Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Jerusalem, the City of God
A song of the sons of Korah.
48 The Lord is great; he should be praised
in the city of our God, on his holy mountain.
2 It is high and beautiful.
It brings joy to the whole world.
Mount Zion is like the high mountains of the north.
It is the city of the Great King.
3 God is within its palaces.
He is known as its protection.
4 Kings joined together
and came together to attack the city.
5 But when they saw it, they were amazed.
They ran away in fear.
6 Fear took hold of them.
They hurt like a woman having a baby.
7 You destroyed the large trading ships
with an east wind.
8 First we heard.
And now we have seen that
God will always keep his city safe.
It is the city of the Lord of heaven’s armies,
the city of our God. Selah
9 God, we come into your Temple.
There we think about your love.
10 God, your name is known everywhere.
Everywhere on earth people praise you.
Your right hand is full of goodness.
11 Mount Zion is happy.
All the towns of Judah rejoice
because your decisions are fair.
12 Walk around Jerusalem
and count its towers.
13 Notice how strong they are. Look at the palaces.
Then you will be able to tell your children about them.
14 This God is our God forever and ever.
He will guide us from now on.
24 Balaam saw that the Lord wanted to bless Israel. So Balaam did not try to use any magic. He looked toward the desert. 2 Balaam saw the Israelites camped in their tribes. Then the Spirit of God entered him. 3 And Balaam gave this message:
“This is the message of Balaam son of Beor.
This is the message of a man who sees clearly.
4 This is the message of a man who heard the words of God.
I see a vision from the All-Powerful One.
My eyes are open as I fall before him.
5 Your tents are beautiful, people of Jacob!
So are your homes, Israel!
6 Your tents spread out like valleys.
They are like gardens beside a river.
They are like spices planted by the Lord.
They are like cedar trees growing by the water.
7 Israel’s water buckets will always be full.
Their crops will have plenty of water.
Their king will be greater than Agag.
Their kingdom will be very great.
8 God brought them out of Egypt.
They are as strong as a wild ox.
They will defeat their enemies.
They will break their enemies’ bones.
They will shoot them with arrows.
9 Like a lion, they lie waiting to attack.
No one would wake a sleeping lion.
Anyone who blesses you will be blessed.
And anyone who curses you will be cursed.”
10 Then Balak was angry with Balaam. Balak pounded his fist. He said to Balaam, “I called you here to curse my enemies. But you have blessed them three times. 11 Now go home! I said I would pay you well. But the Lord has made you lose your reward.”
12 Balaam said to Balak, “You sent messengers to me. I told them, 13 ‘Balak could give me his palace filled with silver and gold. But I still cannot go against the Lord’s commands. I could not do anything, good or bad, on my own. I must say what the Lord says.’ 14 Now I am going back to my own people. But I will tell you what these people will do to your people in the future.”
The Virgin Mary
26-27 During Elizabeth’s sixth month of pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to a virgin who lived in Nazareth, a town in Galilee. She was engaged to marry a man named Joseph from the family of David. Her name was Mary. 28 The angel came to her and said, “Greetings! The Lord has blessed you and is with you.”
29 But Mary was very confused by what the angel said. Mary wondered, “What does this mean?”
30 The angel said to her, “Don’t be afraid, Mary, because God is pleased with you. 31 Listen! You will become pregnant. You will give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32 He will be great, and people will call him the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of King David, his ancestor. 33 He will rule over the people of Jacob forever. His kingdom will never end.”
34 Mary said to the angel, “How will this happen? I am a virgin!”
35 The angel said to Mary, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will cover you. The baby will be holy. He will be called the Son of God. 36 Now listen! Elizabeth, your relative, is very old. But she is also pregnant with a son. Everyone thought she could not have a baby, but she has been pregnant for six months. 37 God can do everything!”
38 Mary said, “I am the servant girl of the Lord. Let this happen to me as you say!” Then the angel went away.
The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.