Old Testament: Habakkuk 1:1-4; 2:1-4

¹The oracle that the prophet Habakkuk saw. ²O Lord, how long shall I cry for help, and you will not listen? Or cry to you “Violence!” and you will not save? ³Why do you make me see wrong-doing and look at trouble? Destruction and violence are before me; strife and contention arise. ⁴So the law becomes slack and justice never prevails. The wicked surround the righteous— therefore judgment comes forth perverted.

¹I will stand at my watchpost, and station myself on the rampart; I will keep watch to see what he will say to me, and what he will answer concerning my complaint. ²Then the Lord answered me and said: Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so that a runner may read it. ³For there is still a vision for the appointed time; it speaks of the end, and does not lie. If it seems to tarry, wait for it; it will surely come, it will not delay. ⁴Look at the proud! Their spirit is not right in them, but the righteous live by their faith.

Psalm: Psalm 119:137-144

¹³⁷ You are righteous, O Lord, *
        and upright are your judgments.
¹³⁸ You have issued your decrees *
        with justice and in perfect faithfulness.
¹³⁹ My indignation has consumed me, *
        because my enemies forget your words.
¹⁴⁰ Your word has been tested to the uttermost, *
        and your servant holds it dear.
¹⁴¹ I am small and of little account, *
        yet I do not forget your commandments.
¹⁴² Your justice is an everlasting justice *
        and your law is the truth.
¹⁴³ Trouble and distress have come upon me, *
        yet your commandments are my delight.
¹⁴⁴ The righteousness of your decrees is everlasting; *
        grant me understanding, that I may live.

Old Testament: Isaiah 1:10-18

¹⁰Hear the word of the Lord, you rulers of Sodom! Listen to the teaching of our God, you people of Gomorrah! ¹¹What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices? says the Lord; I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fed beasts; I do not delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs, or of goats. ¹²When you come to appear before me, who asked this from your hand? Trample my courts no more; ¹³bringing offerings is futile; incense is an abomination to me. New moon and sabbath and calling of convocation— I cannot endure solemn assemblies with iniquity.¹⁴Your new moons and your appointed festivals my soul hates; they have become a burden to me, I am weary of bearing them. ¹⁵When you stretch out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you; even though you make many prayers, I will not listen; your hands are full of blood.

¹⁶Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your doings from before my eyes; cease to do evil, ¹⁷learn to do good; seek justice, rescue the oppressed, defend the orphan, plead for the widow.¹⁸Come now, let us argue it out, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be like snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.

Psalm: Psalm 32:1-8

¹ Happy are they whose transgressions are forgiven, *
        and whose sin is put away!
² Happy are they to whom the Lord imputes no guilt, *
        and in whose spirit there is no guile!
³ While I held my tongue, my bones withered away, *
        because of my groaning all day long.
⁴ For your hand was heavy upon me day and night; *
        my moisture was dried up as in the heat of summer.
⁵ Then I acknowledged my sin to you, *
        and did not conceal my guilt.
⁶ I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord.” *
        Then you forgave me the guilt of my sin.
⁷ Therefore all the faithful will make their prayers to you in
                           time of trouble; *
        when the great waters overflow, they shall not reach them.
⁸ You are my hiding-place;
  you preserve me from trouble; *
        you surround me with shouts of deliverance.