Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

(By David.)

Praise the Lord with All Your Heart

¹⁵ On the day this tree dies and goes to the world below, I, the Lord God, will command rivers and streams to mourn its death. Every underground spring of water and every river will stop flowing.^[a] The mountains in Lebanon will be covered with darkness as a sign of their sorrow, and all the trees in the forest will wither. ¹⁶ This tree will crash to the ground, and I will send it to the world below. Then the nations of the earth will tremble.

The trees from Eden and the choice trees from Lebanon are now in the world of the dead, and they will be comforted when this tree falls. ¹⁷ Those people who found protection in its shade will also be sent to the world below, where they will join the dead.^[b]

¹⁸ King of Egypt, all these things will happen to you and your people! You were like this tree at one time—taller and stronger than anyone on earth. But now you will be chopped down, just as every tree in the garden of Eden must die. You will be sent down to the world of the dead, where you will join the godless and the other victims of violent death. I, the Lord God, have spoken.

¹² We won't dare compare ourselves with those who think so much of themselves. But they are foolish to compare themselves with themselves. ¹³ We won't brag about something we don't have a right to brag about. We will only brag about the work God has sent us to do, and you are part of that work. ¹⁴ We are not bragging more than we should. After all, we did bring the message about Christ to you.

¹⁵ We don't brag about what others have done, as if we had done those things ourselves. But I hope as you become stronger in your faith, we will be able to reach many more of the people around you.^[a] That has always been our goal. ¹⁶ Then we will be able to preach the good news in other lands where we cannot take credit for work someone else has already done. ^17 (A) The Scriptures say, “If you want to brag, then brag about the Lord.” ¹⁸ You may brag about yourself, but the only approval that counts is the Lord's approval.