Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
BOOK 2
Thirsting for God in Trouble and Exile.
For the choir 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, O 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 These things I remember and I (G)pour out my soul within me.
For I (H)used to go along with the throng and [e]lead them in procession to the house of God,
With the voice of (I)joy and thanksgiving, a multitude keeping festival.
5 (J)Why are you [f](K)in despair, O my soul?
And why have you become (L)disturbed within me?
[g](M)Hope in God, for I shall [h]again praise [i]Him
For the [j](N)help of His presence.
6 O my God, my soul is [k]in despair within me;
Therefore I (O)remember You from (P)the land of the Jordan
And the [l]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 rolled over me.
8 The Lord will (S)command His lovingkindness 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 (W)mourning [m]because of the (X)oppression of the enemy?”
10 As a shattering of my bones, my adversaries revile me,
While they (Y)say to me all day long, “Where is your God?”
11 (Z)Why are you [n]in despair, O my soul?
And why have you become disturbed within me?
[o]Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him,
The [p]help of my countenance and my God.
Prayer for Deliverance.
43 (A)Vindicate me, O God, and (B)plead my case against an ungodly nation;
[a]O deliver me from (C)the deceitful and unjust man!
2 For You are the (D)God of my strength; why have You (E)rejected me?
Why do I go (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)forsake the [a]fear of the Almighty.
15 “My brothers have acted (C)deceitfully like a [b]wadi,
Like the torrents of [c]wadis which vanish,
16 Which are turbid because of ice
And into which the snow [d]melts.
17 “When (D)they become waterless, they [e]are silent,
When it is hot, they vanish from their place.
18 “The [f]paths of their course wind along,
They go up into nothing and perish.
19 “The caravans of (E)Tema looked,
The travelers of (F)Sheba hoped for them.
20 “They (G)were [g]disappointed for they had trusted,
They came there and were confounded.
21 “Indeed, you have now become such,
(H)You see a terror and are afraid.
22 “Have I said, ‘Give me something,’
Or, ‘Offer a bribe for me from your wealth,’
23 Or, ‘Deliver me from the hand of the adversary,’
Or, ‘Redeem me from the hand of the tyrants’?
24 “Teach me, and (I)I will be silent;
And show me how I have erred.
25 “How painful are honest words!
But what does your argument prove?
26 “Do you intend to reprove 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 (N)lie to your face.
29 “Desist now, let there be no injustice;
Even desist, (O)my righteousness is yet in it.
30 “Is there injustice on my tongue?
Cannot (P)my palate discern [h]calamities?
Intent of the Law
15 (A)Brethren, (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 referring to many, but rather to one, “(E)And to your seed,” that is, Christ. 17 What I am saying is this: the Law, which came (F)four hundred and thirty 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 [f]because of transgressions, having been (J)ordained through angels (K)by the [g]agency of a 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; whereas God is only one. 21 Is the Law then contrary to the promises of God? (N)May it never be! For (O)if a law had been given which was able to impart life, then righteousness [i]would indeed have been [j]based on law. 22 But the Scripture has (P)shut up [k]everyone under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.