Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Remembering God’s Help
For the director of music. For Jeduthun. A psalm of Asaph.
77 I cry out to God;
I call to God, and he will hear me.
2 I look for the Lord on the day of trouble.
All night long I reach out my hands,
but I cannot be comforted.
3 When I remember God, I become upset;
when I think, I become afraid. Selah
4 You keep my eyes from closing.
I am too upset to say anything.
5 I keep thinking about the old days,
the years of long ago.
6 At night I remember my songs.
I think and I ask myself:
7 “Will the Lord reject us forever?
Will he never be kind to us again?
8 Is his love gone forever?
Has he stopped speaking for all time?
9 Has God forgotten mercy?
Is he too angry to pity us?” Selah
10 Then I say, “This is what makes me sad:
For years the power of God Most High was with us.”
11 I remember what the Lord did;
I remember the miracles you did long ago.
12 I think about all the things you did
and consider your deeds.
13 God, your ways are holy.
No god is as great as our God.
14 You are the God who does miracles;
you have shown people your power.
15 By your power you have saved your people,
the descendants of Jacob and Joseph. Selah
16 God, the waters saw you;
they saw you and became afraid;
the deep waters shook with fear.
17 The clouds poured down their rain.
The sky thundered.
Your lightning flashed back and forth like arrows.
18 Your thunder sounded in the whirlwind.
Lightning lit up the world.
The earth trembled and shook.
19 You made a way through the sea
and paths through the deep waters,
but your footprints were not seen.
20 You led your people like a flock
by using Moses and Aaron.
8 “But if I were you, I would call on God
and bring my problem before him.
9 God does wonders that cannot be understood;
he does so many miracles they cannot be counted.
10 He gives rain to the earth
and sends water on the fields.
11 He makes the humble person important
and lifts the sad to places of safety.
12 He ruins the plans of those who trick others
so they have no success.
13 He catches the wise in their own clever traps
and sweeps away the plans of those who try to trick others.
14 Darkness covers them up in the daytime;
even at noon they feel around in the dark.
15 God saves the needy from their lies
and from the harm done by powerful people.
16 So the poor have hope,
while those who are unfair are silenced.
17 “The one whom God corrects is happy,
so do not hate being corrected by the Almighty.
18 God hurts, but he also bandages up;
he injures, but his hands also heal.
19 He will save you from six troubles;
even seven troubles will not harm you.
20 God will buy you back from death in times of hunger,
and in battle he will save you from the sword.
21 You will be protected from the tongue that strikes like a whip,
and you will not be afraid when destruction comes.
22 You will laugh at destruction and hunger,
and you will not fear the wild animals,
23 because you will have an agreement with the stones in the field,
and the wild animals will be at peace with you.
24 You will know that your tent is safe,
because you will check the things you own and find nothing missing.
25 You will know that you will have many children,
and your descendants will be like the grass on the earth.
26 You will come to the grave with all your strength,
like bundles of grain gathered at the right time.
27 “We have checked this, and it is true,
so hear it and decide what it means to you.”
Suffering for Doing Right
8 Finally, all of you should be in agreement, understanding each other, loving each other as family, being kind and humble. 9 Do not do wrong to repay a wrong, and do not insult to repay an insult. But repay with a blessing, because you yourselves were called to do this so that you might receive a blessing. 10 The Scripture says,
“A person must do these things
to enjoy life and have many happy days.
He must not say evil things,
and he must not tell lies.
11 He must stop doing evil and do good.
He must look for peace and work for it.
12 The Lord sees the good people
and listens to their prayers.
But the Lord is against
those who do evil.” Psalm 34:12–16
13 If you are trying hard to do good, no one can really hurt you. 14 But even if you suffer for doing right, you are blessed.
“Don’t be afraid of what they fear;
do not dread those things.” Isaiah 8:12–13
15 But respect Christ as the holy Lord in your hearts. Always be ready to answer everyone who asks you to explain about the hope you have, 16 but answer in a gentle way and with respect. Keep a clear conscience so that those who speak evil of your good life in Christ will be made ashamed. 17 It is better to suffer for doing good than for doing wrong if that is what God wants. 18 Christ himself suffered for sins once. He was not guilty, but he suffered for those who are guilty to bring you to God. His body was killed, but he was made alive in the spirit.
The Holy Bible, New Century Version®. Copyright © 2005 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.