Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
A Prayer to Bring Israel Back
For the director of music. To the tune of “Lilies of the Agreement.” A psalm of Asaph [C a Levitical musician, a descendant of Gershon, at the time of David; 1 Chr. 6:39; 15:17; 2 Chr. 5:12].
80 Shepherd of Israel, ·listen to us [give ear].
You ·lead [guide] the people of Joseph [C the northern empire of Israel] like a flock.
You sit on your throne between the ·gold creatures with wings [L cherubim; Ex. 25:18–22; 1 Kin. 8:7].
·Show your greatness [L Shine forth] 2 to the people of Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh.
·Use [Arouse] your strength,
and come to ·save us [give us victory].
3 God, ·take us back [restore us].
·Show us your kindness [L Make your face shine on us; 31:16; 67:1; Num. 6:24–26] so we can ·be saved [have victory].
4 Lord God ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts],
how long will you ·be angry [L smoke/fume at us]
at the prayers of your people?
5 You have fed your people ·with tears [L the bread/food of tears];
you have made them drink ·many tears [tears by measure/L the third].
6 You made ·those around us fight over us [L us the strife of our neighbors],
and our enemies ·make fun of [ridicule] us.
7 God ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts], ·take us back [restore us].
·Show us your kindness [L Make your face shine on us; 31:16; 67:1; Num. 6:24–26] so we can ·be saved [have victory].
17 ·With your hand,
strengthen the one you have chosen for yourself [L Let your hand be on the man of your right hand; C the king].
18 Then we will not ·turn away from [deviate from; be disloyal to] you.
Give us life again, and we will call ·to you for help [L on your name].
19 Lord God ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts], ·take us back [restore us].
·Show us your kindness [L Make your face shine on us; 31:16; 67:1; Num. 6:24–26] so we can ·be saved [have victory].
David Wants to Build a Temple(A)
7 King David was living in his ·palace [L house], and the Lord had given him ·peace [L rest] from all his enemies ·around [L sur-rounding] him [Deut. 12:10; C apparently a sign that the conquest of Canaan was complete and the Temple should be built]. 2 Then David said to Nathan the prophet, “Look, I am living in a ·palace [L house] made of cedar wood, but the Ark of God ·is [stays; dwells] in a tent!”
3 Nathan said to the king, “Go and do what you ·really want to do [L have in your mind/heart], because the Lord is with you.”
4 But that night the ·Lord spoke his word [L word of the Lord came] to Nathan, 5 “Go and tell my servant David, ‘·This is what the Lord says: ·Will you [Are you the one to] build a house for me to ·live [dwell] in? 6 From the time I brought the Israelites out of Egypt until ·now [L this day] I have not ·lived [dwelt] in a house. I have been moving around all this time with a tent ·as my home [or and a tabernacle]. 7 As I have moved with the Israelites, ·I have never [L have I ever] said to ·the tribes [any of the tribal leaders], whom I commanded to ·take care of [shepherd] my people Israel, “Why haven’t you built me a house of cedar?” ’
8 “You must tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord ·All-Powerful [of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] says: I took you from the pasture and from ·tending [following] the sheep and made you ·leader [ruler; prince] of my people Israel. 9 I have been with you everywhere you have gone and have ·defeated [destroyed; L cut off] your enemies for you. I will make ·you as famous [L for you a name as great] as any of the great people on the earth. 10 Also I will ·choose [appoint; provide] a place for my people Israel, and I will plant them ·so they can live in their own homes [L to dwell in their own place]. They will not be bothered anymore. Wicked people will no longer ·bother [afflict; oppress] them as they have in the past 11 when I ·chose [appointed; commanded; instituted] judges for my people Israel. But I will give you ·peace [L rest] from all your enemies. ·I also tell you [L The Lord also declares] that ·I [L the Lord] will ·make your descendants kings of Israel after [L establish a house/dynasty for] you.
12 “‘When ·you die [L your days are complete/fulfilled/over] and ·join [you lie down/are buried with] your ancestors, I will ·make one of your sons the next king [L raise up your descendant/offspring after you; C Solomon; 1 Kin. 1–2], and I will ·set up [establish] his kingdom. 13 He will build a house [C the Temple; 1 Kin. 6–7] for ·me [L my name], and I will ·let his kingdom rule always [L establish the throne of his kingdom forever]. 14 I will be his father, and he will be my son [Ps. 2:7]. When he ·sins [does wrong], I ·will use other people to punish him. They will be my whips [L …correct/discipline him with the rod of/used by men and the whippings/blows used by humans]. 15 I took away my ·love [favor; faithful love] from Saul, whom I removed before you, but I will never stop loving your son. 16 But your ·family [L house] and your kingdom will ·continue [endure] always before me. Your throne will ·last [L be established/secure] forever.’”
17 Nathan told David ·everything God had said in [all these words of] this vision.
23 Before this faith came, we were all held prisoners by the law. We ·had no freedom [were locked up] until ·God showed us the way of faith that was coming [L the coming faith would be revealed]. 24 In other words, the law was our ·guardian [child-minder; tutor; C an attendant slave who watched over a child in a wealthy Greco-Roman household] ·leading us to [or until] Christ so that we could be ·made right with God [declared righteous; justified] through faith. 25 Now ·the way of faith [L faith] has come, and we no longer live under a ·guardian [child-minder; tutor; v. 24].
26 [L For] ·You are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus [or In Christ Jesus you are all children/sons of God through faith]. 27 [L For] All of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 In Christ, there is ·no difference between Jew and Greek [L neither Jew nor Greek], slave and free person, male and female. You are all ·the same [or united; L one] in Christ Jesus. 29 ·You [L If you…] belong to Christ, so you are Abraham’s ·descendants [seed]. ·You will inherit all of God’s blessings because of the promise God made to Abraham [L …heirs according to the promise].
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