Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Praise for God’s Provision
147 Hallelujah!
It is good to sing praise to our God,
and it is fitting to sing glorious praise.
2 The Lord rebuilds Jerusalem;
he gathers together the outcasts of Israel.
3 He heals the brokenhearted,
binding up their injuries.
4 He keeps track of the number of stars,
assigning names to all of them.
5 Our Lord is great,
and rich in power;
his understanding has no limitation.
6 The Lord supports the afflicted
while he casts the wicked to the ground.
7 Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving,
and compose music to our God with the lyre.
8 He shields the heavens with clouds,
preparing rain for the earth
and making grass grow on the hills.
9 He gives wild animals their food,
including the young ravens when they cry.
10 He takes no delight in the strength of a horse,
and gains no pleasure in the runner’s swiftness.[a]
11 But the Lord is pleased with those who fear him,
with those who depend on his gracious love.
20 He has not dealt with any other nation like this;
they never knew[a] his decrees.
Hallelujah!
God is Unique and Eternal
46 “Bel[a] bows down, Nebo[b] stoops low.
Their idols are on beasts, on[c] livestock.
Your loads are more burdensome than their reports.[d]
2 They stoop, they bow down together,
and[e] they are not able to rescue the burden,
but they themselves go off[f] into captivity.
3 “Listen[g] to me, house of Jacob,
and all you remnant of the house of Israel,
who have been upheld from before your birth,
and who have been carried from the womb.
4 Even[h] until your[i] old age, I am the one,
and I’ll carry you even until your gray hairs come.[j]
It is I who have created,[k] and I who will carry,
and it is I who will bear and save.
5 “To whom will you compare me,
count me equal,[l] or liken me,
so that I[m] may be compared?
6 Those who pour out gold in[n] a purse,
weigh silver in a balance,
hire a goldsmith in order to make[o] a god,
and then[p] they bow down and even worship it.
7 And[q] they lift it on their shoulders, carry it,
set it up in its place, and there it stands.
It cannot move[r] from that spot.
One may even call to[s] it, but it cannot answer
nor save him from his distress.
8 “Remember this, and stand firm;
take it again to heart, you rebels.
9 Remember the former things from long ago,
Because I am God, and there is no one else;
I am God, and there is none like me.
10 I declare from the beginning things to follow,[t]
and from ancient times things that have not yet been done;
saying, ‘My purpose will stand,
and he[u] will accomplish everything that I please.’
11 I am calling a bird of prey from the east,
and from a far country a man with his[v] purpose.
Indeed, I’ve spoken;
I will certainly make it happen;
I’ve planned it;[w]
and I will certainly carry it out.
Jesus Heals a Man with a Paralyzed Hand(A)
9 Moving on from there, Jesus[a] went into their synagogue. 10 Suddenly, a man with a paralyzed hand appeared. The people[b] asked Jesus[c] if it was lawful to heal on Sabbath days,[d] intending to accuse him of doing something wrong.
11 But he asked them, “Is there a man among you who, if he had one sheep and it fell into a ditch on the Sabbath, wouldn’t take hold of it and pull it out? 12 How much more is a human being worth than a sheep! So it is lawful to do good on Sabbath days.”[e]
13 Then he told the man, “Hold out your hand.” He held it out and it became normal, as healthy as his other hand. 14 The Pharisees, however, went out and plotted against Jesus[f] to kill him.
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