Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
BOOK 2
Thirsting for God in Trouble and Exile.
For the music director. A [a]Maskil of the sons of Korah.
42 As the deer [b]pants for the water brooks,
So my soul [c](A)pants for You, God.
2 My soul (B)thirsts for God, for the (C)living God;
When shall I come and [d](D)appear before God?
3 My (E)tears have been my food day and night,
While they (F)say to me all day long, “Where is your God?”
4 I remember these things and (G)pour out my soul within me.
For I (H)used to go over with the multitude and walk them to the house of God,
With a voice of (I)joy and thanksgiving, a multitude celebrating a festival.
5 (J)Why are you [e](K)in despair, my soul?
And why are you (L)restless within me?
(M)Wait for God, for I will [f]again praise [g]Him
For the [h](N)help of His [i]presence, my God.
6 My soul is [j]in despair within me;
Therefore I (O)remember You from (P)the land of the Jordan
And the [k]peaks of (Q)Hermon, from Mount Mizar.
7 Deep calls to deep at the sound of Your waterfalls;
All Your (R)breakers and Your waves have passed over me.
8 The Lord will (S)send His goodness in the daytime;
And His song will be with me (T)in the night,
A prayer to (U)the God of my life.
9 I will say to God (V)my rock, “Why have You forgotten me?
Why do I go about (W)mourning [l]because of the (X)oppression of the enemy?”
10 As a shattering of my bones, my adversaries taunt me,
While they (Y)say to me all day long, “Where is your God?”
11 (Z)Why are you [m]in despair, my soul?
And why are you restless within me?
Wait for God, for I will again praise [n]Him
For the [o]help of His presence, my God.
Prayer for Help.
43 (A)Vindicate me, God, and (B)plead my case against an ungodly nation;
[a]Save me from (C)the deceitful and unjust person!
2 For You are the (D)God of my strength; why have You (E)rejected me?
Why do I go about (F)mourning [b]because of the oppression of the enemy?
14 “For the (A)despairing man there should be kindness from his friend;
So that he does not (B)abandon the [a]fear of the Almighty.
15 My brothers have acted (C)deceitfully like a [b]wadi,
Like the torrents of [c]wadis which drain away,
16 Which are darkened because of ice,
And into which the snow [d]melts.
17 When (D)they dry up, they vanish;
When it is hot, they disappear from their place.
18 The [e]paths of their course wind along,
They go up into wasteland and perish.
19 The caravans of (E)Tema looked,
The travelers of (F)Sheba hoped for them.
20 They (G)were put to shame, for they had trusted,
They came there and were humiliated.
21 Indeed, you have now become such,
(H)You see terrors and are afraid.
22 Have I said, ‘Give me something,’
Or, ‘Offer a bribe for me from your wealth,’
23 Or, ‘Save me from the hand of the enemy,’
Or, ‘Redeem me from the hand of the tyrants’?
24 “Teach me, and (I)I will be silent;
And show me how I have done wrong.
25 How painful are honest words!
But what does your argument prove?
26 Do you intend to rebuke my words,
When the (J)words of one in despair belong to the wind?
27 You would even (K)cast lots for (L)the orphans,
And (M)barter over your friend.
28 Now please look at me,
And see if I am (N)lying to your face.
29 Please turn away, let there be no injustice;
Turn away, (O)my righteousness is still in it.
30 Is there injustice on my tongue?
Does (P)my palate not discern disasters?
Intent of the Law
15 (A)Brothers and sisters, (B)I speak [a]in terms of human relations: (C)even though it is only a man’s [b]covenant, yet when it has been ratified, no one sets it aside or adds [c]conditions to it. 16 Now the promises were spoken (D)to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as one would in referring to many, but rather as in referring to one, “(E)And to your seed,” that is, Christ. 17 What I am saying is this: the Law, which came (F)430 years later, does not invalidate a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to nullify the promise. 18 For (G)if the inheritance is [d]based on law, it is no longer [e]based on a promise; but (H)God has granted it to Abraham by means of a promise.
19 (I)Why the Law then? It was added on account of the [f]violations, having been (J)ordered through angels (K)at the hand of a [g]mediator, until (L)the Seed would come to whom the promise had been made. 20 Now (M)a mediator is not [h]for one party only; but God is only one. 21 Is the Law then contrary to the promises of God? [i](N)Far from it! For (O)if a law had been given that was able to impart life, then righteousness [j]would indeed have been [k]based on law. 22 But the Scripture has (P)confined [l]everyone under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.
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