Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

28 To you, O Yahweh, I call.
O my rock, do not be deaf to me.
Or else, if you are silent to me,
then I will become like those descending to the pit.
² Hear the voice of my supplications
when I cry to you for help,
when I lift up my hands
toward your holy inner sanctuary.
³ Do not drag me away with the wicked
or with the workers of evil,
who speak of peace with their neighbors,
while evil is in their heart.
⁴ Give to them according to their work,
even according to the evil of their deeds.
Give to them according to the work of their hands;
repay them their rightful due.
⁵ Because they do not regard the works of Yahweh,
nor the work of his hands,
he will destroy them
and not rebuild them.
⁶ Blessed is Yahweh,
because he has heard the voice of my supplications.
⁷ Yahweh is my strength and my shield.
My heart trusts him and I am helped.
So my heart rejoices,
and with my song I will give thanks to him.
⁸ Yahweh is their strength,
and he is the refuge for the salvation of his anointed one.
⁹ Save your people
and bless your heritage.
Shepherd them also and carry them always.

⁹ Therefore justice is far from us,
    and righteousness does not reach us.
We wait for light, but^[a] look! there is darkness;
    for brightness, but we walk in darkness.
¹⁰ We grope like the blind along a wall,
    and we grope as without^[b] eyes.
We stumble at noon as in the twilight;
    among the strong we are like the dead.
¹¹ We all groan like bears,
    and we coo mutteringly like doves.
We wait for justice, but^[c] there is none;
    for salvation, but it is far from us.
¹² For our transgressions are numerous before you,
    and our sins testify^[d] against us.
Indeed, our transgressions are with us,
    and we know our iniquities:
¹³ transgressing and denying Yahweh,
    and turning away from following^[e] our God;
speaking oppression and falsehood,
    conceiving and uttering words of deception from the heart.
¹⁴ And justice is pushed back,
    and righteousness stands afar;
for truth stumbles in the public square,
    and straightforwardness is unable to enter,
¹⁵ and truth is missing,
    and he who turns aside from evil is plundered.
And Yahweh saw,
    and it was displeasing in his eyes that there was no justice
¹⁶ And he saw that there was no man,
    and he was appalled that there was no one who intercedes,
so^[f] his arm came to assist him,
    and his righteousness was what^[g] sustained him.
¹⁷ And he put on righteousness like a breastplate,
    and a helmet of salvation on his head,
and he put on garments of vengeance for clothing,
    and he wrapped himself in zeal as in a robe.
¹⁸ According to deeds, so he will repay;
    wrath to his enemies, requital to those who are his enemies.^[h]
    He will repay requital to the coastlands.
¹⁹ So^[i] they shall fear the name of Yahweh from the west,
    and his glory from the sunrise,
for he will come like a narrow stream;
    the wind of Yahweh drives it on.