Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

139 O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. ² You know when I sit or stand. When far away you know my every thought. ³ You chart the path ahead of me and tell me where to stop and rest. Every moment you know where I am. ⁴ You know what I am going to say before I even say it. ⁵ You both precede and follow me and place your hand of blessing on my head.

⁶ This is too glorious, too wonderful to believe!

¹³ You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit them together in my mother’s womb. ¹⁴ Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! It is amazing to think about. Your workmanship is marvelous—and how well I know it. ¹⁵ You were there while I was being formed in utter seclusion! ¹⁶ You saw me before I was born and scheduled each day of my life before I began to breathe. Every day was recorded in your book!

^17-18 How precious it is, Lord, to realize that you are thinking about me constantly! I can’t even count how many times a day your thoughts turn toward me.^[a] And when I waken in the morning, you are still thinking of me!

^14-15 But there will come a glorious day, says the Lord, when the whole topic of conversation will be that God is bringing his people home from a nation in the north, and from many other lands where he had scattered them. You will look back no longer to the time when I rescued you from your slavery in Egypt. That mighty miracle will scarcely be mentioned anymore. Yes, I will bring you back again, says the Lord, to this same land I gave your fathers.

¹⁶ Now I am sending for many fishermen to fish you from the deeps where you are hiding from my wrath. I am sending for hunters to chase you down like deer in the forests or mountain goats on inaccessible crags. Wherever you run to escape my judgment, I will find you and punish you. ¹⁷ For I am closely watching you, and I see every sin. You cannot hope to hide from me.

¹⁸ And I will punish you doubly for all your sins because you have defiled my land with your detestable idols and filled it up with all your evil deeds.

¹⁹ O Lord, my Strength and Fortress, my Refuge in the day of trouble, nations from around the world will come to you saying, “Our fathers have been foolish, for they have worshiped worthless idols! ²⁰ Can men make God? The gods they made are not real gods at all.”

²¹ And when they come in that spirit, I will show them^[a] my power and might and make them understand at last that I alone am God.

17 My people sin as though commanded to, as though their evil were laws chiseled with an iron pen or diamond point upon their stony hearts or on the corners of their altars. ^2-3 Their youths do not forget to sin, worshiping idols beneath each tree, high in the mountains or in the open country down below. And so I will give all your treasures to your enemies as the price that you must pay for all your sins. ⁴ And the wonderful heritage I reserved for you will slip out of your hand, and I will send you away as slaves to your enemies in distant lands. For you have kindled a fire of my anger that shall burn forever.

⁷ Tychicus, our much-loved brother, will tell you how I am getting along. He is a hard worker and serves the Lord with me. ⁸ I have sent him on this special trip just to see how you are and to comfort and encourage you. ⁹ I am also sending Onesimus, a faithful and much-loved brother, one of your own people. He and Tychicus will give you all the latest news.

¹⁰ Aristarchus, who is with me here as a prisoner, sends you his love, and so does Mark, a relative of Barnabas. And as I said before, give Mark a hearty welcome^[a] if he comes your way. ¹¹ Jesus Justus also sends his love. These are the only Jewish Christians working with me here, and what a comfort they have been!

¹² Epaphras, from your city, a servant of Christ Jesus, sends you his love. He is always earnestly praying for you, asking God to make you strong and perfect and to help you know his will in everything you do. ¹³ I can assure you that he has worked hard for you with his prayers, and also for the Christians in Laodicea and Hierapolis.

¹⁴ Dear Doctor Luke sends his love, and so does Demas.

¹⁵ Please give my greeting to the Christian friends at Laodicea, and to Nymphas, and to those who meet in his home. ¹⁶ By the way, after you have read this letter, will you pass it on to the church at Laodicea? And read the letter I wrote to them. ¹⁷ And say to Archippus, “Be sure that you do all the Lord has told you to.”