Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
The Nation Cries for Jerusalem
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].
79 God, nations have come against your ·chosen people [L inheritance].
They have ·ruined [profaned] your holy Temple.
They have turned Jerusalem into ·ruins [a dump; 2 Kin. 25:9–10].
2 They have given the bodies of your servants as food to the ·wild birds [L birds of the sky/heavens].
They have given the ·bodies [L flesh] of ·those who worship you [your faithful ones; saints] to the wild animals [Jer. 34:20].
3 They have spilled blood like water all around Jerusalem.
No one was left to bury the dead.
4 We are a ·joke [reproach; scorn] to the ·other nations [L residents];
·they [L the people around us] ·laugh [ridicule] and make fun of us.
5 Lord, how long?
Will you be angry forever?
How long will your jealousy burn like a fire?
6 ·Be angry with [L Pour out your wrath on] the nations that do not know you
and ·with [or on] the kingdoms that do not ·honor you [L call on your name].
7 They have ·gobbled up [devoured] the people of Jacob
and ·destroyed [desolated] their ·land [pasturage].
8 Don’t ·punish us for our past sins [L remember our former guilt].
Show your ·mercy [compassion] to us soon,
because we are ·helpless [very low]!
9 God our ·Savior [Victor], help us
·so people will praise you [L for the glory of your name].
·Save [Protect] us and ·forgive [atone for] our sins
·so people will honor you [L for your name].
10 Why should the nations say,
“Where is their God?”
·Tell [Inform] the other nations ·in our presence [L before our eyes]
that you ·punish [avenge] ·those who kill your servants [L the blood of your servants that has been poured out].
11 ·Hear the moans of the prisoners [Let the groans of the prisoner come before you].
Use your great ·power [L arm]
to save those ·sentenced [doomed] to die.
12 Repay ·those around [L into the bosom of those around] us seven times over
for their ·insults to [reproach/scorn of] you, Lord.
13 We are your people, the sheep of your ·flock [pasture].
We will ·thank [praise] you always;
·forever and ever [from generation to generation] we ·will praise you [L recount your praise].
5 So, ·strong city [L daughter of troops], ·gather [marshal; muster] your ·soldiers [troops] together,
because we are ·surrounded and attacked [besieged].
They will ·hit [strike] the ·leader [ruler; judge] of Israel
·in the face [on the cheek] with a ·club [rod; or scepter].
The Ruler to Be Born in Bethlehem
2 “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
though you are ·too small to be [or small; insignificant] among the ·army groups from [clans of] Judah,
from you will come one who will rule Israel for me [C the Messiah; Is. 9:1–7; 11:1–16; Matt. 2:6].
·He comes [His origins are; L His goings out are] from ·very old [ancient] times,
from days long ago.”
3 The Lord will ·give up [abandon] his people
until the one who is ·having a baby [in labor] gives birth;
then the rest of his ·relatives [brothers] will return
to the people of Israel.
4 At that time ·the ruler of Israel [L he] will stand
and ·take care of his people [L shepherd his flock]
with the Lord’s strength
and with the ·power [majesty] of the name of the Lord his God.
·The Israelites [L They] will live in safety,
because his greatness will reach ·all over [L to the ends of] the earth.
Rescue and Punishment
5 He will ·bring [L be] peace.
·Assyria will surely [or When the Assyrians…; or If the Assyrians should…] come into our ·country [land]
and ·walk over [march through] our ·large buildings [fortresses].
We will ·set up [raise against them] seven shepherds [C symbolic of completeness],
eight ·leaders [princes] of the people.
Be Ready All the Time
34 “·Be careful [Watch yourselves] not to ·spend your time [or become dulled by; L let your hearts be weighed down by] ·feasting [carousing; debauchery], ·drinking [drunkenness], or worrying about worldly things. If you do, that day might come on you suddenly, 35 ·like a trap. For it will come upon all people who live on the earth. [or Like a trap, it will come upon all people who live on the earth.] 36 So be ·ready [alert; watching] all the time. Pray that you will be strong enough to escape all these things that ·will [are about to] happen and that you will be able to stand before the Son of Man.”
37 During the day, Jesus taught the people in the Temple, and at night he went out of the city and stayed on the Mount of Olives. 38 Every morning all the people got up early to go to the Temple to listen to him.
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