Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Psalm 50
A psalm of Asaph.
1 The Mighty One, God, the Lord,(A)
speaks and summons the earth
from the rising of the sun to where it sets.(B)
2 From Zion,(C) perfect in beauty,(D)
God shines forth.(E)
3 Our God comes(F)
and will not be silent;(G)
a fire devours(H) before him,(I)
and around him a tempest(J) rages.
4 He summons the heavens above,
and the earth,(K) that he may judge his people:(L)
5 “Gather to me this consecrated people,(M)
who made a covenant(N) with me by sacrifice.”
6 And the heavens proclaim(O) his righteousness,
for he is a God of justice.[a][b](P)
The Lord’s Anger Against Israel
8 The Lord has sent a message(A) against Jacob;
it will fall on Israel.
9 All the people will know it—
Ephraim(B) and the inhabitants of Samaria(C)—
who say with pride
and arrogance(D) of heart,
10 “The bricks have fallen down,
but we will rebuild with dressed stone;(E)
the fig(F) trees have been felled,
but we will replace them with cedars.(G)”
11 But the Lord has strengthened Rezin’s(H) foes against them
and has spurred their enemies on.
12 Arameans(I) from the east and Philistines(J) from the west
have devoured(K) Israel with open mouth.
13 But the people have not returned(N) to him who struck(O) them,
nor have they sought(P) the Lord Almighty.
14 So the Lord will cut off from Israel both head and tail,
both palm branch and reed(Q) in a single day;(R)
15 the elders(S) and dignitaries(T) are the head,
the prophets(U) who teach lies(V) are the tail.
16 Those who guide(W) this people mislead them,
and those who are guided are led astray.(X)
17 Therefore the Lord will take no pleasure in the young men,(Y)
nor will he pity(Z) the fatherless and widows,
for everyone is ungodly(AA) and wicked,(AB)
every mouth speaks folly.(AC)
Yet for all this, his anger is not turned away,
his hand is still upraised.(AD)
Paul’s Anguish Over Israel
9 I speak the truth in Christ—I am not lying,(A) my conscience confirms(B) it through the Holy Spirit— 2 I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. 3 For I could wish that I myself(C) were cursed(D) and cut off from Christ for the sake of my people,(E) those of my own race,(F) 4 the people of Israel.(G) Theirs is the adoption to sonship;(H) theirs the divine glory,(I) the covenants,(J) the receiving of the law,(K) the temple worship(L) and the promises.(M) 5 Theirs are the patriarchs,(N) and from them is traced the human ancestry of the Messiah,(O) who is God over all,(P) forever praised Amen.
God’s Sovereign Choice
6 It is not as though God’s word(R) had failed. For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel.(S) 7 Nor because they are his descendants are they all Abraham’s children. On the contrary, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.”[b](T) 8 In other words, it is not the children by physical descent who are God’s children,(U) but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham’s offspring.(V) 9 For this was how the promise was stated: “At the appointed time I will return, and Sarah will have a son.”[c](W)
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