Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

The Lord Helps His Troubled People

A Psalm of David ^(A)when he fled from Absalom his son.

⁵ And you shall answer and say before the Lord your God: ‘My father was ^(A)a ^[a]Syrian, ^(B)about to perish, and ^(C)he went down to Egypt and ^[b]dwelt there, ^(D)few in number; and there he became a nation, ^(E)great, mighty, and populous. ⁶ But the ^(F)Egyptians mistreated us, afflicted us, and laid hard bondage on us. ^7 (G)Then we cried out to the Lord God of our fathers, and the Lord heard our voice and looked on our affliction and our labor and our oppression. ⁸ So ^(H)the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and with an outstretched arm, ^(I)with great terror and with signs and wonders. ⁹ He has brought us to this place and has given us this land, ^(J)“a land flowing with milk and honey”; ¹⁰ and now, behold, I have brought the firstfruits of the land which you, O Lord, have given me.’

“Then you shall set it before the Lord your God, and worship before the Lord your God.

³² But ^(A)recall the former days in which, after you were ^[a]illuminated, you endured a great struggle with sufferings: ³³ partly while you were made ^(B)a spectacle both by reproaches and tribulations, and partly while ^(C)you became companions of those who were so treated; ³⁴ for you had compassion on ^[b]me ^(D)in my chains, and ^(E)joyfully accepted the plundering of your ^[c]goods, knowing that ^(F)you have a better and an enduring possession for yourselves ^[d]in heaven. ³⁵ Therefore do not cast away your confidence, ^(G)which has great reward. ^36 (H)For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, ^(I)you may receive the promise:

³⁹ But we are not of those ^(M)who draw back to ^[h]perdition, but of those who ^(N)believe to the saving of the soul.