Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

Psalm 19

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

¹ The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows and proclaims His handiwork.^(A)

² Day after day pours forth speech, and night after night shows forth knowledge.

³ There is no speech nor spoken word [from the stars]; their voice is not heard.

⁴ Yet their voice [in evidence] goes out through all the earth, their sayings to the end of the world. Of the heavens has God made a tent for the sun,^(B)

⁵ Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber; and it rejoices as a strong man to run his course.

⁶ Its going forth is from the end of the heavens, and its circuit to the ends of it; and nothing [yes, no one] is hidden from the heat of it.

⁷ The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the [whole] person; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.

⁸ The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure and bright, enlightening the eyes.

⁹ The [reverent] fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the ordinances of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.

¹⁰ More to be desired are they than gold, even than much fine gold; they are sweeter also than honey and drippings from the honeycomb.

¹¹ Moreover, by them is Your servant warned (reminded, illuminated, and instructed); and in keeping them there is great reward.

¹² Who can discern his lapses and errors? Clear me from hidden [and unconscious] faults.

¹³ Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me! Then shall I be blameless, and I shall be innocent and clear of great transgression.

¹⁴ Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my [firm, impenetrable] Rock and my Redeemer.

¹⁰ Six years you shall sow your land and reap its yield.

¹¹ But the seventh year you shall release it and let it rest and lie fallow, that the poor of your people may eat [what the land voluntarily yields], and what they leave the wild beasts shall eat. In like manner you shall deal with your vineyard and olive grove.

¹² Six days you shall do your work, but the seventh day you shall rest and keep Sabbath, that your ox and your donkey may rest, and the son of your bondwoman, and the alien, may be refreshed.

¹³ In all I have said to you take heed; do not mention the name of other gods [either in blessing or cursing]; do not let such speech be heard from your mouth.

⁴⁰ Listening to those words, some of the multitude said, This is certainly and beyond doubt the Prophet!^(A)

⁴¹ Others said, This is the Christ (the Messiah, Anointed One)! But some said, What? Does the Christ come out of Galilee?

⁴² Does not the Scripture tell us that the Christ will come from the offspring of David and from Bethlehem, the village where David lived?^(B)

⁴³ So there arose a division and dissension among the people concerning Him.

⁴⁴ Some of them wanted to arrest Him, but no one [ventured and] laid hands on Him.

⁴⁵ Meanwhile the attendants (guards) had gone back to the chief priests and Pharisees, who asked them, Why have you not brought Him here with you?

⁴⁶ The attendants replied, Never has a man talked as this Man talks! [No mere man has ever spoken as He speaks!]

⁴⁷ The Pharisees said to them, Are you also deluded and led astray? [Are you also swept off your feet?]

⁴⁸ Has any of the authorities or of the Pharisees believed in Him?

⁴⁹ As for this multitude (rabble) that does not know the Law, they are contemptible and doomed and accursed!

⁵⁰ Then Nicodemus, who came to Jesus before at night and was one of them, asked,

⁵¹ Does our Law convict a man without giving him a hearing and finding out what he has done?

⁵² They answered him, Are you too from Galilee? Search [the Scriptures yourself], and you will see that no prophet comes (will rise to prominence) from Galilee.