of My feet;
What kind of house will you build for Me?’ says the Lord,
‘Or what place is there for My rest?
50 (I)Was it not My hand that made all these things?’
51 “You men who are (J)stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears are always resisting the Holy Spirit; you are doing just as your fathers did. 52 (K)Which one of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? They killed those who had previously announced the coming of (L)the Righteous One, and (M)you have now become betrayers and murderers of Him; 53 you who received the Law as (N)ordained by angels, and yet did not keep it.”
Stephen Put to Death
54 Now when they heard this, they were (O)infuriated, and they began gnashing their teeth at him. 55 But he, being (P)full of the Holy Spirit, (Q)looked intently into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing (R)at the right hand of God; 56 and he said, “Behold, I see the (S)heavens opened and (T)the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.