◀ All Reading Plans / Book of Common Prayer / Ps. 72; Ps. 119:73–96; Isa. 54:1–10 (11–17); Gal. 4:21–31; Mark 8:11–26 (New English Translation)

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Book of Common Prayer

Daily Old and New Testament readings based on the Book of Common Prayer.

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Psalm 72

Psalm 72^[a]

For^[b] Solomon.

72 O God, grant the king the ability to make just decisions.^[c]
Grant the king’s son^[d] the ability to make fair decisions.^[e]
²Then he will judge^[f] your people fairly,
and your oppressed ones^[g] equitably.
³The mountains will bring news of peace to the people,
and the hills will announce justice.^[h]
⁴He will defend^[i] the oppressed among the people;
he will deliver^[j] the children^[k] of the poor
and crush the oppressor.
⁵People will fear^[l] you^[m] as long as the sun and moon remain in the sky,
for generation after generation.^[n]
⁶He^[o] will descend like rain on the mown grass,^[p]
like showers that drench^[q] the earth.^[r]
⁷During his days the godly will flourish;^[s]
peace will prevail as long as the moon remains in the sky.^[t]
⁸May he rule^[u] from sea to sea,^[v]
and from the Euphrates River^[w] to the ends of the earth.
⁹Before him the coastlands^[x] will bow down,
and his enemies will lick the dust.^[y]
¹⁰The kings of Tarshish^[z] and the coastlands will offer gifts;
the kings of Sheba^[aa] and Seba^[ab] will bring tribute.
¹¹All kings will bow down to him;
all nations will serve him.
¹²For he will rescue the needy^[ac] when they cry out for help,
and the oppressed^[ad] who have no defender.
¹³He will take pity^[ae] on the poor and needy;
the lives of the needy he will save.
¹⁴From harm and violence he will defend them;^[af]
he will value their lives.^[ag]
¹⁵May he live!^[ah] May they offer him gold from Sheba.^[ai]
May they continually pray for him.
May they pronounce blessings on him all day long.^[aj]
¹⁶May there be^[ak] an abundance^[al] of grain in the earth;
on the tops^[am] of the mountains may it^[an] sway.^[ao]
May its^[ap] fruit trees^[aq] flourish^[ar] like the forests of Lebanon.^[as]
May its crops^[at] be as abundant^[au] as the grass of the earth.^[av]
¹⁷May his fame endure.^[aw]
May his dynasty last as long as the sun remains in the sky.^[ax]
May they use his name when they formulate their blessings.^[ay]
May all nations consider him to be favored by God.^[az]
¹⁸The Lord God, the God of Israel, deserves praise.^[ba]
He alone accomplishes amazing things.^[bb]
¹⁹His glorious name deserves praise^[bc] forevermore.
May his majestic splendor^[bd] fill the whole earth.
We agree! We agree!^[be]
²⁰This collection of the prayers of David son of Jesse ends here.^[bf]

Footnotes

Psalm 72:1 sn Psalm 72. This royal psalm contains a prayer for the Davidic king (note the imperatival form in v. 1 and the jussive forms in vv. 16-17). It is not entirely clear if vv. 2-15 express a prayer or anticipate a future reign. The translation assumes a blend of petition and vision: (I) opening prayer (v. 1), followed by anticipated results if prayer is answered (vv. 2-7); (II) prayer (v. 8), followed by anticipated results if prayer is answered (vv. 9-14); (III) closing prayer (vv. 15-17). Whether a prayer, vision, or combination of the two, the psalm depicts the king’s universal rule of peace and prosperity. As such it is indirectly messianic, for the ideal it expresses will only be fully realized during the Messiah’s earthly reign. Verses 18-19 are a conclusion for Book 2 of the Psalter (Pss 42-72; cf. Ps 41:13, which contains a similar conclusion for Book 1), while v. 20 appears to be a remnant of an earlier collection of psalms or an earlier edition of the Psalter.
Psalm 72:1 tn The preposition could be understood as indicating authorship (“Of Solomon”), but since the psalm is a prayer for a king, it may be that the superscription reflects a tradition that understood this as a prayer for Solomon.
Psalm 72:1 tn Heb “O God, your judgments to [the] king give.”
Psalm 72:1 sn Grant the king…Grant the king’s son. It is not entirely clear whether v. 1 envisions one individual or two. The phrase “the king’s son” in the second line may simply refer to “the king” of the first line, drawing attention to the fact that he has inherited his dynastic rule. Another option is that v. 1 envisions a co-regency between father and son (a common phenomenon in ancient Israel) or simply expresses a hope for a dynasty that champions justice.
Psalm 72:1 tn Heb “and your justice to [the] son of [the] king.”
Psalm 72:2 tn The prefixed verbal form appears to be an imperfect, not a jussive.
Psalm 72:2 sn These people are called God’s oppressed ones because he is their defender (see Pss 9:12, 18; 10:12; 12:5).
Psalm 72:3 tn Heb “[the] mountains will bear peace to the people, and [the] hills with justice.” The personified mountains and hills probably represent messengers who will sweep over the land announcing the king’s just decrees and policies. See Isa 52:7 and C. A. Briggs and E. G. Briggs, Psalms (ICC), 2:133.
Psalm 72:4 tn Heb “judge [for].”
Psalm 72:4 tn The prefixed verbal form appears to be an imperfect, not a jussive.
Psalm 72:4 tn Heb “sons.”
Psalm 72:5 tn In this context “fear” probably means “to demonstrate respect for the Lord’s power and authority by worshiping him and obeying his commandments.” See Ps 33:8. Some interpreters, with the support of the LXX, prefer to read וְיַאֲרִיךְ (v^eyaʾarikh, “and he [the king in this case] will prolong [days]”), that is, “will live a long time” (cf. NIV, NRSV).
Psalm 72:5 tn God is the addressee (see vv. 1-2).
Psalm 72:5 tn Heb “with [the] sun, and before [the] moon [for] a generation, generations.” The rare expression דּוֹר דּוֹרִים (dor dorim, “generation, generations”) occurs only here, in Ps 102:24, and in Isa 51:8.
Psalm 72:6 tn That is, the king (see vv. 2, 4).
Psalm 72:6 tn The rare term גֵּז (gez) refers to a sheep’s fleece in Deut 18:4 and Job 31:20, but to “mown” grass or crops here and in Amos 7:1.
Psalm 72:6 tc The form in the Hebrew text appears to be an otherwise unattested noun. Many prefer to emend the form to a verb from the root זָרַף (zaraf). BHS suggests a Hiphil imperfect, third masculine plural יַזְרִיפוּ (yazrifu), while HALOT 283 s.v. *זרף prefers a Pilpel perfect, third masculine plural זִרְזְפוּ (zirz^efu). The translation assumes the latter.
Psalm 72:6 sn The imagery of this verse compares the blessings produced by the king’s reign to fructifying rains that cause the crops to grow.
Psalm 72:7 tn Heb “sprout up,” like crops. This verse continues the metaphor of rain utilized in v. 6.
Psalm 72:7 tn Heb “and [there will be an] abundance of peace until there is no more moon.”
Psalm 72:8 tn The prefixed verbal form is a (shortened) jussive form, indicating this is a prayer of blessing.
Psalm 72:8 sn From sea to sea. This may mean from the Mediterranean Sea in the west to the Dead Sea in the east. See Amos 8:12. The language of this and the following line also appears in Zech 9:10.
Psalm 72:8 tn Heb “the river,” a reference to the Euphrates.
Psalm 72:9 tn Or “islands.” The term here refers metonymically to those people who dwell in these regions.
Psalm 72:9 sn As they bow down before him, it will appear that his enemies are licking the dust.
Psalm 72:10 sn Tarshish was a distant western port, the precise location of which is uncertain.
Psalm 72:10 sn Sheba was located in Arabia.
Psalm 72:10 sn Seba was located in Africa.
Psalm 72:12 tn The singular is representative. The typical needy individual here represents the entire group.
Psalm 72:12 tn The singular is representative. The typical oppressed individual here represents the entire group.
Psalm 72:13 tn The prefixed verb form is best understood as a defectively written imperfect (see Deut 7:16).
Psalm 72:14 tn Or “redeem their lives.” The verb “redeem” casts the Lord in the role of a leader who protects members of his extended family in times of need and crisis (see Pss 19:14; 69:18).
Psalm 72:14 tn Heb “their blood will be precious in his eyes.”
Psalm 72:15 tn The prefixed verbal form is jussive, not imperfect. Because the form has the prefixed vav (ו), some subordinate it to what precedes as a purpose/result clause. In this case the representative poor individual might be the subject of this and the following verb, “so that he may live and give to him gold of Sheba.” But the idea of the poor offering gold is incongruous. It is better to take the jussive as a prayer with the king as subject of the verb. (Perhaps the initial vav is dittographic; note the vav at the end of the last form in v. 14.) The statement is probably an abbreviated version of the formula יְחִי הַמֶּלֶךְ (y^ekhi hammelekh, “may the king live”; see 1 Sam 10:24; 2 Sam 16:16; 1 Kgs 1:25, 34, 39; 2 Kgs 11:12).
Psalm 72:15 tn Heb “and he will give to him some gold of Sheba.” The prefixed verbal form is understood as a jussive with a grammatically indefinite subject (“and may one give”). Of course, the king’s subjects, mentioned in the preceding context, are the tribute bearers in view here.
Psalm 72:15 tn As in the preceding line, the prefixed verbal forms are understood as jussives with a grammatically indefinite subject (“and may one pray…and may one bless”). Of course, the king’s subjects, mentioned in the preceding context, are in view here.
Psalm 72:16 tn The prefixed verbal form is jussive, not imperfect. The translation assumes the subject is impersonal (rather than the king).
Psalm 72:16 tn The Hebrew noun פִסַּה (pissah; which appears here in the construct form) occurs only here in the OT. Perhaps the noun is related to the verbal root פָּשָׂה (pasah, “to spread,” see BDB 832 s.v.; the root appears as פָּסָה [pasah] in postbiblical Hebrew), which is used in postbiblical Hebrew of the rising sun’s rays spreading over the horizon and a tree’s branches spreading out (see Jastrow 1194 s.v. פסי, פָּסָה, פָּשָׂה). In Ps 72:16 a “spreading of grain” would refer to grain fields extending out over the land. C. A. Briggs and E. G. Briggs (Psalms [ICC], 2:139) emend the form to סְפִיחַ (s^efiakh, “second growth”).
Psalm 72:16 tn Heb “top” (singular).
Psalm 72:16 tn That is, the grain.
Psalm 72:16 tn According to the traditional accentuation of the MT, this verb belongs with what follows. See the translator’s note at the end of the verse for a discussion of the poetic parallelism and interpretation of the verse.
Psalm 72:16 tn The antecedent of the third masculine singular pronominal suffix is unclear. It is unlikely that the antecedent is אֶרֶץ (ʾerets, “earth”) because this noun is normally grammatically feminine. Perhaps רֹאשׁ (roʾsh, “top [of the mountains]”) is the antecedent. Another option is to understand the pronoun as referring to the king, who would then be viewed as an instrument of divine agricultural blessing (see v. 6).
Psalm 72:16 tn Heb “fruit.”
Psalm 72:16 tc According to the traditional accentuation of the MT, this verb belongs with what follows. See the note on the word “earth” at the end of the verse for a discussion of the poetic parallelism and interpretation of the verse. The present translation takes it with the preceding words, “like Lebanon its fruit” and emends the verb form from וְיָצִיצוּ (v^eyatsitsu; Qal imperfect third masculine plural with prefixed vav, [ו]) to יָצִיץ (yatsits; Qal imperfect third masculine singular). The initial vav is eliminated as dittographic (note the vav on the ending of the preceding form פִּרְיוֹ, piryo, “its/his fruit”) and the vav at the end of the form is placed on the following emended form (see the note on the word “crops”), yielding וַעֲמִיר (vaʿamir, “and [its] crops”).
Psalm 72:16 tn Heb “like Lebanon.”
Psalm 72:16 tc The MT has “from the city.” The translation assumes an emendation to עֲמִיר (ʿamir, “crops”).
Psalm 72:16 tn The translation assumes that the verb צוּץ (tsuts, “flourish”) goes with the preceding line. The words “be as abundant” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
Psalm 72:16 tc The traditional accentuation and vocalization of the MT differ from the text assumed by the present translation. The MT reads as follows: “May there be an abundance of grain in the earth, / and on the tops of the mountains! / May its [or “his”?] fruit [trees?] rustle like [the trees of] Lebanon! / May they flourish from the city, like the grass of the earth!” If one follows the MT, then it would appear that the “fruit” of the third line is a metaphorical reference to the king’s people, who flow out from the cities to populate the land (see line 4). Elsewhere in the OT people are sometimes compared to grass that sprouts up from the land (see v. 7, as well as Isa 27:6; Pss 92:7; 103:15). The translation understands a different poetic structural arrangement and, assuming the emendations mentioned in earlier notes, interprets each line of the verse to be a prayer for agricultural abundance.
Psalm 72:17 tn Heb “may his name [be] permanent.” The prefixed verbal form is jussive, not imperfect.
Psalm 72:17 tn Heb “before the sun may his name increase.” The Kethib (consonantal text) assumes יָנִין (yanin; a Hiphil of the verbal root נִין, nin) or יְנַיֵן (y^enayen; a Piel form), while the Qere (marginal reading) assumes יִנּוֹן (yinnon; a Niphal form). The verb נִין occurs only here, though a derived noun, meaning “offspring,” appears elsewhere (see Isa 14:22). The verb appears to mean “propagate, increase” (BDB 630 s.v. נוּן, נִין) or “produce shoots, get descendants” (HALOT 696 s.v. נין). In this context this appears to be a prayer for a lasting dynasty that will keep the king’s name and memory alive.
Psalm 72:17 tn Heb “may they bless one another by him,” that is, use the king’s name in their blessing formulae because he is a prime example of one blessed by God (for examples of such blessing formulae, see Gen 48:20 and Ruth 4:11). There is some debate on whether the Hitpael form of בָּרַךְ (barakh, “bless”) is reflexive-reciprocal (as assumed in the present translation) or passive. The Hitpael of בָּרַךְ occurs in five other passages, including the hotly debated Gen 22:18 and 26:4. In these two texts one could understand the verb form as passive and translate, “all the nations of the earth will be blessed through your offspring,” or one could take the Hitpael as reflexive or reciprocal and translate, “all the nations of the earth will pronounce blessings [i.e., on themselves or one another] by your offspring.” In the first instance Abraham’s (or Isaac’s) offspring are viewed as a channel of divine blessing. In the second instance they are viewed as a prime example of blessing that will appear as part of the nations’ blessing formulae, but not necessarily as a channel of blessing to the nations. In Deut 29:18 one reads: “When one hears the words of this covenant [or “oath”] and invokes a blessing on himself (Hitpael of בָּרַךְ) in his heart, saying: ‘I will have peace, even though I walk with a rebellious heart.’” In this case the Hitpael is clearly reflexive, as the phrases “in his heart” and “I will have peace” indicate. The Hitpael of בָּרַךְ appears twice in Isaiah 65:16: “The one who invokes a blessing on himself (see Deut 9:18) in the land will invoke that blessing by the God of truth; and the one who makes an oath in the land will make that oath by the God of truth.” A passive nuance does not fit here. The parallel line, which mentions making an oath, suggests that the Hitpael of בָּרַךְ refers here to invoking a blessing. Both pronouncements of blessing and oaths will appeal to God as the one who rewards and judges, respectively. Jer 4:2 states: “If you swear, ‘As surely as the Lord lives,’ with truth, integrity, and honesty, then the nations will pronounce blessings by him and boast in him.” A passive nuance might work (“the nations will be blessed”), but the context refers to verbal pronouncements (swearing an oath, boasting), suggesting that the Hitpael of בָּרַךְ refers here to invoking a blessing. The logic of the verse seems to be as follows: If Israel conducts its affairs with integrity, the nation will be favored by the Lord, which will in turn attract the surrounding nations to Israel’s God. To summarize, while the evidence might leave the door open for a passive interpretation, there is no clear cut passive use. Usage favors a reflexive or reciprocal understanding of the Hitpael of בָּרַךְ. In Ps 72:17 the Hitpael of בָּרַךְ is followed by the prepositional phrase בוֹ (vo, “by him”). The verb could theoretically be taken as passive, “may all the nations be blessed through him” (cf. NIV, NRSV), because the preceding context describes the positive effects of this king’s rule on the inhabitants of the earth. But the parallel line, which employs the Piel of אָשַׁר (ʾashar) in a factitive/declarative sense, “regard as happy, fortunate,” suggests a reflexive or reciprocal nuance for the Hitpael of בָּרַךְ here. If the nations regard the ideal king as a prime example of one who is fortunate or blessed, it is understandable that they would use his name in their pronouncements of blessing.
Psalm 72:17 tn Heb “all the nations, may they regard him as happy.” The Piel is used here in a delocutive sense (“regard as”).
Psalm 72:18 tn Heb “[be] blessed.” See Pss 18:46; 28:6; 31:21; 41:13.
Psalm 72:18 tn Heb “[the] one who does amazing things by himself.”
Psalm 72:19 tn Heb “[be] blessed.”
Psalm 72:19 tn Or “glory.”
Psalm 72:19 tn Heb “surely and surely” (אָמֵן וְאָמֵן [ʾamen v^eʾamen], i.e., “Amen and amen”). This is probably a congregational response of agreement to the immediately preceding statement about the propriety of praising God.
Psalm 72:20 tn Heb “the prayers of David, son of Jesse, are concluded.” As noted earlier, v. 20 appears to be a remnant of an earlier collection of psalms or an earlier edition of the Psalter. In the present arrangement of the Book of Psalms, not all psalms prior to this are attributed to David (see Pss 1-2, 10, 33, 42-50, 66-67, 71-72) and several psalms attributed to David appear after this (see Pss 86, 101, 103, 108-110, 122, 124, 131, 138-145).

Psalm 119:73-96

י (Yod)

⁷³Your hands made me and formed me.^[a]
Give me understanding so that I might learn^[b] your commands.
⁷⁴Your loyal followers will be glad when they see me,^[c]
for I find hope in your word.
⁷⁵I know, Lord, that your regulations^[d] are just.
You disciplined me because of your faithful devotion to me.^[e]
⁷⁶May your loyal love console me,
as you promised your servant.^[f]
⁷⁷May I experience your compassion,^[g] so I might live.
For I find delight in your law.
⁷⁸May the arrogant be humiliated, for they have slandered me.^[h]
But I meditate on your precepts.
⁷⁹May your loyal followers^[i] turn to me,
those who know your rules.
⁸⁰May I be fully committed to your statutes,^[j]
so that I might not be ashamed.

כ (Kaf)

⁸¹I desperately long for^[k] your deliverance.
I find hope in your word.
⁸²My eyes grow tired as I wait for your promise to be fulfilled.^[l]
I say,^[m] “When will you comfort me?”
⁸³For^[n] I am like a wineskin^[o] dried up in smoke.^[p]
I do not forget your statutes.
⁸⁴How long must your servant endure this?^[q]
When will you judge those who pursue me?
⁸⁵The arrogant dig pits to trap me,^[r]
which violates your law.^[s]
⁸⁶All your commands are reliable.
I am pursued without reason.^[t] Help me!
⁸⁷They have almost destroyed me here on the earth,
but I do not reject your precepts.
⁸⁸Revive me with^[u] your loyal love,
that I might keep^[v] the rules you have revealed.^[w]

ל (Lamed)

⁸⁹O Lord, your instructions endure;
they stand secure in heaven.^[x]
⁹⁰You demonstrate your faithfulness to all generations.^[y]
You established the earth and it stood firm.
⁹¹Today they stand firm by your decrees,
for all things are your servants.
⁹²If I had not found encouragement in your law,^[z]
I would have died in my sorrow.^[aa]
⁹³I will never forget your precepts,
for by them you have revived me.
⁹⁴I belong to you. Deliver me!
For I seek your precepts.
⁹⁵The wicked prepare to kill me,^[ab]
yet I concentrate on your rules.
⁹⁶I realize that everything has its limits,
but your commands are beyond full comprehension.^[ac]

Footnotes

Psalm 119:73 tn Heb “made me and established me.” The two verbs also appear together in Deut 32:6, where God, compared to a father, is said to have “made and established” Israel.
Psalm 119:73 tn The cohortative verbal form with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the preceding imperative.
Psalm 119:74 tn Heb “those who fear you will see me and rejoice.”
Psalm 119:75 tn In this context (note the second line) the Hebrew term מִשְׁפָּטִים (mishpatim), which so often refers to the regulations of God’s law elsewhere in this psalm, may refer instead to his decisions or disciplinary judgment.
Psalm 119:75 tn Heb “and [in] faithfulness you afflicted me.”
Psalm 119:76 tn Heb “according to your word to your servant.”
Psalm 119:77 tn Heb “and may your compassion come to me.”
Psalm 119:78 tn Heb “for [with] falsehood they have denied me justice.”
Psalm 119:79 tn Heb “those who fear you.”
Psalm 119:80 tn Heb “may my heart be complete in your statutes.”
Psalm 119:81 tn Heb “my soul pines for.” See Ps 84:2.
Psalm 119:82 tn Heb “my eyes fail for your word.” The psalmist has intently kept his eyes open, looking for God to intervene, but now his eyes are watery and bloodshot, impairing his vision. See Ps 69:3.
Psalm 119:82 tn Heb “saying.”
Psalm 119:83 tn Or “even though.”
Psalm 119:83 tn The Hebrew word נֹאד (noʾd, “leather container”) refers to a container made from animal skin which is used to hold wine or milk (see Josh 9:4, 13; Judg 4:19; 1 Sam 16:20).
Psalm 119:83 tn Heb “in the smoke.”
Psalm 119:84 tn Heb “How long are the days of your servant?”
Psalm 119:85 tn Heb “for me.”
Psalm 119:85 tn Heb “which [is] not according to your law.”
Psalm 119:86 sn God’s commands are a reliable guide to right and wrong. By keeping them the psalmist is doing what is right, yet he is still persecuted.
Psalm 119:88 tn Heb “according to.”
Psalm 119:88 tn The cohortative verbal form with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the preceding imperative.
Psalm 119:88 tn Heb “of your mouth.”
Psalm 119:89 tn Heb “Forever, O Lord, your word stands firm in heaven,” or “Forever, O Lord, [is] your word; it stands firm in heaven.” The translation assumes that “your word” refers here to the body of divine instructions contained in the law (note the frequent references to the law in vv. 92-96). See vv. 9, 16-17, 57, 101, 105, 130, 139 and 160-61. The reference in v. 86 to God’s law being faithful favors this interpretation. Another option is that “your word” refers to God’s assuring word of promise, mentioned in vv. 25, 28, 42, 65, 74, 81, 107, 114, 147 and 169. In this case one might translate, “O Lord, your promise is reliable, it stands firm in heaven.”
Psalm 119:90 tn Heb “to a generation and a generation [is] your faithfulness.”
Psalm 119:92 tn Heb “if your law had not been my delight.”
Psalm 119:92 tn Or “my suffering.”
Psalm 119:95 tn Heb “the wicked wait for me to kill me.”
Psalm 119:96 tn Heb “to every perfection I have seen an end, your command is very wide.” God’s law is beyond full comprehension, which is why the psalmist continually studies it (vv. 95, 97).

Isaiah 54

Zion Will Be Secure

54 “Shout for joy, O barren one who has not given birth!
Give a joyful shout and cry out, you who have not been in labor!
For the children of the desolate one are more numerous
than the children of the married woman,” says the Lord.
²Make your tent larger,
stretch your tent curtains farther out!^[a]
Spare no effort,
lengthen your ropes,
and pound your stakes deep.^[b]
³For you will spread out to the right and to the left;
your children will conquer^[c] nations
and will resettle desolate cities.
⁴Don’t be afraid, for you will not be put to shame.
Don’t be intimidated,^[d] for you will not be humiliated.
You will forget about the shame you experienced in your youth;
you will no longer remember the disgrace of your abandonment.^[e]
⁵For your husband is the one who made you—
the Lord of Heaven’s Armies is his name.
He is your Protector,^[f] the Holy One of Israel.^[g]
He is called “God of the entire earth.”
⁶“Indeed, the Lord will call you back
like a wife who has been abandoned and suffers from depression,^[h]
like a young wife when she has been rejected,” says your God.
⁷“For a short time I abandoned^[i] you,
but with great compassion I will gather you.
⁸In a burst^[j] of anger I rejected you^[k] momentarily,
but with lasting devotion I will have compassion on you,”
says your Protector,^[l] the Lord.
⁹“As far as I am concerned, this is like in Noah’s time,^[m]
when I vowed that the waters of Noah’s flood^[n] would never again cover the earth.
In the same way I have vowed that I will not be angry at you or shout at you.
¹⁰Even if the mountains are removed
and the hills displaced,
my devotion will not be removed from you,
nor will my covenant of friendship^[o] be displaced,”
says the Lord, the one who has compassion on you.
¹¹“O afflicted one, driven away,^[p] and unconsoled!
Look, I am about to set your stones in antimony,
and lay your foundation with lapis lazuli.
¹²I will make your pinnacles out of gems,^[q]
your gates out of beryl,^[r]
and your outer wall^[s] out of beautiful^[t] stones.
¹³All your children will be followers of the Lord,
and your children will enjoy great prosperity.^[u]
¹⁴You will be reestablished when I vindicate you.^[v]
You will not experience oppression;^[w]
indeed, you will not be afraid.
You will not be terrified,^[x]
for nothing frightening^[y] will come near you.
¹⁵If anyone dares to^[z] challenge you, it will not be my doing!
Whoever tries to challenge you will be defeated.^[aa]
¹⁶Look, I create the craftsman,
who fans the coals into a fire
and forges a weapon.^[ab]
I create the destroyer so he might devastate.
¹⁷No weapon forged to be used against you will succeed;
you will refute everyone who tries to accuse you.^[ac]
This is what the Lord will do for his servants—
I will vindicate them,”^[ad]
says the Lord.

Footnotes

Isaiah 54:2 tn Heb “the curtains of your dwelling places let them stretch out.”
Isaiah 54:2 tn Heb “your stakes strengthen.”
Isaiah 54:3 tn Or “take possession of”; NAB “shall dispossess.”
Isaiah 54:4 tn Or “embarrassed”; NASB “humiliated…disgraced.”
Isaiah 54:4 tn Another option is to translate, “the disgrace of our widowhood” (so NRSV). However, the following context (vv. 6-7) refers to Zion’s husband, the Lord, abandoning her, not dying. This suggests that an אַלְמָנָה (ʾalmanah) was a woman who had lost her husband, whether by death or abandonment.
Isaiah 54:5 tn Or “redeemer.” See the note at 41:14.
Isaiah 54:5 sn See the note on the phrase “the Holy One of Israel” in 1:4.
Isaiah 54:6 tn Heb “like a woman abandoned and grieved in spirit.”
Isaiah 54:7 tn Or “forsook” (NASB).
Isaiah 54:8 tn According to BDB 1009 s.v. שֶׁטֶף the noun שֶׁצֶף here is an alternate form of שֶׁטֶף (shetef, “flood”). Some relate the word to an alleged Akkadian cognate meaning “strength.”
Isaiah 54:8 tn Heb “I hid my face from you.”
Isaiah 54:8 tn Or “redeemer.” See the note at 41:14.
Isaiah 54:9 tc The Hebrew text reads literally, “For [or “indeed”] the waters of Noah [is] this to me.” כִּי־מֵי (ki-me, “for the waters of”) should be emended to כִּימֵי (kime, “like the days of”), which is supported by the Qumran scroll 1QIsa^a and all the ancient versions except LXX.
Isaiah 54:9 tn Heb “the waters of Noah” (so NAB, NIV, NRSV).
Isaiah 54:10 tn Heb “peace” (so many English versions); NLT “of blessing.”
Isaiah 54:11 tn Or, more literally, “windblown, storm-tossed.”
Isaiah 54:12 tn Perhaps, “rubies” (so ASV, NAB, NIV, NRSV, NLT).
Isaiah 54:12 tn On the meaning of אֶקְדָּח (ʾeqdakh), which occurs only here, see HALOT 82 s.v.
Isaiah 54:12 tn Heb “border” (so ASV); NASB “your entire wall.”
Isaiah 54:12 tn Heb “delightful”; KJV “pleasant.”
Isaiah 54:13 tn Heb “and great [will be] the peace of your sons.”
Isaiah 54:14 tn Heb “in righteousness [or “vindication”] you will be established.” The precise meaning of צְדָקָה (ts^edaqah) here is uncertain. It could mean “righteousness, justice,” indicating that the city will be a center for justice. But the context focuses on deliverance, suggesting that the term means “deliverance, vindication” here.
Isaiah 54:14 tn Heb “Be far from oppression!” The imperative is used here in a rhetorical manner to express certainty and assurance. See GKC 324 §110.c.
Isaiah 54:14 tn Heb “from terror.” The rhetorical command, “be far” is understood by ellipsis here. Note the preceding context.
Isaiah 54:14 tn Heb “it,” i.e., the “terror” just mentioned.
Isaiah 54:15 tn The infinitive absolute precedes the finite verb here for emphasis.
Isaiah 54:15 tn Heb “will fall over you.” The expression נָפַל עַל (nafal ʿal) can mean “attack,” but here it means “fall over to,” i.e., “surrender to.”
Isaiah 54:16 tn Heb “who brings out an implement for his work.”
Isaiah 54:17 tn Heb “and every tongue that rises up for judgment with you will prove to be guilty.”
Isaiah 54:17 tn Heb “this is the inheritance of the servants of the Lord, and their vindication from me.”

Galatians 4:21-31

An Appeal from Allegory

²¹Tell me, you who want to be under the law, do you not understand the law?^[a] ²²For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the^[b] slave woman and the other by the free woman. ²³But one, the son by the slave woman, was born by natural descent,^[c] while the other, the son by the free woman, was born through the promise. ²⁴These things may be treated as an allegory,^[d] for these women represent two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai bearing children for slavery; this is Hagar. ²⁵Now Hagar represents Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. ²⁶But the Jerusalem above is free,^[e] and she is our mother. ²⁷For it is written:

“Rejoice, O barren woman who does not bear children;^[f]
break forth and shout, you who have no birth pains,
because the children of the desolate woman are more numerous
than those of the woman who has a husband.”^[g]

²⁸But you,^[h] brothers and sisters,^[i] are children of the promise like Isaac. ²⁹But just as at that time the one born by natural descent^[j] persecuted the one born according to the Spirit,^[k] so it is now. ³⁰But what does the scripture say? “Throw out the slave woman and her son, for the son of the slave woman will not share the inheritance with the son”^[l] of the free woman. ³¹Therefore, brothers and sisters,^[m] we are not children of the slave woman but of the free woman.

Footnotes

Galatians 4:21 tn Or “will you not hear what the law says?” The Greek verb ἀκούω (akouō) means “hear, listen to,” but by figurative extension it can also mean “obey.” It can also refer to the process of comprehension that follows hearing, and that sense fits the context well here.
Galatians 4:22 tn Paul’s use of the Greek article here and before the phrase “free woman” presumes that both these characters are well known to the recipients of his letter. This verse is given as an example of the category called “well-known (‘celebrity’ or ‘familiar’) article” by ExSyn 225.
Galatians 4:23 tn Grk “born according to the flesh”; BDAG 916 s.v. σάρξ 4 has “Of natural descent τὰ τέκνα τῆς σαρκός children by natural descent Ro 9:8 (opp. τὰ τέκνα τῆς ἐπαγγελίας). ὁ μὲν ἐκ τῆς παιδίσκης κατὰ σάρκα γεγέννηται Gal 4:23; cp. vs. 29.”
Galatians 4:24 tn Grk “which things are spoken about allegorically.” Paul is not saying the OT account is an allegory, but rather that he is constructing an allegory based on the OT account.
Galatians 4:26 sn The meaning of the statement the Jerusalem above is free is that the other woman represents the second covenant (cf. v. 24); she corresponds to the Jerusalem above that is free. Paul’s argument is very condensed at this point.
Galatians 4:27 tn The direct object “children” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied for clarity. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context.
Galatians 4:27 tn Grk “because more are the children of the barren one than of the one having a husband.”sn A quotation from Isa 54:1.
Galatians 4:28 tc Most mss (א A C D² Ψ 062 1241 1505 2464 M lat sy bo) read “we” here, while “you” is found in P⁴⁶ B D* F G 0261^vid 0278 33 1175 1739 al sa. It is more likely that a copyist, noticing the first person pronouns in vv. 26 and 31, changed a second person pronoun here to first person for consistency.
Galatians 4:28 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:11.
Galatians 4:29 tn Grk “according to the flesh”; see the note on the phrase “by natural descent” in 4:23.
Galatians 4:29 tn Or “the one born by the Spirit’s [power].”
Galatians 4:30 sn A quotation from Gen 21:10. The phrase of the free woman does not occur in Gen 21:10.
Galatians 4:31 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:11.

Mark 8:11-26

The Demand for a Sign

¹¹Then the Pharisees^[a] came and began to argue with Jesus, asking for^[b] a sign from heaven^[c] to test him. ¹²Sighing deeply in his spirit he said, “Why does this generation look for a sign? I tell you the truth,^[d] no sign will be given to this generation.” ¹³Then^[e] he left them, got back into the boat, and went to the other side.

The Yeast of the Pharisees and Herod

¹⁴Now^[f] they had forgotten to take bread, except for one loaf they had with them in the boat. ¹⁵And Jesus^[g] ordered them,^[h] “Watch out! Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees^[i] and the yeast of Herod!” ¹⁶So they began to discuss with one another about having no bread.^[j] ¹⁷When he learned of this,^[k] Jesus said to them, “Why are you arguing^[l] about having no bread? Do you still not see or understand? Have your hearts been hardened? ¹⁸Though you have eyes, don’t you see? And though you have ears, can’t you hear?^[m] Don’t you remember? ¹⁹When I broke the five loaves for the 5,000, how many baskets full of pieces did you pick up?” They replied, “Twelve.” ²⁰“When I broke the seven loaves for the 4,000, how many baskets full of pieces did you pick up?” They replied,^[n] “Seven.” ²¹Then^[o] he said to them, “Do you still not understand?”^[p]

A Two-stage Healing

²²Then^[q] they came to Bethsaida. They brought a blind man to Jesus^[r] and asked him to touch him. ²³He took the blind man by the hand and brought him outside of the village. Then^[s] he spit on his eyes, placed his hands on his eyes^[t] and asked, “Do you see anything?” ²⁴Regaining his sight^[u] he said, “I see people, but they look like trees walking.” ²⁵Then Jesus^[v] placed his hands on the man’s^[w] eyes again. And he opened his eyes,^[x] his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. ²⁶Jesus^[y] sent him home, saying, “Do not even go into the village.”^[z]

Footnotes

Mark 8:11 sn See the note on Pharisees in 2:16.
Mark 8:11 tn Grk “seeking from him.” The participle ζητοῦντες (zētountes) shows the means by which the Pharisees argued with Jesus.
Mark 8:11 sn What exactly this sign would have been, given what Jesus was already doing, is not clear. But here is where the fence-sitters reside, refusing to commit to him.
Mark 8:12 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amēn), I say to you.”
Mark 8:13 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
Mark 8:14 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.
Mark 8:15 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
Mark 8:15 tn Grk “was giving them orders, saying.” The participle λέγων (legōn) is redundant in English and has not been translated.
Mark 8:15 sn See the note on Pharisees in 2:16.
Mark 8:16 tn Grk “And they were discussing with one another that they had no bread.”
Mark 8:17 tn Or “becoming aware of it.”
Mark 8:17 tn Or “discussing.”
Mark 8:18 tn Grk “do you not hear?”
Mark 8:20 tc ‡ A difficult textual problem is found here, involving three different variants: καὶ λέγουσιν (kai legousin) is found in א; οἱ δὲ εἶπον (hoi de eipon) is the reading of P⁴⁵ A D W Θ ƒ^1,13 33 M it; and καὶ λέγουσιν αὐτῷ (kai legousin autō) is supported by B C L (Δ 579 892). The first two variants would not be translated differently; the third reading, however, would add “to him” after “they replied.” What complicates the issue is that the external evidence is fairly evenly split between the second and third readings, though the first reading is in agreement with the second reading in lacking the dative pronoun. Indeed, another layout of the problem here could treat this as two distinct problems: καὶ λέγουσιν vs. οἱ δὲ εἶπον and αὐτῷ vs. omission of the word. In this second arrangement of the problem, the reading without the pronoun has slightly stronger support (P⁴⁵ א A D W Θ ƒ^1,13 33 M it). Internally, Mark never elsewhere uses the form εἶπον for the third person plural indicative form of this verb (it is always εἶπαν [eipan]). And although only one other time in Mark is the object lacking after λέγουσιν (6:38), it is a similar context (viz., the disciples’ response before Jesus feeds the 5000). Very tentatively, the reading that is followed here is καὶ λέγουσιν. NA²⁸ puts αὐτῷ in brackets, indicating some doubt as to its authenticity.
Mark 8:21 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “Then” to indicate the implied sequence in the narrative.
Mark 8:21 sn Do you still not understand? The disciples in Mark’s Gospel often misunderstood the miracles of Jesus as well as his teaching. Between Matthew, Mark, and Luke, Mark paints the most revealing portrait of the shortcomings of the Twelve (cf. 6:51-52; 7:17-19; 8:1-10, 14-21, 27-30, 33; 9:5, 10, 33; 10:28, 35-45; 14:19, 29-31, 32-37, 50, 66-72).
Mark 8:22 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
Mark 8:22 tn Grk “to him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
Mark 8:23 tn Grk “village, and.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
Mark 8:23 tn Grk “on him,” but the word πάλιν in v. 25 implies that Jesus touched the man’s eyes at this point.
Mark 8:24 tn The verb ἀναβλέπω, though normally meaning “look up,” when used in conjunction with blindness means “regain sight.”
Mark 8:25 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
Mark 8:25 tn Grk “his”; the referent (the blind man) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
Mark 8:25 tn Or “he looked intently”; or “he stared with eyes wide open” (BDAG 226 s.v. διαβλέπω 1).
Mark 8:26 tn Grk “He”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
Mark 8:26 tc Codex Bezae (D) replaces “Do not even go into the village” with “Go to your house, and do not tell anyone, not even in the village.” Other mss with some minor variations (Θ ƒ¹³ 28 565 2542) expand on this prohibition to read “Go to your house, and if you go into the village, do not tell anyone.” There are several other variants here as well. While these expansions are not part of Mark’s original text, they do accurately reflect the sense of Jesus’ prohibition.

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Book of Common Prayer

Psalm 72[a]

For[b] Solomon.

Footnotes

י (Yod)

כ (Kaf)

ל (Lamed)

Footnotes

Zion Will Be Secure

Footnotes

An Appeal from Allegory

Footnotes

The Demand for a Sign

The Yeast of the Pharisees and Herod

A Two-stage Healing

Footnotes

Psalm 72^[a]

For^[b] Solomon.