Job 10
Lord, Why Have You Judged Me?
1 “Since I am weary and groaning in my soul, I will let loose my words to Him. Because I am distressed, I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.†
2 I will say to the Lord, ‘Do not teach me to be ungodly. Why have You thus judged me?
3 Is it good before You if I do wrong, And that You renounce the work of Your hands, And give heed to the counsel of the ungodly?
4 Do You see as the mortal sees? Do You see as man sees?
5 Is Your life human life? Are Your years like the years of a man,
6 That You examined my lawlessness And searched out my sins?
7 You know I have not acted impiously, But who is he who can deliver from Your hands?
8 ‘Your hands fashioned and made me; Then You changed Your mind and struck me.†
9 Remember that You fashioned me as clay, But You are turning me back to earth again.†
10 Did You not squeeze me out like milk And curdle me like cheese?
11 You clothed me with skin and flesh, And knit me together with bones and sinews.
12 You granted me life and mercy, And Your visitation has guarded my spirit.
13 ‘Since You have these things in Yourself, I know You are able to do all things; For nothing is impossible for You.
14 For if I sin, You watch me; And because of my lawlessness You will not consider me innocent.
15 For if I am ungodly, woe to me, And if I am righteous, I cannot lift up my head; For I am full of dishonor.
16 I am trapped like a lion for slaughter; For again You have changed, and You are destroying me.
17 You renewed my affliction upon me, And dealt with me in great wrath; For You brought severe ordeals upon me.
18 ‘Why then did You bring me out of the womb? Why did I not die, and no eye see me?
19 Why have I become as though I had not been? For why was I not carried from the womb to the grave?
20 Is not the time of my life short? Allow me to rest a little†
21 Before I go to the place from which I shall not return, To an obscure and dark land,
22 To a land of eternal darkness, where there is no light, Neither can any one see the life of mortals.’ ”
Psalms 102
1 By David. †Bless the Lord, O my soul, And everything within me, bless His holy name.
2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all His rewards:
3 Who is merciful to all your transgressions, Who heals all your diseases,
4 Who redeems your life from corruption, Who crowns you with mercy and compassion,
5 Who satisfies your desire with good things; And your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
6 The Lord shows mercies And judgment to all who are wronged.
7 He made known His ways to Moses, The things He willed to the sons of Israel.
8 The Lord is compassionate and merciful, Slow to anger, and abounding in mercy.
9 He will not become angry to the end, Nor will He be wrathful forever;
10 He did not deal with us according to our sins, Nor reward us according to our transgressions;
11 For according to the height of heaven from earth, So the Lord reigns in mercy over those who fear Him;
12 As far as the east is from the west, So He removes our transgressions from us.
Proverbs of Solomon 21
26 The sacrifices of the ungodly are an abomination to the Lord, For they offer them lawlessly.†
27 A false witness shall perish, But an obedient man will speak guardedly.
28 An ungodly man resists shamelessly to the face, But the upright man himself understands his ways.
29 There is no wisdom, there is no courage, There is no counsel for the ungodly.†
30 The horse is prepared for the day of war, But help is from the Lord.
Luke 21
Imitate the Poor Widow
1 And He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury,†
2 and He saw also a certain poor widow putting in two mites.
3 So He said, “Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all;
4 for all these out of their abundance have put in offerings for God, but she out of her poverty put in all the livelihood that she had.”
Signs of the End
5 Then, as some spoke of the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and donations, He said,†
6 “These things which you see—the days will come in which not one stone shall be left upon another that shall not be thrown down.”
7 So they asked Him, saying, “Teacher, but when will these things be? And what sign will there be when these things are about to take place?”
8 And He said: “Take heed that you not be deceived. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He, ’ and, ‘The time has drawn near.’ Therefore do not go after them.
9 But when you hear of wars and commotions, do not be terrified; for these things must come to pass first, but the end will not come immediately.”
10 Then He said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.
11 And there will be great earthquakes in various places, and famines and pestilences; and there will be fearful sights and great signs from heaven.
12 But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons. You will be brought before kings and rulers for My name’s sake.
13 But it will turn out for you as an occasion for testimony.
14 Therefore settle it in your hearts not to meditate beforehand on what you will answer;
15 for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to contradict or resist.
16 You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to death.
17 And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake.
18 But not a hair of your head shall be lost.
19 By your patience possess your souls.