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Old/New Testament

Each day includes a passage from both the Old Testament and New Testament.

Duration: 365 days

Psalm 126-128

Psalm 126^[a]

God, Our Joy and Our Hope

¹^[b]A song of ascents.

When the Lord brought home the captives to Zion,
    we seemed to be dreaming.^[c]
²Our mouths were filled with laughter
    and our tongues with songs of joy.
Then it was said among the nations,
    “The Lord has done great things for them.”^[d]
³The Lord has indeed done great deeds for us,
    and we are overflowing with joy.^[e]
⁴^[f]Once again restore our fortunes,^[g] O Lord,
    as you did for the streams in the Negeb.
⁵Those who sow in tears^[h]
    will reap with songs of joy.
⁶Those who go forth weeping,
    carrying the seeds to be sown,^[i]
will return with shouts of joy,
    carrying their sheaves.

Psalm 127^[j]

Need of Divine Assistance

¹A song of ascents. Of Solomon.

^[k]If the Lord does not build the house,^[l]
    those who construct it labor in vain.
If the Lord does not guard the city,
    those who keep watch over it do so in vain.
²It is useless for you to rise earlier
    and delay taking your rest at night,
    toiling relentlessly for the bread you eat;
for while those he loves sleep,
    he provides all of this for them.^[m]
³^[n]Behold, children are a gift from the Lord,
    a reward of the fruit of the womb.
⁴Like arrows in the hands of a warrior
    are the children born in one’s youth.^[o]
⁵Blessed is the man
    who has filled his quiver with them.
He will never be forced to retreat
    when he is confronted by his enemies at the city gate.^[p]

Psalm 128^[q]

Happy Home of the Righteous

¹^[r]A song of ascents.

Blessed^[s] are all those who fear the Lord
    and walk in his ways.
²You will eat the fruit of your labors;
    you will enjoy both blessings and prosperity.^[t]
³Your wife will be like a fruitful vine^[u]
    within your house;
your sons will be like shoots of an olive tree
    around your table.
⁴Such are the blessings that will be bestowed
    on the man who fears the Lord.
⁵^[v]May the Lord bless you from Zion^[w]
    all the days of your life.
May you rejoice in the prosperity of Jerusalem
⁶    and live to see your children’s children.^[x]
Peace be upon Israel.

Footnotes

Psalm 126:1 The Jewish community takes pains to be reestablished. But joy fills the people’s hearts. They still resound with the gladness and hope of the caravans returning from the Exile, and every pilgrimage unfolds like a new Exodus (vv. 1-3; see Isa 48:21), a return from the Exile. It is also faith in an even more wondrous future, the gathering together of all by the side of the Messiah. Such happiness is prepared for in the suffering of the present just as the harvest grows out of the grain sown into the earth where it dies (see Jn 12:24; Rom 8:8-25; 1 Cor 15:35-49).
In praying this psalm, we can also be mindful of the wondrous spiritual salvation of sinners worked by Christ in accord with the will of the Father. This salvation constitutes a spiritual Exodus from the sinful world to the divine dwelling of the earthly Church and then of the heavenly Church, a transferral from satanic tyranny to the gentle yoke of Christ and then of the heavenly Father, a conversion from infidelity to fidelity toward Christ and his Father. Such are the wonders that God has worked radically for all in causing Christ to pass from the grave to heaven, from death to glorious life (see Eph 4:8), and that he works effectively for every believer who shares in this mystery through faith (see Jn 5:24).
Psalm 126:1 The edict of the Persian King Cyrus the Great in 538 B.C. that permitted the exiles to return home was totally unexpected despite the oracles issued by Isaiah and Jeremiah. The long period of the captivity had caused many to give up hope. Hence, the joy of their deliverance was indescribable. The Gentiles, too, were impressed by this event; for many nations in the ancient Near East had vanished owing to conquest and exile, and the conventional wisdom was that little Israel would suffer the same fate. When this proved not to be the case, the People of God acknowledged that it was the Lord who had done great things for them.
Psalm 126:1 The restoration of the captives to Zion took place in 538 B.C., in fulfillment of the prophetic word (see Isa 14:1f; 44:24—45:25; 48:20f; Jer 29:14; 30:3; 33:7, 10f; Am 9:14). However, when the actual moment came, it felt like a mirage. When the Lord . . . dreaming: another translation is: “When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, / we were like men restored to health.”
Psalm 126:2 So great was the act of restoration and the joy of the people that the nations heard about it too (see Ps 98:2; Isa 52:10; Ezek 36:36) and praised the Lord (see note on Ps 46:10).
Psalm 126:3 The psalmist affirms that the Lord has done great things for the people, and they are filled with joy. We Christians can use this verse in our own right to declare the manifold blessings bestowed on us in Christ, especially his Resurrection, which turned the disciples’ sorrow into joy and brought salvation to the world that had previously been in bondage to the devil.
Psalm 126:4 The reality of life in Canaan soon tempered the joy of the repatriates, for they had to eke out an existence in the land that had remained untended for years. So the people cry out to God for a continuation of the restoration: restoration of their well-being in the land (fortunes; see Ps 14:7). And they are assured of God’s continued fidelity to his promise.
Psalm 126:4 The repatriates, disappointed by the limited fulfillment of the prophetic word, turn to the Lord. They beg him to grant them a complete restoration and give them a brighter future even if to do so he has to perform a miracle like creating streams in the Negeb. Restore our fortunes: another possible translation is: “Bring back our people from captivity.” No matter what the text, the prayer is one for a better future. Streams in the Negeb: the wadis of southern Palestine, almost always dry, are suddenly filled by the winter rains and fertilize the earth (see 2 Ki 3:20; Isa 41:18), representing proverbially the sudden coming of God’s blessing.
Psalm 126:5 God will be true to his promise, but the people must also do their part—they must sow the seed in order to have a harvest. God will turn the people’s tears into songs of joy by blessing them in their various endeavors and rewarding their laborious toil.
Psalm 126:6 The psalm concludes on the expectation of another miracle to take place; the people will return with shouts of joy because of the plentiful harvest. The time of exile was like a sowing of tears; it was a time of penance. The time of the harvest has not yet come. But as certainly as in nature the harvest follows upon seeding, so certain is it that a time of joy will follow for God’s people. Thus, the psalm attests to the certainty of the Lord’s promise. Seeds to be sown: “Previously the seed had not sprouted, and the vine and the fig tree, the pomegranate and the olive tree, had borne no fruit. From this day forward I intend to bless you” (Hag 2:19).
Psalm 127:1 Without God, human undertakings are doomed to fail. It is God who is responsible for all of life’s blessings (see Deut 28:1-14). There is no need for us to become overly anxious. His providence takes care of us (see Mt 6:25-34; Jn 15:5). This is the constant teaching of the Old and New Testament. Nowadays, we know that natural laws follow a determined course that can be put to use in invention, technology, and the human sciences. But what do we expect to achieve? And if our endless affairs take away from us our time and taste for true joys, e.g., that of breaking bread together and of the fraternal home—what then?
We can and should recite this beautiful psalm in its original sense to praise the Lord who fills us with earthly goods and gifts. We can also transpose it to the spiritual plane to express our radical impotence in this sphere and to proclaim that all success and supernatural fecundity suppose the concurrence of Christ Jesus, acting in the name of the Father, in the Holy Spirit (see Jn 15:4f).
Psalm 127:1 The psalmist wishes to have the people become more God-centered in their everyday lives, for it is the Lord who provides shelter, security, and food.
Psalm 127:1 The building of a house may refer to the construction of a house within the protective walls of the city or to the raising of a “family,” for in the Old Testament it is usual to speak of a family as a house in much the same way as we speak of a prominent family as a dynasty (see Gen 16:2; 30:3; Ex 1:21; Ru 4:11; 1 Sam 2:35; 2 Sam 7:27). Even the best watchmen (see 2 Sam 13:34; 18:24-27; Song 3:3; 5:7) are not enough to protect the city against attack unless the Lord is guarding it (see Pss 121:4; 132).
Psalm 127:2 The higher way of life is to trust the Lord in one’s work. A good harvest results from God’s blessing, not endless toil (see Prov 10:22; Mt 6:25-34; 1 Pet 5:7).
Psalm 127:3 It is the Lord, too, who as a sign of his favor gives sons who ensure the perpetuity of the family that is faithful to him and provide protection for the family members.
Psalm 127:4 Children, especially sons, also provide a sense of security and protection for the family—especially if they are born early in the parents’ life (see Prov 17:6; Lam 3:13). As the arrows protect the warrior, so do sons guard the godly man.
Psalm 127:5 A house full of children is a protection against loneliness and abandonment in society. They will speak on behalf of their aging parents, especially at the city gate, where court was held (see Ps 69:13; Deut 17:5; 21:19; 22:15, 24; Prov 31:23; Am 5:12).
Psalm 128:1 A prosperous home, such is the happiness reserved by God for the righteous—so thought the sages of Israel (see Prov 3:33). Although the people soon realized that God’s reward is more mysterious, the joy and intimacy of the hearth, delicately invoked in this psalm, and the gathering of all in a Jerusalem radiant with peace remain the most suggestive images of the happiness that God will bestow on the righteous. The psalmist is encouraging the individual to contribute to the building up of the kingdom of God by living a godly life. Through him, his family will be built up, and God’s blessing will be extended to all the People of God.
In praying this psalm, we can apply it above all to the spiritual goods that God reserves for Christian families. However, we know that the heavenly Father does not fail to add to his supernatural benefits such natural ones as the blessings and happiness promised by the psalmist: prosperity, professional success, fecundity, longevity, and peace.
Psalm 128:1 The psalmist delineates the blessings of a God-fearing family: the right relationship with God, obedience to his words, fruitful labor, compatible loving parents, godly children, and domestic harmony.
Psalm 128:1 The wise man was especially concerned with walking in the ways of the Lord (see Pss 1:1; 25:9f; Prov 14:2), ways of love, fidelity, and uprightness. Blessed: see note on Ps 1:1. Fear the Lord: see note on Ps 15:2-5. His ways: i.e., his commandments (see Pss 27:11; 86:11; 143:8).
Psalm 128:2 In godly living, the judgment of God on humans (see Gen 3:17-19) is alleviated, for labor is truly blessed by God.
Psalm 128:3 The imagery of vine and olive shoots recalls the times of David and Solomon (see 1 Ki 4:25) and the blessing associated with the Messianic Age (see Mic 4:4; Zec 3:10). To sit under one’s vine and fig tree symbolized tranquillity, peace, and prosperity. The metaphor of the vine indicates that the wife will be not only fruitful but also everything that a wife should be for the good of the family (see Prov 31:10-31). The children (shoots of an olive tree) will be strong and later on continue the father’s work (see Ps 52:10; Jer 11:16; Hos 14:6).
Psalm 128:5 The psalmist further summarizes the blessedness of the righteous—unbroken prosperity, true relationship with God, secure national defense, and long life. In doing so, he implicitly calls upon and encourages each one of the faithful to contribute to the building up of the kingdom of God by leading an upright life in the presence of God.
Psalm 128:5 The presence of God extends to his faithful servant wherever he may live. For the new People of God, it signifies the blessing of God on all who have the Spirit dwelling in them. From Zion: see Pss 9:11; 20:3; 135:21.
Psalm 128:6 Live to see your children’s children: this prayer for the righteous corresponds to the phrase found in verse 5: “all the days of your life.” It calls down upon them God’s blessing of longevity, which was one of the greatest favors to be sought in a time when an idea of the afterlife had not yet been fully attained. Peace be upon Israel: see note on Ps 125:5. By these words, the psalmist applies God’s blessing on the individual to the whole People of God, requesting well-being and prosperity for all. Paul may be echoing this phrase in Gal 6:16: “May peace and mercy be given to all who follow this rule, and to the Israel of God.” It sums up Paul’s concern that God’s people should show themselves true citizens of “the Jerusalem that is above” (Gal 4:26).

1 Corinthians 10:19-33

¹⁹What then am I implying? That meat sacrificed to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything?

²⁰No, I simply mean that pagan sacrifices are offered to demons, not to God, and I do not want you to become partners with demons. ²¹You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons. ²²Do we truly wish to provoke the Lord to jealous anger?^[a] Are we stronger than he is?

²³Concerning Idol Offerings.“All things are lawful,” you may say—but not all things are beneficial. All things may be lawful—but not all things are constructive. ²⁴No one should seek his own advantage in preference to that of his neighbor. ²⁵You may eat whatever meat is sold in the market without raising questions on grounds of conscience, ²⁶for “the earth and all it contains belong to the Lord.”

²⁷If an unbeliever invites you to a meal and you decide to accept, eat whatever is set before you without raising any questions on the grounds of conscience. ²⁸However, if someone says to you, “This food was offered in sacrifice,” then do not eat it, out of consideration for the one who informed you and for the sake of conscience— ²⁹I mean the other person’s conscience, not your own. For why should my freedom be governed by someone else’s conscience? ³⁰If I partake of the meal with thankfulness, why should I be criticized for eating food for which I give thanks?

³¹Give No Offense. Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God. ³²Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the Church of God, ³³just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own good but that of the many, so that they may be saved.

New Catholic Bible (NCB)

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Old/New Testament

Psalm 126[a]

God, Our Joy and Our Hope

Psalm 127[j]

Need of Divine Assistance

Psalm 128[q]

Happy Home of the Righteous

Footnotes

Footnotes

Psalm 126^[a]

Psalm 127^[j]

Psalm 128^[q]