Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

A Song to God’s Care

81 Sing for joy to God our strength! Call out for joy to the God of Jacob! ² Sing a song, beat the timbrel. Play the sweet-sounding harps. ³ Blow the horn at the new moon, at the full moon on the day of our special supper. ⁴ For this is a Law for Israel, a Law of the God of Jacob. ⁵ He made it a Law for Joseph, when he went through the land of Egypt. I heard a language that I did not know:

⁶ “I took the load off his shoulders. His hands were set free from the basket. ⁷ You called in your trouble, and I took you out of it. I answered you in the hiding place of thunder. I tested you at the waters of Meribah. ⁸ Hear, O My people, and I will tell you what to do. O Israel, if you would listen to Me! ⁹ Let there be no strange god among you. Do not worship any false god. ¹⁰ I, the Lord, am your God. I brought you out of the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide and I will fill it.

¹¹ “But My people did not listen to My voice. And Israel did not obey Me. ¹² So I let them follow the desires of their sinful hearts. They followed their own plans. ¹³ If only My people would listen to Me! If only Israel would follow My ways! ¹⁴ I would hurry to crush those who fight against them. I would turn My hand against those who hate them. ¹⁵ Those who hate the Lord would pretend to obey Him. And their punishment would last forever. ¹⁶ But I would feed you with the best of grain. And I would fill you with honey from the rock.”

Israel Returns Home

31 “At that time,” says the Lord, “I will be the God of all the families of Israel, and they will be My people.” ² The Lord says, “The people who were not killed by the sword found loving-favor in the desert, when Israel looked for rest.” ³ The Lord came to us from far away, saying, “I have loved you with a love that lasts forever. So I have helped you come to Me with loving-kindness. ⁴ Again I will build you, and you will be built, O pure Israel! Again you will take up your brass noise-makers and go to the dances of the happy people. ⁵ Again you will plant grape-fields on the hills of Samaria. The planters will plant and find joy in the fruit. ⁶ For there will be a day when watchmen on the hills of Ephraim will call out, ‘Get up, and let us go up to Zion, to the Lord our God.’”

³⁵ Jesus said to them, “I am the Bread of Life. He who comes to Me will never be hungry. He who puts his trust in Me will never be thirsty. ³⁶ I said to you that you have seen Me and yet you do not put your trust in Me. ³⁷ All whom My Father has given to Me will come to Me. I will never turn away anyone who comes to Me. ³⁸ I came down from heaven. I did not come to do what I wanted to do. I came to do what My Father wanted Me to do. He is the One Who sent Me.

³⁹ “The Father sent Me. He did not want Me to lose any of all those He gave Me. He wants Me to raise them to life on the last day. ⁴⁰ He wants everyone who sees the Son to put his trust in Him and have life that lasts forever. I will raise that one up on the last day.”