Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Had He Not Been on Our Side
Psalm 124
1 A Song of Ascents. Of David.
“Had Adonai not been on our side”
—let Israel now say—
2 “Had Adonai not been on our side,
when men rose up against us,
3 then they would have swallowed us alive,
when their wrath burned against us.
4 Then the waters would have engulfed us,
the torrent would have swept over our soul,
5 then the raging waters
would have swept over our soul.”
6 Blessed be Adonai, who has not given us
as prey for their teeth.
7 Our soul has escaped like a bird
out of the snare of the trappers—
the snare is broken, and we escaped!
8 Our help is in the Name of Adonai,
Maker of heaven and earth.
Your Husband is Your Maker
54 “Sing, barren one, who has not given birth.
burst into singing and shout,
you who have not travailed.
For more are the children of the desolate
than the children of the married one,”
says Adonai.
2 “Enlarge the place of your tent,
stretch out your tabernacle curtains.
Do not hold back—
lengthen your cords,
strengthen your stakes.
3 For you will spread out to the right hand and to the left.
Your offspring will possess the nations
and will resettle the desolate cities.
4 Fear not, for you will not be ashamed.
Nor cringe, for you will not be disgraced.
For you will forget the shame of your youth,
and you will remember the reproach of your widowhood no more.
5 For your Maker is your husband[a]
—Adonai-Tzva’ot is His Name—
the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer.
He will be called God of all the earth.
6 “For Adonai has called you back
like a wife deserted and grieved in spirit,
like a wife of one’s youth that is rejected,”
says your God.
7 “For a brief moment I deserted you,
but I will regather you with great compassion.
8 In a surge of anger
I hid My face from you a moment,
but with everlasting kindness
I will have compassion on you,”
says Adonai your Redeemer.
9 “For this is like the waters of Noah to Me:
for as I swore that the waters of Noah should no more cover the earth,
so I have sworn that I will not be angry with you,
nor will I rebuke you.
10 Though the mountains depart and the hills be shaken,
My love will not depart from you,
nor will My covenant of peace be shaken,
says Adonai who has compassion on you.
23 “Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here’s the Messiah,’ or ‘There He is,’ do not believe it. 24 For false messiahs and false prophets will rise up[a] and show great signs and wonders so as to lead astray, if possible, even the chosen. 25 See, I have told you beforehand.
26 “So if they say to you, ‘Look, He is in the wilderness,’ do not go out. Or, ‘Look, He is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. 27 For just as lightning comes from the east and flashes as far as the west, so also will be the coming of the Son of Man. 28 For wherever the carcass is, there the vultures will gather.
29 “But immediately after the trouble of those days,
‘the sun will be darkened,
and the moon will not give its light
and the stars will fall from heaven
and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.’[b]
30 Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the land will mourn, and they will see ‘the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven’[c] with power and great glory. 31 He will send out His angels with a great shofar, and they will gather together His chosen from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.”[d]
Watching for Messiah’s Return
32 “Now learn the parable from the fig tree. When its branch becomes tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. 33 So also, when you see all these things, know that it is near, at the door. 34 Amen, I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things happen. 35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away.
Tree of Life (TLV) Translation of the Bible. Copyright © 2015 by The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society.