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Many people say, “Who will show us better times?”
    Let your face smile on us, Lord.

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Many, Lord, are asking, “Who will bring us prosperity?”
    Let the light of your face shine on us.(A)

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19 Turn us again to yourself, O Lord God of Heaven’s Armies.
    Make your face shine down upon us.
    Only then will we be saved.

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19 Restore us, Lord God Almighty;
    make your face shine on us,
    that we may be saved.

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26 May the Lord show you his favor
    and give you his peace.’

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26 the Lord turn his face(A) toward you
    and give you peace.(B)”’

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135 Look upon me with love;
    teach me your decrees.

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135 Make your face shine(A) on your servant
    and teach me your decrees.(B)

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Turn us again to yourself, O God of Heaven’s Armies.
    Make your face shine down upon us.
    Only then will we be saved.

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Restore us, God Almighty;
    make your face shine on us,
    that we may be saved.(A)

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15 Happy are those who hear the joyful call to worship,
    for they will walk in the light of your presence, Lord.

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15 Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you,
    who walk(A) in the light(B) of your presence, Lord.

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Psalm 67

For the choir director: A song. A psalm, to be accompanied by stringed instruments.

May God be merciful and bless us.
    May his face smile with favor on us. Interlude

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Psalm 67[a]

For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A psalm. A song.

May God be gracious to us and bless us
    and make his face shine on us—[b](A)

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 67:1 In Hebrew texts 67:1-7 is numbered 67:2-8.
  2. Psalm 67:1 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 4.

16 So don’t be dismayed when the wicked grow rich
    and their homes become ever more splendid.
17 For when they die, they take nothing with them.
    Their wealth will not follow them into the grave.
18 In this life they consider themselves fortunate
    and are applauded for their success.
19 But they will die like all before them
    and never again see the light of day.
20 People who boast of their wealth don’t understand;
    they will die, just like animals.

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16 Do not be overawed when others grow rich,
    when the splendor of their houses increases;
17 for they will take nothing(A) with them when they die,
    their splendor will not descend with them.(B)
18 Though while they live they count themselves blessed—(C)
    and people praise you when you prosper—
19 they will join those who have gone before them,(D)
    who will never again see the light(E) of life.

20 People who have wealth but lack understanding(F)
    are like the beasts that perish.(G)

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Warning to the Rich

Look here, you rich people: Weep and groan with anguish because of all the terrible troubles ahead of you. Your wealth is rotting away, and your fine clothes are moth-eaten rags. Your gold and silver are corroded. The very wealth you were counting on will eat away your flesh like fire. This corroded treasure you have hoarded will testify against you on the day of judgment. For listen! Hear the cries of the field workers whom you have cheated of their pay. The cries of those who harvest your fields have reached the ears of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.

You have spent your years on earth in luxury, satisfying your every desire. You have fattened yourselves for the day of slaughter.

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Warning to Rich Oppressors

Now listen,(A) you rich people,(B) weep and wail(C) because of the misery that is coming on you. Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes.(D) Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days.(E) Look! The wages you failed to pay the workers(F) who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries(G) of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty.(H) You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves(I) in the day of slaughter.[a](J)

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Footnotes

  1. James 5:5 Or yourselves as in a day of feasting

Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus

19 Jesus said, “There was a certain rich man who was splendidly clothed in purple and fine linen and who lived each day in luxury.

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The Rich Man and Lazarus

19 “There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day.(A)

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After much thought, I decided to cheer myself with wine. And while still seeking wisdom, I clutched at foolishness. In this way, I tried to experience the only happiness most people find during their brief life in this world.

I also tried to find meaning by building huge homes for myself and by planting beautiful vineyards. I made gardens and parks, filling them with all kinds of fruit trees. I built reservoirs to collect the water to irrigate my many flourishing groves. I bought slaves, both men and women, and others were born into my household. I also owned large herds and flocks, more than any of the kings who had lived in Jerusalem before me. I collected great sums of silver and gold, the treasure of many kings and provinces. I hired wonderful singers, both men and women, and had many beautiful concubines. I had everything a man could desire!

So I became greater than all who had lived in Jerusalem before me, and my wisdom never failed me. 10 Anything I wanted, I would take. I denied myself no pleasure. I even found great pleasure in hard work, a reward for all my labors. 11 But as I looked at everything I had worked so hard to accomplish, it was all so meaningless—like chasing the wind. There was nothing really worthwhile anywhere.

The Wise and the Foolish

12 So I decided to compare wisdom with foolishness and madness (for who can do this better than I, the king?[a]). 13 I thought, “Wisdom is better than foolishness, just as light is better than darkness. 14 For the wise can see where they are going, but fools walk in the dark.” Yet I saw that the wise and the foolish share the same fate. 15 Both will die. So I said to myself, “Since I will end up the same as the fool, what’s the value of all my wisdom? This is all so meaningless!” 16 For the wise and the foolish both die. The wise will not be remembered any longer than the fool. In the days to come, both will be forgotten.

17 So I came to hate life because everything done here under the sun is so troubling. Everything is meaningless—like chasing the wind.

The Futility of Work

18 I came to hate all my hard work here on earth, for I must leave to others everything I have earned. 19 And who can tell whether my successors will be wise or foolish? Yet they will control everything I have gained by my skill and hard work under the sun. How meaningless! 20 So I gave up in despair, questioning the value of all my hard work in this world.

21 Some people work wisely with knowledge and skill, then must leave the fruit of their efforts to someone who hasn’t worked for it. This, too, is meaningless, a great tragedy. 22 So what do people get in this life for all their hard work and anxiety? 23 Their days of labor are filled with pain and grief; even at night their minds cannot rest. It is all meaningless.

24 So I decided there is nothing better than to enjoy food and drink and to find satisfaction in work. Then I realized that these pleasures are from the hand of God. 25 For who can eat or enjoy anything apart from him?[b] 26 God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy to those who please him. But if a sinner becomes wealthy, God takes the wealth away and gives it to those who please him. This, too, is meaningless—like chasing the wind.

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Footnotes

  1. 2:12 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain.
  2. 2:25 As in Greek and Syriac versions; Hebrew reads apart from me?

I tried cheering myself with wine,(A) and embracing folly(B)—my mind still guiding me with wisdom. I wanted to see what was good for people to do under the heavens during the few days of their lives.

I undertook great projects: I built houses for myself(C) and planted vineyards.(D) I made gardens and parks and planted all kinds of fruit trees in them. I made reservoirs to water groves of flourishing trees. I bought male and female slaves and had other slaves(E) who were born in my house. I also owned more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem before me. I amassed silver and gold(F) for myself, and the treasure of kings and provinces.(G) I acquired male and female singers,(H) and a harem[a] as well—the delights of a man’s heart. I became greater by far than anyone in Jerusalem(I) before me.(J) In all this my wisdom stayed with me.

10 I denied myself nothing my eyes desired;
    I refused my heart no pleasure.
My heart took delight in all my labor,
    and this was the reward for all my toil.
11 Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done
    and what I had toiled to achieve,
everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind;(K)
    nothing was gained under the sun.(L)

Wisdom and Folly Are Meaningless

12 Then I turned my thoughts to consider wisdom,
    and also madness and folly.(M)
What more can the king’s successor do
    than what has already been done?(N)
13 I saw that wisdom(O) is better than folly,(P)
    just as light is better than darkness.
14 The wise have eyes in their heads,
    while the fool walks in the darkness;
but I came to realize
    that the same fate overtakes them both.(Q)

15 Then I said to myself,

“The fate of the fool will overtake me also.
    What then do I gain by being wise?”(R)
I said to myself,
    “This too is meaningless.”
16 For the wise, like the fool, will not be long remembered;(S)
    the days have already come when both have been forgotten.(T)
Like the fool, the wise too must die!(U)

Toil Is Meaningless

17 So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. All of it is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.(V) 18 I hated all the things I had toiled for under the sun, because I must leave them to the one who comes after me.(W) 19 And who knows whether that person will be wise or foolish?(X) Yet they will have control over all the fruit of my toil into which I have poured my effort and skill under the sun. This too is meaningless. 20 So my heart began to despair over all my toilsome labor under the sun. 21 For a person may labor with wisdom, knowledge and skill, and then they must leave all they own to another who has not toiled for it. This too is meaningless and a great misfortune. 22 What do people get for all the toil and anxious striving with which they labor under the sun?(Y) 23 All their days their work is grief and pain;(Z) even at night their minds do not rest.(AA) This too is meaningless.

24 A person can do nothing better than to eat and drink(AB) and find satisfaction in their own toil.(AC) This too, I see, is from the hand of God,(AD) 25 for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment?(AE) 26 To the person who pleases him, God gives wisdom,(AF) knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth(AG) to hand it over to the one who pleases God.(AH) This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

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Footnotes

  1. Ecclesiastes 2:8 The meaning of the Hebrew for this phrase is uncertain.

Psalm 80

For the choir director: A psalm of Asaph, to be sung to the tune “Lilies of the Covenant.”

Please listen, O Shepherd of Israel,
    you who lead Joseph’s descendants like a flock.
O God, enthroned above the cherubim,
    display your radiant glory
    to Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh.
Show us your mighty power.
    Come to rescue us!

Turn us again to yourself, O God.
    Make your face shine down upon us.
    Only then will we be saved.

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Psalm 80[a]

For the director of music. To the tune of “The Lilies of the Covenant.” Of Asaph. A psalm.

Hear us, Shepherd of Israel,
    you who lead Joseph like a flock.(A)
You who sit enthroned between the cherubim,(B)
    shine forth before Ephraim, Benjamin and Manasseh.(C)
Awaken(D) your might;
    come and save us.(E)

Restore(F) us,(G) O God;
    make your face shine on us,
    that we may be saved.(H)

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 80:1 In Hebrew texts 80:1-19 is numbered 80:2-20.

They did not conquer the land with their swords;
    it was not their own strong arm that gave them victory.
It was your right hand and strong arm
    and the blinding light from your face that helped them,
    for you loved them.

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It was not by their sword(A) that they won the land,
    nor did their arm bring them victory;
it was your right hand,(B) your arm,(C)
    and the light(D) of your face, for you loved(E) them.

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