Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

Psalm 9^[a][b]

For the director of music. To the tune of “The Death of the Son.” A psalm of David.

The Man Among the Myrtle Trees

⁷ On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, the month of Shebat, in the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came to the prophet Zechariah son of Berekiah, the son of Iddo.^(A)

⁸ During the night I had a vision, and there before me was a man mounted on a red^(B) horse. He was standing among the myrtle trees in a ravine. Behind him were red, brown and white horses.^(C)

⁹ I asked, “What are these, my lord?”

The angel^(D) who was talking with me answered, “I will show you what they are.”^(E)

¹⁰ Then the man standing among the myrtle trees explained, “They are the ones the Lord has sent to go throughout the earth.”^(F)

¹¹ And they reported to the angel of the Lord^(G) who was standing among the myrtle trees, “We have gone throughout the earth and found the whole world at rest and in peace.”^(H)

¹² Then the angel of the Lord said, “Lord Almighty, how long^(I) will you withhold mercy^(J) from Jerusalem and from the towns of Judah,^(K) which you have been angry with these seventy^(L) years?” ¹³ So the Lord spoke^(M) kind and comforting words^(N) to the angel who talked with me.^(O)

¹⁴ Then the angel who was speaking to me said, “Proclaim this word: This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘I am very jealous^(P) for Jerusalem and Zion, ¹⁵ and I am very angry with the nations that feel secure.^(Q) I was only a little angry,^(R) but they went too far with the punishment.’^(S)

¹⁶ “Therefore this is what the Lord says: ‘I will return^(T) to Jerusalem with mercy, and there my house will be rebuilt. And the measuring line^(U) will be stretched out over Jerusalem,’ declares the Lord Almighty.^(V)

¹⁷ “Proclaim further: This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘My towns will again overflow with prosperity, and the Lord will again comfort^(W) Zion and choose^(X) Jerusalem.’”^(Y)

God’s Righteous Judgment

2 You, therefore, have no excuse,^(A) you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things.^{(B) 2} Now we know that God’s judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. ³ So when you, a mere human being, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God’s judgment? ⁴ Or do you show contempt for the riches^(C) of his kindness,^(D) forbearance^(E) and patience,^(F) not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?^(G)

⁵ But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath^(H), when his righteous judgment^(I) will be revealed. ⁶ God “will repay each person according to what they have done.”^{[a](J) 7} To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor^(K) and immortality,^(L) he will give eternal life.^{(M) 8} But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil,^(N) there will be wrath and anger.^{(O) 9} There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil:^(P) first for the Jew, then for the Gentile;^{(Q) 10} but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.^{(R) 11} For God does not show favoritism.^(S)