Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Prayer for Protection from the Wicked.
For the choir director; for [a]flute accompaniment. A Psalm of David.
5 (A)Give ear to my words, O Lord,
Consider my [b](B)groaning.
2 Heed (C)the sound of my cry for help, (D)my King and my God,
For to You I pray.
3 In the morning, O Lord, [c]You will hear my voice;
In the (E)morning I will order my [d]prayer to You and eagerly (F)watch.
4 For You are not a God (G)who takes pleasure in wickedness;
(H)No evil [e]dwells with You.
5 The (I)boastful shall not (J)stand before Your eyes;
You (K)hate all who do iniquity.
6 You (L)destroy those who speak falsehood;
The Lord abhors (M)the man of bloodshed and deceit.
7 But as for me, (N)by Your abundant lovingkindness I will enter Your house,
[f]At Your holy temple I will (O)bow in (P)reverence for You.
8 O Lord, (Q)lead me (R)in Your righteousness (S)because of [g]my foes;
Make Your way [h]straight before me.
9 There is (T)nothing [i]reliable in [j]what they say;
Their (U)inward part is destruction itself.
Their (V)throat is an open grave;
They [k]flatter with their tongue.
10 Hold them guilty, O God;
(W)By their own devices let them fall!
In the multitude of their transgressions (X)thrust them out,
For they are (Y)rebellious against You.
9 The (A)word of the Lord also came to me, saying, 10 “(B)Take an offering from the exiles, from Heldai, Tobijah and Jedaiah; and you go the same day and enter the house of Josiah the son of Zephaniah, where they have arrived from Babylon.
The Symbolic Crowns
11 Take silver and gold, make an ornate (C)crown and set it on the head of (D)Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest. 12 Then say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, “Behold, a man whose name is [a](E)Branch, for He will [b](F)branch out from where He is; and He will (G)build the temple of the Lord. 13 Yes, it is He who will build the temple of the Lord, and He who will (H)bear the honor and sit and (I)rule on His throne. Thus, He will be a (J)priest on His throne, and the counsel of peace will be between the two [c]offices.”’ 14 Now the (K)crown will become a reminder in the temple of the Lord to Helem, Tobijah, Jedaiah and [d]Hen the son of Zephaniah. 15 (L)Those who are far off will come and [e]build the temple of the Lord.” Then you will (M)know that the Lord of hosts has sent me to you. And it will take place if you completely (N)obey the Lord your God.
3 (A)Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who (B)according to His great mercy (C)has caused us to be born again to (D)a living hope through the (E)resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to obtain an (F)inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and (G)will not fade away, (H)reserved in heaven for you, 5 who are (I)protected by the power of God (J)through faith for (K)a salvation ready (L)to be revealed in the last time. 6 (M)In this you greatly rejoice, even though now (N)for a little while, (O)if necessary, you have been distressed by (P)various [a]trials, 7 so that the [b](Q)proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which [c]is perishable, (R)even though tested by fire, (S)may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at (T)the revelation of Jesus Christ; 8 and (U)though you have not seen Him, you (V)love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and [d]full of glory, 9 obtaining as (W)the outcome of your faith the salvation of [e]your souls.
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