Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

God Is Good to His People

127 Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders work for nothing. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the men who watch over it stay awake for nothing. ² You rise up early, and go to bed late, and work hard for your food, all for nothing. For the Lord gives to His loved ones even while they sleep.

³ See, children are a gift from the Lord. The children born to us are our special reward. ⁴ The children of a young man are like arrows in the hand of a soldier. ⁵ Happy is the man who has many of them. They will not be put to shame when they speak in the gate with those who hate them.

12 Remember also your Maker while you are young, before the days of trouble come and the years when you will say, “I have no joy in them,” ² before the sun, the light, the moon and the stars are made dark, and clouds return after the rain. ³ This will be the day when the men who watch the house shake in fear. Strong men bow. Those who grind will stop because they are few. And the eyes of those who look through windows will not see well. ⁴ The doors on the street will be shut when the sound of the grinding is no more. One will rise up at the sound of a bird. All the daughters of song will sing very low. ⁵ Men will be afraid of a high place and of fears on the road. Flowers will grow on the almond tree. The grasshopper will pull himself along. And desire will be at an end. For man will go to his home that lasts forever, while people filled with sorrow go about in the street. ⁶ Remember Him before the silver rope of life is broken and the gold dish is crushed. Remember Him before the pot by the well is broken and the wheel by the water-hole is crushed. ⁷ Then the dust will return to the earth as it was. And the spirit will return to God Who gave it. ⁸ “It is of no use,” says the Preacher, “It is all for nothing!”

¹³ The last word, after all has been heard, is: Honor God and obey His Laws. This is all that every person must do. ¹⁴ For God will judge every act, even everything which is hidden, both good and bad.

Jesus Teaches about the Cares of This Life

²² Jesus said to His followers, “Because of this, I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you are going to eat. Do not worry about your body, what you are going to wear. ²³ Life is worth more than food. The body is worth more than clothes. ²⁴ Look at the birds. They do not plant seeds. They do not gather grain. They have no grain buildings for keeping grain. Yet God feeds them. Are you not worth more than the birds?

²⁵ “Which of you can make yourself a little taller by worrying? ²⁶ If you cannot do that which is so little, why do you worry about other things? ²⁷ Think how the flowers grow. They do not work or make cloth. Yet, I tell you, that King Solomon in all his greatness was not dressed as well as one of these flowers. ²⁸ God puts these clothes on the grass of the field. The grass is in the field today and put into the fire tomorrow. How much more would He want to give you clothing? You have so little faith! ²⁹ Do not give so much thought to what you will eat or drink. Do not be worried about it. ³⁰ For all the nations of the world go after these things. Your Father knows you need these things. ³¹ Instead, go after the holy nation of God. Then all these other things will be given to you.