Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

16 Preserve me, O God. For in You do I trust.

² O my soul, you have said to the LORD, “You are my LORD. My goodness is not, but for You.”

³ To the saints who are on the Earth, and to the excellent, all my delight is in them.

⁴ The sorrows of those who offer to another god shall be multiplied. Their offerings of blood I will not offer; nor make mention of their names with my lips.

⁵ The LORD is the portion of my inheritance, and of my cup. You shall maintain my lot.

⁶ The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places. Indeed, I have a fair heritage.

⁷ I will praise the LORD Who has given me counsel. My core also teaches me in the nights.

⁸ I have set the LORD always before me. For He is at my right hand. Therefore, I shall not slide.

⁹ Therefore, my heart is glad. And my tongue rejoices. My flesh, also, rests in hope.

¹⁰ For You will not leave my soul in the grave. Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.

¹¹ You will show me the path of life. In Your presence is the fullness of joy. And at Your right hand there are pleasures forevermore. The prayer of David.

²⁸ While the word was in the king’s mouth, a voice came down from heaven, saying, “O king Nebuchadnezzar, to you be it spoken, ‘Your kingdom has departed from you.

²⁹ “‘And they shall drive you from men. And your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. They shall make you to eat grass, as the oxen. And seven times shall pass over you, until you know, that the most High bears rule over the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever he will.’”

³⁰ That very same hour was this thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar. And he was driven from men, and ate grass as the oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown as eagles feathers, and his nails like birds claws.

³¹ And at the end of these days, I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted up my eyes to heaven. And my understanding was restored to me. And I gave thanks to the most High. And I praised and honored him who lives forever, whose power is an everlasting power, and whose kingdom is from generation to generation.

³² And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing. And according to his will, he works in the army of heaven, and in the inhabitants of the earth. And none can stay his hand, nor say to him, “What are you doing?”

³³ At the same time was my understanding restored to me. And I returned to the honor of my kingdom. My glory and my beauty was restored to me, and my counselors and my princes sought me. And I was re-established in my kingdom, and my glory was added to me.

³⁴ Now therefore, I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and magnify the king of heaven, whose works are all truth; and his ways judgment. And those who walk in pride, he is able to humble.

12 And He began to speak to them in parables, “A certain man planted a vineyard, and surrounded it with a hedge, and dug a pit for the winepress, and built a tower on it, and leased it to farmers, and went into a strange country.

² “And at the right time, he sent a servant to them, so that he might receive word about the fruit of the vineyard.

³ “But they took him, and beat him, and sent him away empty.

⁴ “And again he sent another servant to them. And they cast stones at him, and struck his head, and sent him away shamefully-handled.

⁵ “And again he sent another. And him they killed - and many others - beating some and killing some.

⁶ “He still had one son, his dear beloved. Lastly, he also sent him to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’

⁷ “But the farmers said among themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him. And the inheritance shall be ours.’

⁸ “So they took him and killed him and cast him out of the vineyard.

⁹ “What shall then the Lord of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy these farmers and give the vineyard to others.

¹⁰ “Have you not read so much as this Scripture, ‘The stone which the builders refused, has become the cornerstone.

¹¹ “‘This was done by the Lord. And it is marvelous in our eyes’?”

¹² Then they planned to take Him. But they feared the people. For they perceived that He spoke that parable against them. Therefore, they left Him alone and went their way.