Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

⁹ That is why justice is far from us
and righteousness does not reach us.
We hope for light, but behold darkness,
    for brightness, but walk in gloom.
¹⁰ We grope along the wall like the blind.
We grope like those with no eyes.
We stumble at noon as at twilight.
We are like the dead in desolation.
¹¹ All of us growl like bears
    or moan like doves.
We hope for justice, but there is none;
    for salvation, but it is far from us.
¹² For our transgressions are multiplied before You,
and our sins testify against us,
for our transgressions are with us,
    and we know our iniquities:
¹³ transgressing and denying Adonai,
    turning back from following our God,
    speaking oppression and revolt,
    conceiving and uttering lying words from the heart.
¹⁴ Justice is turned back,
    and righteousness stands far off.
For truth has stumbled in the street,
    and uprightness cannot enter.
¹⁵ So now truth is missing,
and whoever shuns evil becomes prey.

Now when Adonai saw it, it was displeasing in His eyes
    that there was no justice.
¹⁶ He saw that there was no one—
He was astonished that no one was interceding.^[a]
Therefore His own arm brought salvation for Him,
and His righteousness upheld Him.
¹⁷ He put on righteousness as a breastplate
and a helmet of salvation on His head.
He clothed Himself in robes of vengeance
and wrapped Himself in zeal as a cloak.
¹⁸ According to their deeds,
    so He will repay:
wrath to His adversaries,
    retribution to His enemies.
To the islands He will repay as due.
¹⁹ So from the west they will fear the Name of Adonai,
and His glory from the rising of the sun.
For He will come like a rushing stream
    driven along by the Ruach Adonai.

“The stone which the builders rejected—
    this One has become the chief cornerstone,”^[e]

¹⁰ Once you were “not a people,”
    but now you are “God’s people.”
You were shown “no mercy,”
    but now you have been shown “mercy.”^[h]