Psalm 131

A song of ascents. Of David.

¹² This is the plague with which the Lord will strike^(A) all the nations that fought against Jerusalem: Their flesh will rot while they are still standing on their feet, their eyes will rot in their sockets, and their tongues will rot in their mouths.^{(B) 13} On that day people will be stricken by the Lord with great panic.^(C) They will seize each other by the hand and attack one another.^{(D) 14} Judah^(E) too will fight at Jerusalem. The wealth of all the surrounding nations will be collected^(F)—great quantities of gold and silver and clothing. ¹⁵ A similar plague^(G) will strike the horses and mules, the camels and donkeys, and all the animals in those camps.

¹⁶ Then the survivors^(H) from all the nations that have attacked Jerusalem will go up year after year to worship^(I) the King,^(J) the Lord Almighty, and to celebrate the Festival of Tabernacles.^{(K) 17} If any of the peoples of the earth do not go up to Jerusalem to worship^(L) the King, the Lord Almighty, they will have no rain.^{(M) 18} If the Egyptian people do not go up and take part, they will have no rain. The Lord^[a] will bring on them the plague^(N) he inflicts on the nations that do not go up to celebrate the Festival of Tabernacles.^{(O) 19} This will be the punishment of Egypt and the punishment of all the nations that do not go up to celebrate the Festival of Tabernacles.^(P)

²⁰ On that day holy to the Lord^(Q) will be inscribed on the bells of the horses, and the cooking pots^(R) in the Lord’s house will be like the sacred bowls^(S) in front of the altar. ²¹ Every pot in Jerusalem and Judah will be holy^(T) to the Lord Almighty, and all who come to sacrifice will take some of the pots and cook in them. And on that day^(U) there will no longer be a Canaanite^[b](V) in the house^(W) of the Lord Almighty.^(X)

Imitating Christ’s Humility

2 Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit,^(A) if any tenderness and compassion,^{(B) 2} then make my joy complete^(C) by being like-minded,^(D) having the same love, being one^(E) in spirit and of one mind. ³ Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit.^(F) Rather, in humility value others above yourselves,^{(G) 4} not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.^(H)

⁵ In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:^(I)

⁴¹ As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it^{(A) 42} and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes. ⁴³ The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side.^{(B) 44} They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls.^(C) They will not leave one stone on another,^(D) because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming^(E) to you.”

Jesus at the Temple^(F)

⁴⁵ When Jesus entered the temple courts, he began to drive out those who were selling. ⁴⁶ “It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be a house of prayer’^[a];^(G) but you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’^[b]”^(H)

⁴⁷ Every day he was teaching at the temple.^(I) But the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the leaders among the people were trying to kill him.^{(J) 48} Yet they could not find any way to do it, because all the people hung on his words.