Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
The Lord Saves, Idols Do Not
135 Praise the Lord!
Praise the name of the Lord;
praise him, you servants of the Lord,
2 you who stand in the Lord’s ·Temple [L house]
and in the ·Temple courtyards [L courtyards of the house of our God].
3 Praise the Lord, because the Lord is good;
·sing praises [make a psalm] to him, because it is pleasant.
4 The Lord has chosen the people of Jacob for himself;
he has chosen the people of Israel ·for his very own [as his special possession/treasure; Ex. 19:5–6; Deut. 7:6; 14:2; Mal. 3:17].
5 I know that the Lord is great.
Our Lord is greater than all the gods.
6 The Lord does what he pleases,
in heaven and on earth,
in the seas and the deep oceans.
7 He brings the clouds from the ends of the earth.
He ·sends [L makes] the lightning with the rain.
He brings out the wind from his storehouses [Job 38:22–23].
8 He ·destroyed [L struck] the firstborn sons in Egypt
the firstborn of both people and animals [Ex. 12].
9 He ·did [L sent] many signs and ·miracles [wonders] in Egypt
against ·the king [L Pharaoh] and all his servants [L the plagues; Ex. 7–12].
10 He ·defeated [L struck] many nations
and killed ·powerful [strong] kings:
11 Sihon king of the Amorites,
Og king of Bashan [Num. 21:21–35],
and all the kings of Canaan [Num. 21:1–3; Josh. 1–12].
12 Then he gave their land as a ·gift [L inheritance],
a ·gift [L inheritance] to his people, the Israelites [Josh. 13–24].
13 Lord, your name is everlasting;
Lord, you will be remembered forever.
14 The Lord ·defends [vindicates] his people
and ·has mercy on [shows grace to] his servants.
15 The idols of other nations are made of silver and gold,
the work of human hands.
16 They have mouths, but they cannot speak.
They have eyes, but they cannot see.
17 They have ears, but they cannot hear.
They have no breath in their mouths.
18 People who make idols will be like them,
and so will those who ·trust [have confidence in] them [115:4–8; Is. 44:9–20; 46:6–7; Jer. 10:1–9; Hab. 2:18–19].
19 ·Family [L House] of Israel, ·praise [bless] the Lord.
·Family [L House] of Aaron [C the priests], ·praise [bless] the Lord.
20 ·Family [L House] of Levi [C assistants to the priests], ·praise [bless] the Lord.
You who ·respect [fear] the Lord [Prov. 1:7] should ·praise [bless] him.
21 You ·people of [L who live in] Jerusalem, ·praise [bless] the Lord on Mount Zion [C the location of the Temple].
Praise the Lord!
Jerusalem Will Not Be Spared
12 The ·Lord spoke his word [L word of the Lord came] to me, saying: 13 “·Human [T Son of man; 2:1], if ·the people of a country [L a country/land] sin against me by not being ·loyal [faithful], I will ·use my power [L stretch out my hand] against them. I will cut off their supply of ·food [bread] and send ·a time of hunger [famine], destroying both people and animals. 14 Even if three great men like Noah, Daniel [C either the prophet Daniel (who was still a young man at this time) or an ancient Canaanite hero known for his wisdom and justice], and Job were in that country, their ·goodness [righteousness] could save only themselves, says the Lord God.
15 “Or I might send wild animals into that land, leaving the land ·empty [desolate] and ·without children [bereaved]. Then no one would pass through it because of the ·animals [beasts]. 16 As surely as I live, says the Lord God, even if ·Noah, Daniel, and Job [L these three men; v. 14] were in the land, they could not save their own sons or daughters. They could save only themselves, but that country would become ·empty [desolate].
17 “Or I might bring a ·war [L sword] against that ·country [land]. I might say, ‘Let a ·war be fought in [L sword pass through] that land,’ in this way ·destroying [cutting off] its people and its animals. 18 As surely as I live, says the Lord God, even if those three men were in the land, they could not save their sons or daughters. They could save only themselves.
19 “Or I might cause a ·disease [plague; pestilence] to spread in that country. I might pour out my ·anger [L rage/wrath with blood] against it, destroying and killing people and animals. 20 As surely as I live, says the Lord God, even if Noah, Daniel [v. 14], and Job were in the land, they could not save their son or daughter. They could save only themselves ·because they did what was right [by their righteousness].
21 “This is what the Lord God says: ·My plans for Jerusalem are much worse [L How much more for Jerusalem]! I will send my four terrible punishments against it—·war [L sword], ·hunger [famine], wild animals, and ·disease [pestilence; plague]—to destroy its people and animals. 22 But [L look; T behold] some ·people will escape [survivors will be left]; some sons and daughters will be led out. They will come out to you, and you will see ·what happens to people who live as they did [L their ways and deeds]. Then you will be ·comforted [consoled] after the disasters I have brought against Jerusalem, after all the things I have brought against it. 23 ·You will be comforted [They will console you] when you see ·what happens to them for living as they did [L their ways and deeds], because you will know ·there was a good reason for [it was not without cause that I did] what I did to Jerusalem, says the Lord God.”
Jesus Helps a Gentile Woman(A)
24 Jesus left that place and went to the area around Tyre[a] [C a Gentile city on the coast north of Israel]. When he went into a house, he did not want anyone to know he was there, but he could not stay hidden. 25 A woman whose daughter had an ·evil [defiling; L unclean] spirit in her heard that he was there. So she ·quickly [immediately] came to Jesus and ·fell [bowed] at his feet. 26 She was ·Greek [a Gentile; C “Greek” is sometimes used for any non-Jew; Rom. 1:16], born in Phoenicia, in Syria. She ·begged [kept asking] Jesus to ·force [drive; cast] the demon out of her daughter.
27 Jesus told the woman, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and ·give [throw] it to the dogs. First let the children eat all they want.” [C “Children” refers to Israel; “dogs” to the Gentiles.]
28 But she answered, “Yes, Lord, but even the dogs under the table can eat the children’s crumbs.”
29 Then Jesus said, “Because of your answer, you may go. The demon has left your daughter.”
30 The woman went home and found her daughter lying in bed; the demon was gone.
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