Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Psalm 137
Lament of the Exiles
1 By the rivers of Babylon—
there we sat down and wept
when we remembered Zion.(A)
2 There we hung up our lyres
on the poplar trees,(B)
3 for our captors there asked us for songs,
and our tormentors, for rejoicing:
“Sing us one of the songs of Zion.”(C)
ע Ayin
16 I weep because of these things;
my eyes flow[a] with tears.(A)
For there is no one nearby to comfort me,(B)
no one to keep me alive.
My children are desolate
because the enemy has prevailed.
פ Pe
17 Zion stretches out her hands;
there is no one to comfort her.
The Lord has issued a decree against Jacob
that his neighbors should be his adversaries.
Jerusalem has become
something impure(C) among them.
צ Tsade
18 The Lord is just,
for I have rebelled against His command.(D)
Listen, all you people;
look at my pain.
My young men and women
have gone into captivity.(E)
ק Qof
19 I called to my lovers,(F)
but they betrayed me.
My priests and elders
perished in the city
while searching for food
to keep themselves alive.(G)
ר Resh
20 Lord, see how I am in distress.
I am churning within;(H)
my heart is broken,[b]
for I have been very rebellious.
Outside, the sword takes the children;
inside, there is death.(I)
שׁ Shin
21 People have heard me groaning,(J)
but there is no one to comfort me.
All my enemies have heard of my misfortune;
they are glad that You have caused it.(K)
Bring on the day You have announced,
so that they may become like me.(L)
ת Tav
22 Let all their wickedness come before You,
and deal with them
as You have dealt with me
because of all my transgressions.(M)
For my groans are many,
and I am sick at heart.
Trials and Maturity
2 Consider it a great joy, my brothers, whenever you experience various trials,(A) 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4 But endurance must do its complete work, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing.
5 Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all generously and without criticizing, and it will be given to him.(B) 6 But let him ask in faith without doubting. For the doubter is like the surging sea, driven and tossed by the wind. 7 That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8 An indecisive[a] man is unstable in all his ways.(C)
9 The brother of humble circumstances should boast in his exaltation, 10 but the one who is rich should boast in his humiliation because he will pass away like a flower of the field.(D) 11 For the sun rises with its scorching heat and dries up the grass; its flower falls off, and its beautiful appearance is destroyed. In the same way, the rich man will wither away while pursuing his activities.(E)
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