Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Prosperity Comes from the Lord.
A Song of Ascents, of Solomon.
Remember God in Your Youth
12 (A)Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the (B)evil days come and the years draw near when you will say, “I have no delight in them”; 2 before the (C)sun and the light, the moon and the stars are darkened, and clouds return after the rain; 3 in the day that the watchmen of the house tremble, and mighty men (D)stoop, the grinding ones stand idle because they are few, and (E)those who look through [a]windows grow dim; 4 and the doors on the street are shut as the (F)sound of the grinding mill is low, and one will arise at the sound of the bird, and all the (G)daughters of song will [b]sing softly. 5 Furthermore, [c]men are afraid of a high place and of terrors on the road; the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper drags himself along, and the caperberry is ineffective. For man goes to his eternal (H)home while (I)mourners go about in the street. 6 Remember Him before the silver cord is [d]broken and the (J)golden bowl is crushed, the pitcher by the well is shattered and the wheel at the cistern is crushed; 7 then the (K)dust will return to the earth as it was, and the [e](L)spirit will return to (M)God who gave it. 8 “(N)Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher, “all is vanity!”
22 And He said to His disciples, “(A)For this reason I say to you, [a]do not worry about your [b]life, as to what you will eat; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. 23 For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. 24 Consider the (B)ravens, for they neither sow nor reap; they have no storeroom nor (C)barn, and yet God feeds them; how much more valuable you are than the birds! 25 And which of you by worrying can add a single [c](D)hour to his [d]life’s span? 26 If then you cannot do even a very little thing, why do you worry about other matters? 27 Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; but I tell you, not even (E)Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. 28 But if God so clothes the grass in the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, how much more will He clothe you? (F)You men of little faith! 29 And do not seek what you will eat and what you will drink, and do not (G)keep worrying. 30 For [e]all these things the nations of the world eagerly seek; but your Father knows that you need these things. 31 But seek His kingdom, and (H)these things will be added to you.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.