Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Psalm 87
Zion, the City of God
A psalm of the sons of Korah. A song.
1 His foundation is on the holy mountains.(A)
2 The Lord loves the gates of Zion
more than all the dwellings of Jacob.(B)
3 Glorious things are said about you,
city of God.(C)
4 “I will mention those who know Me:
Rahab, Babylon, Philistia, Tyre, and Cush—
each one was born there.”(D)
5 And it will be said of Zion,
“This one and that one were born in her.”
The Most High Himself will establish her.(E)
6 When He registers the peoples,
the Lord will record,
“This one was born there.”(F)
7 Singers and dancers alike will say,
“My whole source of joy is[a] in you.”(G)
8 Bring out a people who are blind, yet have eyes,(A)
and are deaf, yet have ears.
9 All the nations are gathered together,
and the peoples are assembled.(B)
Who among them can declare this,(C)
and tell us the former things?
Let them present their witnesses
to vindicate themselves,
so that people may hear and say, “It is true.”
10 “You are My witnesses”(D)—
this is the Lord’s declaration—
“and My servant whom I have chosen,(E)
so that you may know and believe Me
and understand that I am He.(F)
No god was formed before Me,
and there will be none after Me.(G)
11 I, I am Yahweh,
and there is no other Savior but Me.(H)
12 I alone declared, saved, and proclaimed—
and not some foreign god[a] among you.
So you are My witnesses”—
this is the Lord’s declaration—
“and[b] I am God.(I)
13 Also, from today on I am He alone,
and none can deliver from My hand.(J)
I act, and who can reverse it?”(K)
13 Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. In view of the fact that I am an apostle to the Gentiles,(A) I magnify my ministry, 14 if I can somehow make my own people[a](B) jealous and save some of them.(C) 15 For if their rejection brings reconciliation(D) to the world, what will their acceptance mean but life from the dead?(E) 16 Now if the firstfruits offered up are holy,(F) so is the whole batch. And if the root is holy, so are the branches.
17 Now if some of the branches were broken off,(G) and you, though a wild olive branch, were grafted in among them(H) and have come to share in the rich root[b] of the cultivated olive tree, 18 do not brag that you are better than those branches. But if you do brag—you do not sustain the root, but the root sustains you.(I) 19 Then you will say,(J) “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.” 20 True enough; they were broken off by unbelief, but you stand by faith.(K) Do not be arrogant, but be afraid.(L) 21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, He will not spare you either. 22 Therefore, consider God’s kindness and severity: severity toward those who have fallen but God’s kindness(M) toward you—if you remain in His kindness.(N) Otherwise you too will be cut off.(O) 23 And even they, if they do not remain in unbelief,(P) will be grafted in, because God has the power to graft them in again. 24 For if you were cut off from your native wild olive and against nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these—the natural branches—be grafted into their own olive tree?
25 So that you will not be conceited,(Q) brothers, I do not want you to be unaware(R) of this mystery:(S) A partial hardening has come to Israel(T) until the full number of the Gentiles has come in.(U) 26 And in this way all[c] Israel will be saved, as it is written:
The Liberator will come from Zion;
He will turn away godlessness from Jacob.
27 And this will be My covenant with them(V)[d]
when I take away their sins.(W)[e]
28 Regarding the gospel, they are enemies for your advantage,(X) but regarding election, they are loved because of the patriarchs,(Y) 29 since God’s gracious gifts and calling(Z) are irrevocable.[f](AA)
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