Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Shiggaion of David, which he sang unto the LORD, concerning the words of Cush the Benjamite.
1 ¶ O LORD my God, in thee I have put my trust: save me from all those that persecute me, and deliver me
2 Lest they take my soul, as a lion dismembers his prey when there is none to deliver.
3 O LORD my God, if I have done this: if there is iniquity in my hands,
4 if I have rewarded evil unto him that was at peace with me, then let my persecutor escape without retribution.
5 Let the enemy persecute my soul, and take it; let him tread down my life upon the earth and lay my honour in the dust. Selah.
6 Arise, O LORD, in thine anger; lift up thyself because of the rage of mine enemies: and awake the judgment in my favour that thou hast commanded.
7 So shall the congregation of the people compass thee about, for their sakes therefore return thou on high.
8 The LORD shall judge the people: judge me, O LORD, according to my righteousness and according to the integrity that is in me.
9 Let wickedness consume the wicked; but establish the just: for the righteous God is he who tries the hearts and kidneys.
10 ¶ My shield is in God, he who saves the upright in heart.
11 God is he who judges the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day.
12 If he does not turn, he will whet his sword; he has bent his bow and made it ready.
13 He has also prepared for him the weapons of death; he ordains his arrows against the persecutors.
14 Behold, he travails with iniquity and has conceived of his own work and brought forth falsehood.
15 He made a pit and deepened it and shall fall into the ditch which he made.
16 His work shall return upon his own head, and his violent dealing shall come down upon his own pate.
17 I will praise the LORD according to his righteousness and will sing praise to the name of the LORD most high.
9 ¶ Publish upon the palaces of Ashdod and upon the palaces of the land of Egypt and say, Assemble yourselves upon the mountains of Samaria and behold the great oppression in the midst thereof and the great violence in the midst thereof.
10 For they do not know to do right, said the LORD, storing up violence and robbery in their palaces.
11 Therefore thus said the Lord GOD: An adversary there shall be even round about the land, and he shall bring down thy strength from thee, and thy palaces shall be spoiled.
12 Thus hath the LORD said: As the pastor takes out of the mouth of the lion two legs or a piece of an ear, so shall the sons of Israel escape that dwell in Samaria in the corner of the bed and at the border of the couch.
13 Hear ye, and protest in the house of Jacob, said the Lord GOD, the God of the hosts,
14 that in the day that I shall visit the rebellions of Israel upon him, I will also visit upon the altars of Bethel, and the horns of the altar shall be cut off and fall to the ground.
15 And I will smite the winter house with the summer house, and the houses of ivory shall perish, and many houses shall be cut off, said the LORD.
4 ¶ Hear this word, ye cows of Bashan, that are in the mountain of Samaria, who oppress the poor, who crush the needy, who say to their masters, Bring, and let us drink.
2 The Lord GOD has sworn by his holiness that, behold, the days shall come upon you that he will take you away with hooks, and your posterity in fishing boats.
3 And ye shall go forth by the breaches one after another, and ye shall be cast out of the palace, saith the LORD.
4 Go to Bethel, and transgress; at Gilgal increase the rebellion; and bring your sacrifices early in the morning and your tithes every three years:
5 and offer a sacrifice of praise with leaven, and proclaim and publish the free will offerings for this is the way you like it, O ye sons of Israel, said the Lord GOD.
2 ¶ My brethren, do not have the faith of our Lord Jesus, the glorious Christ, with respect of persons.
2 For if a man with a gold ring and in precious apparel comes into your synagogue and a poor person in vile raiment also comes in,
3 and ye have respect to him that wears the precious clothing and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there or sit here under my footstool:
4 Are ye not then judging in yourselves and are become judges of evil thoughts?
5 Hearken, my beloved brethren, Has not God chosen the poor of this world that they might be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which he has promised to those that love him?
6 But ye have despised the poor. Do not the rich oppress you with tyranny and draw you with violence to the courts?
7 Do they not blaspheme that worthy name by which ye are called?
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