Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
The Just Judgment of the Wicked
To the Chief Musician. Set to [a]“Do Not Destroy.” A Michtam of David.
58 Do you indeed speak righteousness, you silent ones?
Do you judge uprightly, you sons of men?
2 No, in heart you work wickedness;
You weigh out the violence of your hands in the earth.
3 (A)The wicked are estranged from the womb;
They go astray as soon as they are born, speaking lies.
4 (B)Their poison is like the poison of a serpent;
They are like the deaf cobra that stops its ear,
5 Which will not (C)heed the voice of charmers,
Charming ever so skillfully.
6 (D)Break[b] their teeth in their mouth, O God!
Break out the fangs of the young lions, O Lord!
7 (E)Let them flow away as waters which run continually;
When he bends his bow,
Let his arrows be as if cut in pieces.
8 Let them be like a snail which melts away as it goes,
(F)Like a stillborn child of a woman, that they may not see the sun.
9 Before your (G)pots can feel the burning thorns,
He shall take them away (H)as with a whirlwind,
As in His living and burning wrath.
10 The righteous shall rejoice when he sees the (I)vengeance;
(J)He shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked,
11 (K)So that men will say,
“Surely there is a reward for the righteous;
Surely He is God who (L)judges in the earth.”
23 “How(A) can you say, ‘I am not [a]polluted,
I have not gone after the Baals’?
See your way in the valley;
Know what you have done:
You are a swift dromedary breaking loose in her ways,
24 A wild donkey used to the wilderness,
That sniffs at the wind in her desire;
In her time of mating, who can turn her away?
All those who seek her will not weary themselves;
In her month they will find her.
25 Withhold your foot from being unshod, and your throat from thirst.
But you said, (B)‘There is no hope.
No! For I have loved (C)aliens, and after them I will go.’
26 “As the thief is ashamed when he is found out,
So is the house of Israel ashamed;
They and their kings and their princes, and their priests and their (D)prophets,
27 Saying to a tree, ‘You are my father,’
And to a (E)stone, ‘You gave birth to me.’
For they have turned their back to Me, and not their face.
But in the time of their (F)trouble
They will say, ‘Arise and save us.’
28 But (G)where are your gods that you have made for yourselves?
Let them arise,
If they (H)can save you in the time of your [b]trouble;
For (I)according to the number of your cities
Are your gods, O Judah.
29 “Why will you plead with Me?
You all have transgressed against Me,” says the Lord.
30 “In vain I have (J)chastened your children;
They (K)received no correction.
Your sword has (L)devoured your prophets
Like a destroying lion.
31 “O generation, see the word of the Lord!
Have I been a wilderness to Israel,
Or a land of darkness?
Why do My people say, ‘We [c]are lords;
(M)We will come no more to You’?
32 Can a virgin forget her ornaments,
Or a bride her attire?
Yet My people (N)have forgotten Me days without number.
33 “Why do you beautify your way to seek love?
Therefore you have also taught
The wicked women your ways.
34 Also on your skirts is found
(O)The blood of the lives of the poor innocents.
I have not found it by [d]secret search,
But plainly on all these things.
35 (P)Yet you say, ‘Because I am innocent,
Surely His anger shall turn from me.’
Behold, (Q)I will plead My case against you,
(R)Because you say, ‘I have not sinned.’
36 (S)Why do you gad about so much to change your way?
Also (T)you shall be ashamed of Egypt (U)as you were ashamed of Assyria.
37 Indeed you will go forth from him
With your hands on (V)your head;
For the Lord has rejected your trusted allies,
And you will (W)not prosper by them.
Concluding Religious Directions
7 Remember those who [a]rule over you, who have spoken the word of God to you, whose faith follow, considering the outcome of their conduct. 8 Jesus Christ is (A)the same yesterday, today, and forever. 9 Do not be carried [b]about with various and strange doctrines. For it is good that the heart be established by grace, not with foods which have not profited those who have been occupied with them.
10 We have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat. 11 For the bodies of those animals, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned outside the camp. 12 Therefore Jesus also, that He might [c]sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate. 13 Therefore let us go forth to Him, outside the camp, bearing (B)His reproach. 14 For here we have no continuing city, but we seek the one to come. 15 (C)Therefore by Him let us continually offer (D)the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, (E)the fruit of our lips, [d]giving thanks to His name. 16 (F)But do not forget to do good and to share, for (G)with such sacrifices God is well pleased.
17 (H)Obey those who [e]rule over you, and be submissive, for (I)they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.
Prayer Requested
18 (J)Pray for us; for we are confident that we have (K)a good conscience, in all things desiring to live honorably. 19 But I especially urge you to do this, that I may be restored to you the sooner.
Benediction, Final Exhortation, Farewell
20 Now may (L)the God of peace (M)who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, (N)that great Shepherd of the sheep, (O)through the blood of the everlasting covenant, 21 make you [f]complete in every good work to do His will, (P)working in [g]you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.