Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

126 The song of degrees. When the Lord turned the captivity of Zion; we were made as comforted. (When the Lord returned the captives to Zion/When the Lord returned prosperity to Zion; we were made like in a dream.)

² Then our mouth was filled with joy; and our tongue with full out joying. Then they shall say among heathen men; The Lord magnified to do with them. (Then our mouths were filled with joy; and ours tongues with rejoicing. And the heathen said to each other, The Lord hath done great things for them.)

³ The Lord magnified to do with us; we be made glad. (Yea, the Lord did great things for us; and we were glad.)

⁴ Lord, turn thou (again) our captivity; as a strand in the south. (Lord, return thou the captives/return thou our prosperity; like the streams return to the south.)

⁵ They that sow in tears; shall reap in full out joying. (Then they who sowed in tears; shall reap with rejoicing.)

⁶ They going, went, and wept; sending their seeds. But they coming, shall come with full out joying; bearing their handfuls (They going, went, and wept; sending out their seeds. But when they shall return, they shall come back rejoicing; carrying their harvest.)

² Lord, I heard thy praising, and I dreaded; Lord, it is thy work, in the middle of years, quicken thou it. In the middle of years, thou shalt make (thyself) known; when thou shalt be wroth, thou shalt have mind of mercy. (Lord, I have heard of thy deeds, and I am filled with reverence for thee; Lord, it is thy work, in the midst of the years, quicken thou it/do thou it again. In the midst of the years, thou shalt make thyself known; even when thou shalt be angry, thou shalt remember to be merciful.)

³ God shall come from the south, and the holy from the mount of Paran. The glory of him covered heavens, and the earth is full of his praising. (God shall come from Teman, the Holy One from Mount Paran. His glory shall cover the heavens, and the earth shall be full of his praising.)

⁴ The shining of him shall be as light; (with) horns in the hands of him. There the strength of him was hid, (His shining shall be like the light; with rays coming from his hands. That is where his strength, or his power, is hidden,)

⁵ death shall go before his face; the devil shall go out before his feet. (death shall go out before him; and the devil shall follow his feet/and the devil shall follow him.)

⁶ He stood, and meted the earth; he beheld, and unbound folks, and hills of the world were all-broken; the little hills of the world were bowed down, of the ways of his everlastingness. (He shall stand, and shall measure the earth; he shall look, and the nations shall tremble, or shall shake; the mountains of the world shall be altogether broken, and the little hills of the world shall be bowed down, unto his everlasting ways.)

¹² Not that now I have taken, or now am perfect; but I follow, if in any manner I catch, in which thing also I am caught of Christ Jesus. [Not that now I have taken, or now am perfect; forsooth I follow, if on any manner I shall comprehend, in which thing also I am comprehended of Christ Jesus.]

¹³ Brethren, I deem me not that I have caught; but one thing, I forget those things that be behind, and stretching forth myself to those things that be before, [Brethren, I deem me not to have comprehended; one thing, forsooth, I forgetting soothly those things that be behind, stretching myself forsooth to those things that be the former,]

¹⁴ and pursue to the ordained meed of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. [to the ordained thing, pursue to the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.]

¹⁵ Therefore whoever we be perfect, feel we this thing. And if ye understand in other manner any thing, this thing God shall show to you.

¹⁶ Nevertheless to what thing we have come, that we understand the same thing, and that we perfectly dwell in the same rule.