Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Psalm 78[a]
God’s Goodness in the Face of Ingratitude
1 A maskil[b] of Asaph.
[c]Give ear, my people, to my teaching;
pay attention to the words of my mouth.
2 I will open my mouth in parables[d]
and expound the mysteries of the past.
3 [e]These things we have heard and know,
for our ancestors have related them to us.
4 We will not conceal them from our children;
we will relate them to the next generation,
the glorious and powerful deeds of the Lord
and the wonders he has performed.
12 He worked marvels in the sight of their ancestors
in the land of Egypt, in the Plain of Zoan.[a]
13 He divided the sea so that they could pass,
heaping up the waters as a mound.
14 He led them with a cloud by day,
and with the light of a fire by night.
15 He split open rocks in the wilderness
and gave them water to drink from limitless depths.
16 He brought forth streams from a rocky crag
and caused water to flow down in torrents.
Chapter 20
Death of Miriam.[a] 1 The people of Israel, the whole assembly, came into the Desert of Zin in the first month,[b] and the people stayed in Kadesh. It was there that Miriam died and was buried.
The Need for Water. 2 The community had no water, and they gathered together against Moses and Aaron. 3 They argued with Moses and said, “Would that we would have died when our brothers fell before the Lord. 4 Why have you brought the assembly of the Lord into this wilderness so that we die here, both we and our cattle? 5 Why have you made us come out of Egypt to this evil place? It has no grain, or figs, or vines, or pomegranates. There is no water to drink!”
Moses and Aaron Sin. 6 Moses and Aaron went from in front of the assembly to the entrance of the tent of meeting. They fell upon their faces, and the glory of the Lord appeared to them.
7 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 8 “Take the staff, and you and Aaron your brother are to gather the assembly together. Speak to the rock in their sight and it will pour forth water. You will bring forth water from the rock for the assembly and their animals to drink.”
9 Moses took the staff from before the Lord, as he had been commanded. 10 Then Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly before the rock and he said to them, “Hear now, you rebels! Must we bring forth water out of this rock for you?” 11 [c]Then Moses lifted up his arm and he struck the rock with his staff twice. Water came gushing out, and the community and their animals drank.
12 But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you have not trusted and hallowed me in the eyes of the people of Israel, you will not lead this community into the land that I have given them. 13 This is the water of Meribah, because the people of Israel quarreled with the Lord, and he showed himself to be bold among them.”[d]
32 “We have come here to proclaim to you the good news—what God promised to our ancestors 33 he has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising Jesus up as it is written in the second psalm:
‘You are my Son;
this day I have begotten you.’
34 “God raised him from the dead, never to be subjected to corruption. He declares it in these words, ‘To you I will give the blessings promised to David.’ 35 And he also says in another psalm, ‘You will not allow your Holy One to suffer corruption.’ 36 When David had served God’s purposes during his lifetime, he fell asleep, and he was buried with his ancestors, and he saw corruption. 37 However, the one whom God raised up did not see corruption. 38 “You must understand, brethren, that it is through him that forgiveness of sins is being proclaimed to you. 39 All those who believe are justified from all the things from which they could not be justified by the Law of Moses. 40 Beware, then, lest what the Prophets have foretold will happen to you:
41 ‘Look carefully, you scoffers!
Be amazed and perish!
For I am doing a work in your days
that you will never believe
even if someone tells you.’ ”
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