Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

147 ^(A)Praise the Lord!
For ^(B)it is good to sing praises to our God;
    for ^(C)it is pleasant,^[a] and ^(D)a song of praise is fitting.
² The Lord ^(E)builds up Jerusalem;
    he ^(F)gathers the outcasts of Israel.
³ He heals ^(G)the broken-hearted
    and ^(H)binds up their wounds.
⁴ He ^(I)determines the number of the stars;
    he ^(J)gives to all of them their names.
^5 (K)Great is our Lord, and ^(L)abundant in power;
    ^(M)his understanding is beyond measure.
⁶ The Lord ^(N)lifts up the humble;^[b]
    he casts the wicked to the ground.
^7 (O)Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving;
    make melody to our God on ^(P)the lyre!
⁸ He covers the heavens with clouds;
    he prepares ^(Q)rain for the earth;
    he makes ^(R)grass grow on the hills.
⁹ He ^(S)gives to the beasts their food,
    and to ^(T)the young ravens that cry.
¹⁰ His delight is not in ^(U)the strength of the horse,
    nor his pleasure in the legs of a man,
¹¹ but the Lord ^(V)takes pleasure in those who fear him,
    in those who ^(W)hope in his steadfast love.

²⁰ He ^(A)has not dealt thus with any other nation;
    they do not know his rules.^[a]
(B)Praise the Lord!

46 ^(A)Bel bows down; Nebo stoops;
    their idols are on beasts and livestock;
these things you carry are borne
    as burdens on weary beasts.
² They stoop; they bow down together;
    they cannot save the burden,
    but ^(B)themselves go into captivity.
³ “Listen to me, O house of Jacob,
    all the remnant of the house of Israel,
^(C)who have been borne by me from before your birth,
    carried from the womb;
^4 (D)even to your old age I am he,
    and to grey hairs I will carry you.
I have made, and I will bear;
    I will carry and will save.
^5 (E)“To whom will you liken me and make me equal,
    and compare me, that we may be alike?
^6 (F)Those who lavish gold from the purse,
    and weigh out silver in the scales,
hire a goldsmith, and he makes it into a god;
    ^(G)then they fall down and worship!
^7 (H)They lift it to their shoulders, they carry it,
    they set it in its place, and it stands there;
    ^(I)it cannot move from its place.
If one cries to it, it does not answer
    or save him from his trouble.
⁸ “Remember this and stand firm,
    recall it to mind, ^(J)you transgressors,
⁹     remember the former things of old;
for I am God, and there is no other;
    I am God, and there is none like me,
^10 (K)declaring the end from the beginning
    and from ancient times things not yet done,
saying, ^(L)‘My counsel shall stand,
    and I will accomplish all my purpose’,
^11 (M)calling a bird of prey from the east,
    the man of my counsel from a far country.
^(N)I have spoken, and I will bring it to pass;
    I have purposed, and I will do it.
¹² “Listen to me, you stubborn of heart,
    you who are far from righteousness:
^13 (O)I bring near my righteousness; it is not far off,
    and my salvation will not delay;
^(P)I will put salvation in Zion,
    for Israel my glory.”