Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
BOOK V
Psalms 107–150
Psalm 107
2 Let the redeemed(C) of the Lord tell their story—
those he redeemed from the hand of the foe,
3 those he gathered(D) from the lands,
from east and west, from north and south.[a]
4 Some wandered in desert(E) wastelands,
finding no way to a city(F) where they could settle.
5 They were hungry(G) and thirsty,(H)
and their lives ebbed away.
6 Then they cried out(I) to the Lord in their trouble,
and he delivered them from their distress.
7 He led them by a straight way(J)
to a city(K) where they could settle.
33 He turned rivers into a desert,(A)
flowing springs(B) into thirsty ground,
34 and fruitful land into a salt waste,(C)
because of the wickedness of those who lived there.
35 He turned the desert into pools of water(D)
and the parched ground into flowing springs;(E)
36 there he brought the hungry to live,
and they founded a city where they could settle.
37 They sowed fields and planted vineyards(F)
that yielded a fruitful harvest;
Rahab and the Spies
2 Then Joshua son of Nun secretly sent two spies(A) from Shittim.(B) “Go, look over(C) the land,” he said, “especially Jericho.(D)” So they went and entered the house of a prostitute named Rahab(E) and stayed there.
2 The king of Jericho was told, “Look, some of the Israelites have come here tonight to spy out the land.” 3 So the king of Jericho sent this message to Rahab:(F) “Bring out the men who came to you and entered your house, because they have come to spy out the whole land.”
4 But the woman had taken the two men(G) and hidden them.(H) She said, “Yes, the men came to me, but I did not know where they had come from. 5 At dusk, when it was time to close the city gate,(I) they left. I don’t know which way they went. Go after them quickly. You may catch up with them.”(J) 6 (But she had taken them up to the roof and hidden them under the stalks of flax(K) she had laid out on the roof.)(L) 7 So the men set out in pursuit of the spies on the road that leads to the fords of the Jordan,(M) and as soon as the pursuers(N) had gone out, the gate was shut.
8 Before the spies lay down for the night, she went up on the roof(O) 9 and said to them, “I know that the Lord has given you this land and that a great fear(P) of you has fallen on us, so that all who live in this country are melting in fear because of you. 10 We have heard how the Lord dried up(Q) the water of the Red Sea[a] for you when you came out of Egypt,(R) and what you did to Sihon and Og,(S) the two kings of the Amorites(T) east of the Jordan,(U) whom you completely destroyed.[b](V) 11 When we heard of it, our hearts melted in fear(W) and everyone’s courage failed(X) because of you,(Y) for the Lord your God(Z) is God in heaven above and on the earth(AA) below.
12 “Now then, please swear to me(AB) by the Lord that you will show kindness(AC) to my family, because I have shown kindness to you. Give me a sure sign(AD) 13 that you will spare the lives of my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all who belong to them(AE)—and that you will save us from death.”
14 “Our lives for your lives!”(AF) the men assured her. “If you don’t tell what we are doing, we will treat you kindly and faithfully(AG) when the Lord gives us the land.”
False Teachers and Their Destruction
2 But there were also false prophets(A) among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you.(B) They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord(C) who bought them(D)—bringing swift destruction on themselves. 2 Many will follow their depraved conduct(E) and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. 3 In their greed(F) these teachers will exploit you(G) with fabricated stories. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.
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