Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Wishing to Be in the Temple
For the director of music. On the gittith [C perhaps a musical term or instrument]. A psalm of the sons of Korah [C descendants of Kohath, son of Levi, who served as temple musicians; 1 Chr. 6:22].
84 Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts],
how lovely is your ·Temple [L residence; dwelling place]!
2 I ·want more than anything
to be in [L long, even faint for] the courtyards of the ·Lord’s Temple [L Lord].
My ·whole being wants
to be with [L heart/mind and flesh sing for joy to] the living God.
3 The sparrows have found a home,
and the swallows have nests.
They raise their young near your altars,
Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts], my King and my God.
4 ·Happy [Blessed] are the people who live at your ·Temple [L house];
they are always praising you. ·
5 ·Happy [Blessed] are those whose strength comes from you,
·who want to travel to Jerusalem [L in whose hearts are highways; C they want to make pilgrimage to Jerusalem to celebrate religious festivals].
6 As they pass through the Valley of Baca [C “weeping,” location unknown],
they make it ·like [L a place with] a spring.
The ·autumn [early] rains ·fill [wrap; cover] it with ·pools of water [or blessings].
7 The people ·get stronger as they go [L go from strength to strength],
and everyone ·meets with [L sees] ·God [L the God of gods] in ·Jerusalem [L Zion; C the location of the Temple].
A Time Without Rain
14 These are the words that the Lord spoke to Jeremiah ·about the time when there was no rain [concerning the drought; C often a punishment from God; Lev. 26:18–20; Deut. 28:22–24; 1 Kin. 17:1]:
2 “The nation of Judah ·cries as if someone has died [mourns],
and her ·cities [L gates] ·are very sad [languish].
They ·are distressed [wail] over the land.
A cry goes up [C to God] from Jerusalem.
3 The ·important men [nobles] send their ·servants [L young/little ones] to get water.
They go to the ·wells [cisterns],
but they find no water.
So they return with empty jars.
They are ·ashamed [humiliated] and embarrassed
and ·cover [veil] their heads [C in shame].
4 The ground is cracked open,
because no rain falls on the land.
The farmers are ·upset and sad [L ashamed],
so they ·cover [veil] their heads.
5 Even the mother deer in the field
·leaves her newborn fawn to die [L gives birth and leaves],
because there is no ·grass [vegetation].
6 Wild donkeys stand on the bare hills
and ·sniff the wind [pant] like ·wild dogs [jackals].
But their eyes go blind,
because there is no ·food [pasture].”
Mary Praises God
46 Then Mary said,
“My soul ·praises [exalts; glorifies; magnifies] the Lord [1 Sam. 2:1–10];
47 my ·heart [spirit] rejoices in God my Savior [Ps. 35:9],
48 because he has ·shown his concern for [noticed; looked favorably on] his ·humble [lowly] servant girl [1 Sam. 1:11].
[L For look/T behold] From now on, all ·people [L generations] will ·say that I am [call me] blessed [Ps. 138:6],
49 because the ·Powerful [Mighty] One has done great things for me.
His name is holy.
50 ·God will show his mercy [L His mercy is/continues] ·forever and ever [L to generations and generations]
to those who ·worship and serve [L fear; reverence] him [Ps. 103:17].
51 He has done mighty deeds ·by his power [L with his arm; C a metaphor for strength].
He has scattered the people who are proud
·and think great things about themselves [or in the schemes they devise; L in the thoughts/intentions of their hearts].
52 He has brought down ·rulers [the powerful] from their thrones
and ·raised up [exalted] the ·humble [lowly].
53 He has filled the hungry with good things [Ps. 107:9]
and sent the rich away ·with nothing [empty-handed].
54 He has helped his servant, the people of Israel,
·remembering to show them [mindful of his] mercy
55 as he promised to our ancestors,
to Abraham and to his ·children [descendants; L seed] forever [Gen. 17:7, 19].”
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