Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Pleading for Help and Grateful Trust in God.
For the music director; according to [a]Jonath elem rehokim. A [b]Mikhtam of David, [c]when the Philistines seized him in Gath.
56 Be gracious to me, God, for a man has [d](A)trampled upon me;
[e]Fighting all day long he (B)oppresses me.
2 My enemies have (C)trampled upon me all day long,
For [f]they are many who (D)fight proudly against me.
3 [g]When I am (E)afraid,
[h]I will (F)put my trust in You.
4 (G)In God, whose word I praise,
In God I have put my trust;
I shall not be afraid.
(H)What can mere [i]mortals do to me?
5 All day long they (I)distort my words;
All their [j](J)thoughts are against me for evil.
6 They [k](K)attack, they lurk,
They (L)watch my [l]steps,
As they have (M)waited to take my [m]life.
7 Because of their wickedness, will there be an (N)escape for them?
In anger (O)make the peoples fall down, God!
8 You (P)have taken account of my [n]miseries;
Put my (Q)tears in Your bottle.
Are they not in (R)Your book?
9 Then my enemies will (S)turn back (T)on the day when I call;
This I know, [o]that (U)God is for me.
10 In God, whose word I praise,
In the Lord, whose word I praise,
11 In God I have put my [p]trust, I shall not be afraid.
What can mankind do to me?
12 Your (V)vows are binding upon me, God;
I will render thanksgiving offerings to You.
13 For You have (W)saved my soul from death,
[q]Indeed (X)my feet from stumbling,
So that I may (Y)walk before God
In the (Z)light of the [r]living.
The Almond Branch and Boiling Pot
11 And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “What do you see, (A)Jeremiah?” And I said, “I see a branch of an [a]almond tree.” 12 Then the Lord said to me, “You have seen well, for (B)I am [b]watching over My word to perform it.”
13 And the word of the Lord came to me a second time, saying, “(C)What do you see?” And I said, “I see a boiling (D)pot, facing away from the north.” 14 Then the Lord said to me, “(E)Out of the north the evil [c]will be unleashed on all the inhabitants of the land. 15 For, behold, I am calling (F)all the families of the kingdoms of the north,” declares the Lord; “and they will come and (G)place, each one of them, his throne at the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem, and against all its walls around, and against all the (H)cities of Judah. 16 And I will [d]pronounce My judgments against them concerning all their wickedness, since they have (I)abandoned Me and have [e](J)offered sacrifices to other gods, and worshiped the (K)works of their own hands. 17 Now, (L)belt your garment around your waist and arise, and speak to them all that I command you. (M)Do not be dismayed before them, or I will make you dismayed before them. 18 Now behold, I have made you today like a fortified city and like a pillar of iron and walls of bronze against the whole land, to the kings of Judah, to its leaders, to its priests, and to the people of the land. 19 And they will fight against you but they will not overcome you, for (N)I am with you to save you,” declares the Lord.
41 When He approached Jerusalem, He saw the city and (A)wept over it, 42 saying, “If you had known on this day, even you, the conditions for peace! But now they have been hidden from your eyes. 43 For the days will come upon you [a]when your enemies will (B)put up a [b]barricade against you, and (C)surround you and hem you in on every side, 44 and they will level you to the ground, and throw down your children within you, and (D)they will not leave in you one stone upon [c]another, because you did not recognize (E)the time of your visitation.”
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