Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Wishing to Be Near God
A psalm of David when he was in the desert of Judah.
63 God, you are my God.
I search for you.
I thirst for you
like someone in a dry, empty land
where there is no water.
2 I have seen you in the Temple
and have seen your strength and glory.
3 Because your love is better than life,
I will praise you.
4 I will praise you as long as I live.
I will lift up my hands in prayer to your name.
5 I will be content as if I had eaten the best foods.
My lips will sing, and my mouth will praise you.
6 I remember you while I’m lying in bed;
I think about you through the night.
7 You are my help.
Because of your protection, I sing.
8 I stay close to you;
you support me with your right hand.
Miriam and Aaron Speak Against Moses
12 Miriam and Aaron began to talk against Moses because of his Cushite wife (he had married a Cushite). 2 They said, “Is Moses the only one the Lord speaks through? Doesn’t he also speak through us?” And the Lord heard this.
3 (Now Moses was very humble. He was the least proud person on earth.)
4 So the Lord suddenly spoke to Moses, Aaron, and Miriam and said, “All three of you come to the Meeting Tent.” So they went. 5 The Lord came down in a pillar of cloud and stood at the entrance to the Tent. He called to Aaron and Miriam, and they both came near. 6 He said, “Listen to my words:
When prophets are among you,
I, the Lord, will show myself to them in visions;
I will speak to them in dreams.
7 But this is not true with my servant Moses.
I trust him to lead all my people.
8 I speak face to face with him—
clearly, not with hidden meanings.
He has even seen the form of the Lord.
You should be afraid
to speak against my servant Moses.”
9 The Lord was very angry with them, and he left.
21 Then a powerful angel picked up a large stone, like one used for grinding grain, and threw it into the sea. He said:
“In the same way, the great city of Babylon will be thrown down,
and it will never be found again.
22 The music of people playing harps and other instruments, flutes, and trumpets,
will never be heard in you again.
No workman doing any job
will ever be found in you again.
The sound of grinding grain
will never be heard in you again.
23 The light of a lamp
will never shine in you again,
and the voices of a bridegroom and bride
will never be heard in you again.
Your merchants were the world’s great people,
and all the nations were tricked by your magic.
24 You are guilty of the death of the prophets and God’s holy people
and all who have been killed on earth.”
The Holy Bible, New Century Version®. Copyright © 2005 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.