Readings for March 21, 2028: Tuesday of the 4th week of Great Lent

1 O Lord God, I will glorify thee, I will sing to thy name; for thou hast done wonderful things, [even] an ancient [and] faithful counsel. So be it. 2 For thou hast made cities a heap, [even] cities [made] strong that their foundations should not fall: the city of ungodly men shall not be built for ever. 3 Therefore shall the poor people bless thee, and cities of injured men shall bless thee. 4 For thou hast been a helper to every lowly city, and a shelter to them that were disheartened by reason of poverty: thou shalt deliver them from wicked men: [thou hast been] a shelter of them that thirst, and a refreshing air to injured men. 5 [We were] as faint-hearted men thirsting in Sion, by reason of ungodly men to whom thou didst deliver us. 6 And the Lord of hosts shall make [a feast] for all the nations: on this mount they shall drink gladness, they shall drink wine: 7 they shall anoint themselves with ointment in this mountain. Impart thou all these things to the nations; for this is [God's] counsel upon all the nations. 8 Death has prevailed and swallowed [men] up; but again the Lord God has taken away every tear from every face. He has taken away the reproach of [his] people from all the earth: for the mouth of the Lord has spoken it. 9 And in that day they shall say, Behold our God in whom we have trusted, and he shall save us: this [is] the Lord; we have waited for him, and we have exulted, and will rejoice in our salvation.

8 And God spoke to Noe, and to his sons with him, saying, 9 And behold I establish my covenant with you, and with your seed after you, 10 and with every living creature with you, of birds and of beasts, and with all the wild beasts of the earth, as many as are with you, of all that come out of the ark. 11 And I will establish my covenant with you and all flesh shall not any more die by the water of the flood, and there shall no more be a flood of water to destroy all the earth. 12 And the Lord God said to Noe, This [is] the sign of the covenant which I set between me and you, and between every living creature which is with you for perpetual generations. 13 I set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a sign of covenant between me and the earth. 14 And it shall be when I gather clouds upon the earth, that my bow shall be seen in the cloud. 15 And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you, and between every living soul in all flesh, and there shall no longer be water for a deluge, so as to blot out all flesh. 16 And my bow shall be in the cloud, and I will look to remember the everlasting covenant between me and the earth, and between [every] living soul in all flesh, which is upon the earth. 17 And God said to Noe, This [is] the sign of the covenant, which I have made between me and all flesh, which is upon the earth.

8 The mouth of an understanding [man] is praised by a man; but he that is dull of heart is had in derision. 9 Better is a man in dishonour serving himself, than one honouring himself and wanting bread. 10 A righteous man has pity for the lives of his cattle; but the bowels of the ungodly are unmerciful. 11 He that tills his own land shall be satisfied with bread; but they that pursue vanities are void of understanding. 11a He that enjoys himself in banquets of wine, shall leave dishonour in his own strong holds. 12 The desires of the ungodly are evil; but the roots of the godly are firmly set. 13 For the sin of [his] lips a sinner falls into snares; but a righteous man escapes from them. 13a He whose looks are gentle shall be pitied, but he that contends in the gates will afflict souls. 14 The soul of a man shall be filled with good from the fruits of his mouth; and the recompence of his lips shall be given to him. 15 The ways of fools are right in their own eyes; but a wise man hearkens to counsels. 16 A fool declares his wrath the same day; but a prudent man hides his own disgrace. 17 A righteous man declares the open truth; but an unjust witness is deceitful. 18 Some wound as they speak, [like] swords; but the tongues of the wise heal. 19 True lips establish testimony; but a hasty witness has an unjust tongue. 20 [There is] deceit in the heart of him that imagines evil; but they that love peace shall rejoice. 21 No injustice will please a just man; but the ungodly will be filled with mischief. 22 Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord; but he that deals faithfully is accepted with him.