Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
BOOK 4
God’s Eternity and the Brevity of Human Life.
A Prayer of [a]Moses, the man of God.
90 Lord, You have been our [b](A)dwelling place in all generations.
2 Before (B)the mountains were born
[c]Or You (C)gave birth to the earth and the world,
Even (D)from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.
3 You (E)turn mortals back into dust
And say, “Return, you sons of mankind.”
4 For (F)a thousand years in Your sight
Are like (G)yesterday when it passes by,
[d]Or like a (H)watch in the night.
5 You (I)have [e]swept them away like a flood, they [f](J)fall asleep;
In the morning they are like (K)grass that [g]sprouts anew.
6 In the morning it (L)flourishes and [h]sprouts anew;
Toward evening it (M)wilts and (N)withers away.
13 Do (A)return, Lord; (B)how long will it be?
And [a]be (C)sorry for Your servants.
14 (D)Satisfy us in the morning with Your graciousness,
That we may (E)sing for joy and rejoice all our days.
15 (F)Make us glad [b]according to the days You have afflicted us,
And the (G)years we have seen [c]evil.
16 Let Your (H)work appear to Your servants
And Your (I)majesty [d]to their children.
17 May the (J)kindness of the Lord our God be upon us;
And [e](K)confirm for us the work of our hands;
Yes, [f]confirm the work of our hands.
The Song of Moses
32 “(A)Listen, you heavens, and I will speak;
And let the earth hear the words of my mouth!
2 (B)May my teaching drip as the rain,
My speech trickle as the dew,
(C)As droplets on the fresh grass,
And as the showers on the vegetation.
3 (D)For I proclaim the name of the Lord;
(E)Ascribe greatness to our God!
4 (F)The Rock! His work is perfect,
(G)For all His ways are [a]just;
(H)A God of faithfulness and without injustice,
Righteous and just is He.
5 [b](I)They have acted corruptly against Him,
They are not His children, because of their defect;
(J)But are a perverse and crooked generation.
6 Is this what you (K)do to the Lord,
(L)You foolish and unwise people?
(M)Is He not your Father who has purchased you?
(N)He has made you and established you.
7 Remember the days of old,
Consider the years of all generations.
(O)Ask your father and he will inform you,
Your elders, and they will tell you.
8 (P)When the Most High gave the nations their inheritance,
When He separated the sons of [c]mankind,
He set the boundaries of the peoples
(Q)According to the number of the [d]sons of Israel.
9 (R)For the Lord’s portion is His people;
Jacob is the allotment of His inheritance.
10 (S)He found him in a desert land,
And in the howling wasteland of a wilderness;
He encircled him, He cared for him,
He guarded him as (T)the [e]apple of His eye.
11 (U)As an eagle stirs up its nest,
And hovers over its young,
(V)He spread His wings, He caught them,
He carried them on His pinions.
12 (W)The Lord alone guided him,
(X)And there was no foreign god with him.
13 (Y)He had him ride on the high places of the earth,
And he ate the produce of the field;
(Z)And He had him suck honey from the rock,
And [f](AA)oil from the flinty rock,
14 Curds of the herd, and milk of the flock,
With fat of lambs
And rams, the breed of Bashan, and of goats,
(AB)With the best of the wheat;
And you drank wine of the (AC)blood of grapes.
11 For the grace of God has (A)appeared, [a](B)bringing salvation to all people, 12 [b]instructing us to deny ungodliness and (C)worldly desires and (D)to live sensibly, righteously, and in a godly manner (E)in the present age, 13 looking for the blessed hope and the (F)appearing of the glory of [c](G)our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, 14 who (H)gave Himself for us (I)to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to (J)purify for Himself a (K)people for His own possession, (L)eager for good deeds.
15 These things speak and [d](M)exhort, and (N)rebuke with all authority. (O)No one is to disregard you.
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