Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

1 Great blessings belong to those
    who don’t listen to evil advice,
who don’t live like sinners,
    and who don’t join those who make fun of God.^[a]
2 Instead, they love the Lord’s teachings
    and think about them day and night.
³ So they grow strong,
    like a tree planted by a stream—
a tree that produces fruit when it should
    and has leaves that never fall.
Everything they do is successful.

17 “The sins of Judah are written where they cannot be erased—
    cut into stone with an iron pen,
cut deep with a hard tip into the stone that is the hearts of the people.
    Their sins are carved into the horns of their altars.^[a]
2 Their children remember the altars
    that were dedicated to false gods.
They remember the wooden poles
    that were dedicated to Asherah.
They remember those things
    under the green trees and on the hills.
³ They remember those things
    on the mountains in the open country.
The people of Judah have many treasures.
    I will give those things to other people.
People will destroy all the high places in your country.
    You worshiped there, and that was a sin.
⁴ You will lose the land I gave you.
    I will let your enemies take you to be their slaves.
That is because I am very angry.
    My anger is like a hot fire, and you will be burned forever.”