Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

Psalm 133

A Song of ^[a]Ascents. Of David.

¹ Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!

² It is like the precious ointment poured on the head, that ran down on the beard, even the beard of Aaron [the first high priest], that came down upon the collar and skirts of his garments [consecrating the whole body].^(A)

³ It is like the dew of [lofty] Mount Hermon and the dew that comes on the hills of Zion; for there the Lord has commanded the blessing, even life forevermore [upon the high and the lowly].

⁸ When Israel [almost blind] saw Joseph’s sons, he said, Who are these?

⁹ And Joseph said to his father, They are my sons, whom God has given me in this place. And he said, Bring them to me, I pray you, that I may bless them.

¹⁰ Now Israel’s eyes were dim from age, so that he could not see. And Joseph brought them near to him, and he kissed and embraced them.

¹¹ Israel said to Joseph, I had not thought that I would see your face, but see, God has shown me your offspring also.

¹² Then Joseph took [the boys] from [his father’s embrace] and he bowed [before him] with his face to the earth.

¹³ Then Joseph took both [boys], Ephraim with his right hand toward Israel’s left, and Manasseh with his left hand toward Israel’s right, and brought them close to him.

¹⁴ And Israel reached out his right hand and laid it on the head of Ephraim, who was the younger, and his left hand on Manasseh’s head, ^[a]crossing his hands intentionally, for Manasseh was the firstborn.

¹⁵ Then [Jacob] blessed Joseph and said, God [Himself], before Whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac lived and walked habitually, God [Himself], Who has [been my Shepherd and has led and] fed me from the time I came into being until this day,

¹⁶ The ^[b]redeeming Angel [that is, the Angel the Redeemer—not a created being but the Lord Himself] Who has redeemed me continually from every evil, bless the lads! And let my name be perpetuated in them [may they be worthy of having their names coupled with mine], and the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; and let them become a multitude in the midst of the earth.

¹⁷ When Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand on Ephraim’s head, it displeased him; and he held up his father’s hand to move it to Manasseh’s head.

¹⁸ And Joseph said, Not so, my father, for this is the firstborn; put your right hand upon his head.

¹⁹ But his father refused and said, I know, my son, I know. He also shall become a people and shall be great; but his younger brother shall be ^[c]greater than he, and his offspring shall become a multitude of nations.

²⁰ And he blessed them that day, saying, By you shall Israel bless [one another], saying, May God make you like Ephraim and like Manasseh. And he set Ephraim before Manasseh.

²¹ And Israel said to Joseph, Behold, I [am about to] die, but God will be with you and bring you again to the land of your fathers.

²² Moreover, I have given to you [Joseph] one portion [Shechem, one mountain slope] more than any of your brethren, which I took [reclaiming it] out of the hand of the Amorites with my sword and with my bow.^(A)

²³ [Prompted] by faith Moses, after his birth, was kept concealed for three months by his parents, because they saw how comely the child was; and they were not overawed and terrified by the king’s decree.^(A)

²⁴ [Aroused] by faith Moses, when he had grown to maturity and ^[a]become great, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter,^(B)

²⁵ Because he preferred to share the oppression [suffer the hardships] and bear the shame of the people of God rather than to have the fleeting enjoyment of a sinful life.

²⁶ He considered the contempt and abuse and shame [borne for] the Christ (the Messiah Who was to come) to be greater wealth than all the treasures of Egypt, for he looked forward and away to the reward (recompense).

²⁷ [Motivated] by faith he left Egypt behind him, being unawed and undismayed by the wrath of the king; for he never flinched but held staunchly to his purpose and endured steadfastly as one who gazed on Him Who is invisible.^(C)

²⁸ By faith (simple trust and confidence in God) he instituted and carried out the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood [on the doorposts], so that the destroyer of the firstborn (the angel) might not touch those [of the children of Israel].^(D)

²⁹ [Urged on] by faith the people crossed the Red Sea as [though] on dry land, but when the Egyptians tried to do the same thing they were swallowed up [by the sea].^(E)