Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

⁵ Lord your faithful love reaches as high as the sky.
People can trust you beyond the clouds.
⁶ Your justice is like the strongest mountains.
You always do what is right,
    more than the seas are deep.^[a]
You take care of people and animals
    and you keep them safe.
⁷ God, your faithful love has great value!
You keep all humans safe,
    like birds protect their babies under their wings.
⁸ You have plenty of food in your house,
    to give them all that they need.
You give them water from your river,
    that makes them happy when they drink it.
⁹ Yes, you are the one who gives us light and life.
¹⁰ Continue to love those who serve you as your people.
Let good, honest people receive your justice.

‘If a man sends his wife away,
    she may leave him and marry another man.
Then her first husband may not take her as his wife again.
    That would be a sin against the land where you live.^[a]
But you have left me to live with other gods.
You have lived like a prostitute,
    but you still think that you can return to me.
² Look up at the tops of the hills.
    You have loved other gods on all of them!
You sat by the side of the road,
    and you waited for a lover to come.
Like a robber, you waited to catch men
    so that you could sleep with them.
You have not been faithful to me,
    but you have looked for other gods, like a prostitute.
The wicked things that you have done
    have made the land unclean.
³ That is why I have not sent any rain on your land.
    Even the spring rains have not come.
But you still live like a proud prostitute.

⁴ You still call me your Father.
You say, “You have always been my friend.
    You have loved me all my life.
⁵ Surely you will not always be angry with me!
    You cannot continue to be angry for ever.”
Those are the things that you say.
    But you continue to do as many evil things as you can.’