Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Psalm 46[a]
For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. According to alamoth.[b] A song.
1 God is our refuge(A) and strength,(B)
an ever-present(C) help(D) in trouble.(E)
2 Therefore we will not fear,(F) though the earth give way(G)
and the mountains fall(H) into the heart of the sea,(I)
3 though its waters roar(J) and foam(K)
and the mountains quake(L) with their surging.[c]
4 There is a river(M) whose streams(N) make glad the city of God,(O)
the holy place where the Most High(P) dwells.(Q)
5 God is within her,(R) she will not fall;(S)
God will help(T) her at break of day.
6 Nations(U) are in uproar,(V) kingdoms(W) fall;
he lifts his voice,(X) the earth melts.(Y)
8 Come and see what the Lord has done,(AD)
the desolations(AE) he has brought on the earth.
9 He makes wars(AF) cease
to the ends of the earth.
He breaks the bow(AG) and shatters the spear;
he burns the shields[d] with fire.(AH)
10 He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;(AI)
I will be exalted(AJ) among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.”
18 Therefore this is what the Lord says about Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah:
“They will not mourn(A) for him:
‘Alas, my brother! Alas, my sister!’
They will not mourn for him:
‘Alas, my master! Alas, his splendor!’
19 He will have the burial(B) of a donkey—
dragged away and thrown(C)
outside the gates of Jerusalem.”
20 “Go up to Lebanon and cry out,(D)
let your voice be heard in Bashan,(E)
cry out from Abarim,(F)
for all your allies(G) are crushed.
21 I warned you when you felt secure,(H)
but you said, ‘I will not listen!’
This has been your way from your youth;(I)
you have not obeyed(J) me.
22 The wind(K) will drive all your shepherds(L) away,
and your allies(M) will go into exile.
Then you will be ashamed and disgraced(N)
because of all your wickedness.
23 You who live in ‘Lebanon,[a](O)’
who are nestled in cedar buildings,
how you will groan when pangs come upon you,
pain(P) like that of a woman in labor!
24 “As surely as I live,” declares the Lord, “even if you, Jehoiachin[b](Q) son of Jehoiakim king of Judah, were a signet ring(R) on my right hand, I would still pull you off. 25 I will deliver(S) you into the hands of those who want to kill you, those you fear—Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and the Babylonians.[c] 26 I will hurl(T) you and the mother(U) who gave you birth into another country, where neither of you was born, and there you both will die. 27 You will never come back to the land you long to return(V) to.”
28 Is this man Jehoiachin(W) a despised, broken pot,(X)
an object no one wants?
Why will he and his children be hurled(Y) out,
cast into a land(Z) they do not know?
29 O land,(AA) land, land,
hear the word of the Lord!
30 This is what the Lord says:
“Record this man as if childless,(AB)
a man who will not prosper(AC) in his lifetime,
for none of his offspring(AD) will prosper,
none will sit on the throne(AE) of David
or rule anymore in Judah.”
The Little Children and Jesus(A)
15 People were also bringing babies to Jesus for him to place his hands on them. When the disciples saw this, they rebuked them. 16 But Jesus called the children to him and said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 17 Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child(B) will never enter it.”
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.