Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
The Works and the Word of God.
For the music director. A Psalm of David.
19 The (A)heavens tell of the glory of God;
And their (B)expanse declares the work of His hands.
2 Day to (C)day pours forth speech,
And (D)night to night reveals knowledge.
3 There is no speech, nor are there words;
Their voice is not heard.
4 Their [a](E)line has gone out into all the earth,
And their words to the end of the world.
In them He has (F)placed a tent for the sun,
5 Which is like a groom coming out of his chamber;
It rejoices like a strong person to run his course.
6 Its (G)rising is from [b]one end of the heavens,
And its circuit to the [c]other end of them;
And there is nothing hidden from its heat.
7 (H)The Law of the Lord is [d](I)perfect, (J)restoring the soul;
The testimony of the Lord is (K)sure, making (L)wise the simple.
8 The precepts of the Lord are (M)right, (N)rejoicing the heart;
The commandment of the Lord is (O)pure, (P)enlightening the eyes.
9 The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever;
The judgments of the Lord are (Q)true; they are (R)righteous altogether.
10 They are more desirable than (S)gold, yes, than much pure gold;
(T)Sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb.
11 Moreover, (U)Your servant is warned by them;
In keeping them there is great (V)reward.
12 Who can (W)discern his errors? (X)Acquit me of (Y)hidden faults.
13 Also keep Your servant back (Z)from presumptuous sins;
Let them not (AA)rule over me;
Then I will be (AB)innocent,
And I will be blameless of (AC)great wrongdoing.
14 May the words of my mouth and (AD)the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable in Your sight,
Lord, (AE)my rock and my (AF)Redeemer.
24 The [a](A)lazy one buries his hand (B)in the dish,
But will not even bring it back to his mouth.
25 (C)Strike a scoffer and the naive may become clever,
But (D)rebuke one who has understanding, and he will [b]gain knowledge.
26 He (E)who assaults his father and drives his mother away
Is a shameful and disgraceful son.
27 Stop listening, my son, to discipline,
And you will stray from the words of knowledge.
28 A worthless witness makes a mockery of justice,
And the mouth of the wicked [c](F)swallows wrongdoing.
29 [d]Judgments are prepared for (G)scoffers,
And (H)beatings for the backs of fools.
17 In the same way, (A)faith also, if it has no works, is [a]dead, being by itself.
18 (B)But someone [b]may well say, “You have faith and I have works; show me your (C)faith without the works, and I will (D)show you my faith (E)by my works.” 19 You believe that [c](F)God is one. (G)You do well; (H)the demons also believe, and shudder. 20 But are you willing to acknowledge, (I)you foolish person, that (J)faith without works is useless? 21 (K)Was our father Abraham not justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that (L)faith was working with his works, and [d]as a result of the (M)works, faith was [e]perfected; 23 and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “(N)And Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called a (O)friend of God. 24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. 25 In the same way, was (P)Rahab the prostitute not justified by works also (Q)when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? 26 For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also (R)faith without works is dead.
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