Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
The Lord Guards His People
A song ·for going up to worship [of ascents; C perhaps sung while traveling to Jerusalem to celebrate an annual religious festival like Passover].
121 I ·look up [L raise my eyes] to the hills [C the hills surrounding Zion, the location of the Temple],
but where does my help come from?
2 My help comes from the Lord,
who made heaven and earth [Gen. 1].
3 He will not let ·you be defeated [L your feet be moved/slip].
He who ·guards [watches] you never sleeps.
4 He who ·guards [watches] Israel
never ·rests [sleeps] or ·sleeps [slumbers].
5 The Lord ·guards [watches] you.
The Lord is the shade ·that protects you from the sun [L at your hand, your right hand; 91:1].
6 The sun cannot ·hurt [L strike] you during the day,
and the moon cannot ·hurt [L strike] you at night.
7 The Lord will ·protect [guard; watch] you from all ·dangers [trouble; evil];
he will ·guard [watch] your life.
8 The Lord will ·guard [watch] you as you come and go,
both now and forever.
4 “My people, listen to me;
my nation, pay attention to me.
·I will give the people my teachings [L Law/Instruction/Torah will go out from me],
and my ·decisions [justice] will be like a light to the ·people [nations].
5 ·I will soon show that I do what is right [L My righteousness/justice draws near].
·I will soon save you [L My salvation goes out].
·I will use my power and [L My arms will] judge the nations.
The ·faraway places [or islands; or coastlands] are ·waiting for [looking to; hoping in] me;
they wait for my ·power to help them [L arm].
6 ·Look up [L Lift your eyes] to the heavens [40:26].
Look at the earth below.
The skies will disappear like clouds of smoke.
The earth will ·become useless [wear out] like old clothes [Ps. 102:26],
and its people will die like flies.
But my salvation will continue forever,
and my ·goodness [righteousness] will never end.
7 “You people who know ·what is right [righteousness] should listen to me;
you people who ·follow my teachings [have my law/L Torah in your heart] should hear what I say.
Don’t be afraid of the ·evil things people say [L reproach/scorn of people],
and don’t be ·upset [discouraged; dismayed] by their insults.
8 Moths will eat those people as if they were clothes,
and worms will eat them as if they were wool.
But my goodness will continue forever,
and my salvation ·will continue from now on [L from generation to generation].”
Jesus Heals a Soldier’s Servant(A)
7 When Jesus finished saying all these things to the people, he went to Capernaum [4:23]. 2 There was ·an army officer [L a centurion] who had a servant who was ·very important [of great value; precious] to him. The servant was so sick he was ·nearly dead [about to die]. 3 When the officer heard about Jesus, he sent some Jewish elders to him to ask Jesus to come and heal his servant. 4 The men went to Jesus and ·begged [urged] him [L earnestly; strongly], saying, “This officer ·is worthy of [deserves] your help. 5 [L …for/because] He loves our ·people [nation], and he built us a synagogue.”
6 So Jesus went with the men. He was getting near the officer’s house when the ·officer [centurion] sent friends to say, “Lord, don’t trouble yourself, because I ·am not worthy [do not deserve] to have you come into my house. 7 That is why I did not [L consider myself worthy/deserving to] come to you myself. But you only need to ·command it [L say a word], and my servant will be healed. 8 [L For; Because] I, too, am a man under the authority of others, and I have soldiers under my command. I tell one soldier, ‘Go,’ and he goes. I tell another soldier, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my ·servant [slave], ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”
9 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed. Turning to the crowd that was following him, he said, “I tell you, ·this is the greatest faith I have found anywhere [L I haven’t found such faith], ·even in Israel [or in all Israel].”
10 Those who had been sent to Jesus went back to the house where they found the servant in good health.
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