Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Psalm 79
Faith amid Confusion
A psalm of Asaph.(A)
1 God, the nations have invaded your inheritance,
desecrated your holy temple,
and turned Jerusalem into ruins.(B)
2 They gave the corpses of your servants
to the birds of the sky for food,
the flesh of your faithful ones
to the beasts of the earth.(C)
3 They poured out their blood
like water all around Jerusalem,
and there was no one to bury them.(D)
4 We have become an object of reproach
to our neighbors,
a source of mockery and ridicule
to those around us.(E)
5 How long, Lord? Will you be angry forever?
Will your jealousy keep burning like fire?(F)
6 Pour out your wrath on the nations
that don’t acknowledge you,
on the kingdoms that don’t call on your name,(G)
7 for they have devoured Jacob
and devastated his homeland.(H)
8 Do not hold past iniquities[a] against us;
let your compassion come to us quickly,
for we have become very weak.(I)
9 God of our salvation, help us,(J)
for the glory of your name.
Rescue us and atone for our sins,
for your name’s sake.(K)
10 Why should the nations ask,
“Where is their God?” (L)
Before our eyes,
let vengeance for the shed blood of your servants
be known among the nations.(M)
11 Let the groans of the prisoners reach you;
according to your great power,
preserve those condemned to die.(N)
From Defeated Ruler to Conquering King
5 Now, daughter who is under attack,
you slash yourself in grief;
a siege is set against us!
They are striking the judge(A) of Israel
on the cheek with a rod.
2 Bethlehem Ephrathah,(B)
you are small among the clans of Judah;
one will come from you(C)
to be ruler over Israel for me.(D)
His origin[a] is from antiquity,(E)
from ancient times.
3 Therefore, Israel will be abandoned(F) until the time
when she who is in labor(G) has given birth;
then the rest of the ruler’s brothers(H) will return
to the people of Israel.(I)
4 He will stand and shepherd them(J)
in the strength of the Lord,
in the majestic name of the Lord his God.
They will live securely,
for then his greatness will extend
to the ends of the earth.(K)
5 He will be their peace.(L)
When Assyria invades our land,(M)
when it marches against our fortresses,
we will raise against it seven shepherds,
even eight leaders of men.
The Need for Watchfulness
34 “Be on your guard,(A) so that your minds are not dulled[a] from carousing,[b] drunkenness,(B) and worries of life,(C) or that day will come on you unexpectedly(D) 35 like a trap. For it will come on all who live on the face of the whole earth. 36 But be alert at all times,(E) praying that you may have strength[c] to escape(F) all these things that are going to take place and to stand before the Son of Man.”
37 During(G) the day, he was teaching in the temple,(H) but in the evening he would go out and spend the night on what is called the Mount of Olives.(I) 38 Then all the people would come early in the morning to hear him in the temple.(J)
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