Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Wishing to Be in the Temple
For the director of music. By the gittith. A song of the sons of Korah.
84 Lord of heaven’s armies,
how lovely is your Temple!
2 I want to be in
the courtyards of the Lord’s Temple.
My whole being wants
to be with the living God.
3 The sparrows have found a home.
And the swallows have nests.
They raise their young near your altars,
Lord of heaven’s armies, my King and my God.
4 Happy are the people who live at your Temple.
They are always praising you. Selah
5 Happy are those whose strength comes from you.
They want to travel to Jerusalem.
6 As they pass through the Valley of Baca,
they make it like a spring.
The autumn rains fill it with pools of water.
7 The people get stronger as they go.
And everyone meets with God in Jerusalem.
A Time Without Rain
14 These are the words that the Lord spoke to Jeremiah about the time when there was no rain:
2 “The nation of Judah cries.
Her cities are dying.
They cry out for the land.
A cry goes up to God from Jerusalem.
3 The important men send their servants to get water.
The servants go to the wells,
but they find no water.
So they return with empty jars.
They are ashamed and embarrassed.
They cover their heads in shame.
4 The ground is dry and cracked open
because no rain falls on the land.
The farmers are upset and sad.
So they cover their heads in shame.
5 Even the mother deer in the field
leaves her fawn.
She does this because there is no grass.
6 Wild donkeys stand on the bare hills.
They sniff the wind like wild dogs.
But their eyes are dull because
there is no food.”
Mary Praises God
46 Then Mary said,
“My soul praises the Lord;
47 my heart is happy because God is my Savior.
48 I am not important, but God has shown his care for me, his servant girl.
From now on, all people will say that I am blessed,
49 because the Powerful One has done great things for me.
His name is holy.
50 God will always give mercy
to those who worship him.
51 God’s arm is strong.
He scatters the people who are proud
and think great things about themselves.
52 God brings down rulers from their thrones,
and he raises up the humble.
53 God fills the hungry with good things,
but he sends the rich away with nothing.
54 God has helped his people Israel who serve him.
He gave them his mercy.
55 God has done what he promised to our ancestors,
to Abraham and to his children forever.”
The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.