Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
A maskil by Asaph.
78 Open your ears to my teachings, my people.
Turn your ears to the words from my mouth.
2 I will open my mouth to illustrate points.
I will explain what has been hidden long ago,
3 things that we have heard and known about,
things that our parents have told us.
4 We will not hide them from our children.
We will tell the next generation
about the Lord’s power and great deeds
and the miraculous things he has done.
12 In front of their ancestors he performed miracles
in the land of Egypt, in the fields of Zoan.
13 He divided the sea and led them through it.
He made the waters stand up like a wall.
14 He guided them by a cloud during the day
and by a fiery light throughout the night.
15 He split rocks in the desert.
He gave them plenty to drink, an ocean of water.
16 He made streams come out of a rock.
He made the water flow like rivers.
Water from the Rock
20 In the first month the whole community of Israel came into the Desert of Zin, and they stayed at Kadesh. Miriam died and was buried there.
2 Since the community was without water, they came together to confront Moses and Aaron. 3 The people complained to Moses and said, “If only we had died when the other Israelites died in the Lord’s presence! 4 Did you bring the Lord’s assembly into this desert just to have us and our animals die here? 5 Why did you make us leave Egypt and bring us into this terrible place? This is no place to plant crops. Even figs, grapes, and pomegranates won’t grow here. And there’s no water to drink!”
6 Moses and Aaron went from the assembly to the entrance of the tent of meeting. Immediately, they bowed with their faces touching the ground, and the glory of the Lord appeared to them.
7 The Lord said to Moses, 8 “Take your staff, then you and your brother Aaron gather the community. Right before their eyes, tell the rock to give up its water. In this way you will give the community water from the rock for them and their animals to drink.”
9 Moses took his staff out of ⌞the tent in⌟ the Lord’s presence as he had been commanded. 10 Then Moses and Aaron assembled the community in front of the rock and said to them, “Listen, you rebels, must we bring water out of this rock for you?” 11 Moses raised his hand and hit the rock twice with the staff. Water came pouring out, and all the people and their animals drank.
12 But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “You didn’t trust me! You didn’t show the Israelites how holy I am! So you will not bring this congregation into the land I’m giving them.”
13 This was the oasis of Meribah [Complaining], where the Israelites complained about the Lord and where he showed them he was holy.
32 We are telling you the Good News: What God promised our ancestors has happened. 33 God has fulfilled the promise for us, their descendants, by bringing Jesus back to life. This is what Scripture says in the second psalm:
‘You are my Son.
Today I have become your Father.’
34 “God stated that he brought Jesus back to life and that Jesus’ body never decayed. He said, ‘I will give you the enduring love promised to David.’ 35 Another psalm says, ‘You will not allow your holy one to decay.’ 36 After doing God’s will by serving the people of his time, David died. He was laid to rest with his ancestors, but his body decayed. 37 However, the man God brought back to life had a body that didn’t decay.
38 “So, brothers, I’m telling you that through Jesus your sins can be forgiven. Sins kept you from receiving God’s approval through Moses’ Teachings. 39 However, everyone who believes in Jesus receives God’s approval.
40 “Be careful, or what the prophets said may happen to you.
41 ‘Look, you mockers!
Be amazed and die!
I am going to do something in your days
that you would not believe even if it were reported to you!’ ”
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