The Daily Lectionary
Tuesday, July 18, 2023
Psalm 142; Jeremiah 49:7-11; Ephesians 4:17—5:2
(Revised Common Lectionary Year A)
(Semi-continuous Reading Plan)
Tuesday, July 18, 2023
Psalm 142; Jeremiah 49:7-11; Ephesians 4:17—5:2
(Revised Common Lectionary Year A)
(Semi-continuous Reading Plan)
A Psalm and A Prayer
Responsive Readings from the Psalms and Prayers
for Public Worship and Private Devotions
Psalm 142
God my refuge and portion
Voce mea ad Domine
I cry to the LORD with my voice; *
to the LORD I make loud supplication.
I pour out my complaint before him *
and tell him all my trouble.
When my spirit languishes within me, you know my path; *
in the way wherein I walk they have hidden a trap for me.
I look to my right hand and find no one who knows me; *
I have no place to flee to, and no one cares for me.
I cry out to you, O LORD; *
I say, “You are my refuge,
my portion in the land of the living.”
Listen to my cry for help, for I have been brought very low;*
save me from those who pursue me,
for they are too strong for me.
Bring me out of prison, that I may give thanks to your Name;*
when you have dealt bountifully with me,
the righteous will gather around me.
Heavenly Father, thank You for calling us into Your Kingdom. Thank You for being ever present with us and ever willing to hear our prayers and supplications. Thank You for answering the prayers of Your Son in our behalf; as Jesus Christ promised to pray for us as our Advocate with the Father. May we understand the leading of Your Holy Spirit through Your word and as Your Spirit moves upon our spirits to direct us. In these troubled times, show us the way ahead and the path that we should walk. Give us a fresh faith in You; strong enough to cast out all our fears and keep us from worry. We thank You for loving us and inviting us to pray in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ as we pray,
“Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.”Jeremiah 49:7-11
Edom children of Esau punished
Concerning Edom:
This is what the Lord Almighty says:
“Is there no longer wisdom in Teman?Ephesians 4:17—5:2
Has counsel perished from the prudent?
Has their wisdom decayed?
Turn and flee, hide in deep caves,
you who live in Dedan,
for I will bring disaster on Esau
at the time when I punish him.
If grape pickers came to you,
would they not leave a few grapes?
If thieves came during the night,
would they not steal only as much as they wanted?
But I will strip Esau bare;
I will uncover his hiding places,
so that he cannot conceal himself.
His armed men are destroyed,
also his allies and neighbors,
so there is no one to say,
‘Leave your fatherless children; I will keep them alive.
Your widows too can depend on me.’”
The old life and the new
So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed.
That, however, is not the way of life you learned when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need.
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
Optional parts of the readings are set off in [square brackets.]
The Bible texts of the Old Testament, Epistle, and Gospel lessons are from The Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Responsive Readings from the Common Book of Prayer (1789).
The Daily Lectionary is a three year cyclical lectionary. We are currently in Year A. Beginning with the first Sunday of Advent in 2023, we will be in Year B. The year which ended at Advent 2022 was Year A. These readings complement the Sunday and festival readings: Thursday through Saturday readings help prepare the reader for the Sunday ahead; Monday through Wednesday readings help the reader reflect and digest on what they heard in worship. Revised Common Lectionary Daily Readings, copyright © 2005 Consultation on Common Texts. www.commontexts.org
The Daily Lectionary for Tuesday, July 18, 2023
Psalm 142; Jeremiah 49:7-11; Ephesians 4:17—5:2
