Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

Morning Prayer of Trust

3 O Lord, how many are they who hate me! How many rise up against me! ² Many are saying of me, “There is no help for him in God.” ³ But You, O Lord, are a covering around me, my shining-greatness, and the One Who lifts my head. ⁴ I was crying to the Lord with my voice. And He answered me from His holy mountain. ⁵ I lay down and slept, and I woke up again, for the Lord keeps me safe.

⁶ I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people who stand all around against me. ⁷ Rise up, O Lord! Save me, O my God! For You have hit on the face all those who hate me, and you have broken the teeth of the sinful. ⁸ It is You Who saves, O Lord. May You bring happiness to Your people.

¹² “It is bad for him who builds a city with blood, and builds a town with wrong-doing! ¹³ Is it not the will of the All-powerful Lord that people work for what will burn up and nations make themselves tired for nothing? ¹⁴ For the earth will be filled with knowing of the Lord’s shining-greatness, as the waters cover the sea.

¹⁵ “It is bad for him who makes his neighbors drink, mixing in his poison to make them drunk, so he can look on their shame! ¹⁶ You will be filled with shame instead of honor. Now you yourself drink and let your own shame be seen. The cup in the Lord’s right hand will come around to you, and your greatness will turn to shame. ¹⁷ The bad things you have done to Lebanon will come back to you. Because you have killed its animals, now they will make you afraid. This will happen because of all the killing you have done. You have destroyed lands and cities and everyone in them.

¹⁸ “Of what worth is a false god when a workman has made it? Of what worth is an object of worship, a teacher of lies? For the workman trusts in his own work when he makes these false gods that cannot speak. ¹⁹ It is bad for him who says to a piece of wood, ‘Wake up!’ or to a stone that cannot speak, ‘Get up!’ Can this teach you? See, it is covered with gold and silver. There is no breath in it. ²⁰ But the Lord is in His holy house. Let all the earth be quiet before Him.”

The Fig Tree with No Fruit

¹² They came from Bethany the next morning. Jesus was hungry. ¹³ Along the road He saw a fig tree with leaves on it. He went over to see if it had any fruit. He saw nothing but leaves. It was not the right time for figs. ¹⁴ Jesus said to the tree, “Let no one ever again eat fruit from you.” His followers heard Him say it.

The Fig Tree Dries Up ^(A)

²⁰ In the morning they passed by the fig tree. They saw it was dried up from the roots. ²¹ Peter remembered what had happened the day before and said to Jesus, “Teacher, see! The fig tree which You spoke to has dried up!” ²² Jesus said to them, “Have faith in God. ²³ For sure, I tell you, a person may say to this mountain, ‘Move from here into the sea.’ And if he does not doubt, but believes that what he says will be done, it will happen. ²⁴ Because of this, I say to you, whatever you ask for when you pray, have faith that you will receive it. Then you will get it.