Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
9 I will sing you a new song, O God, with a ten-stringed harp. 10 For you grant victory to kings! You are the one who will rescue your servant David from the fatal sword. 11 Save me! Deliver me from these enemies, these liars, these treacherous men.
12-15 Here is my description of[a] a truly happy land where Jehovah is God:
Sons vigorous and tall as growing plants.
Daughters of graceful beauty like the pillars of a palace wall.
Barns full to the brim with crops of every kind.
Sheep by the thousands out in our fields.
Oxen loaded down with produce.
No enemy attacking the walls, but peace everywhere.
No crime in our streets.
Yes, happy are those whose God is Jehovah.
2 “One night as I was sleeping, my heart awakened in a dream. I heard the voice of my beloved; he was knocking at my bedroom door. ‘Open to me, my darling, my lover, my lovely dove,’ he said, ‘for I have been out in the night and am covered with dew.’
3 “But I said, ‘I have disrobed. Shall I get dressed again? I have washed my feet, and should I get them soiled?’
4 “My beloved tried to unlatch the door, and my heart was thrilled within me. 5 I jumped up to open it, and my hands dripped with perfume, my fingers with lovely myrrh as I pulled back the bolt. 6 I opened to my beloved, but he was gone. My heart stopped. I searched for him but couldn’t find him anywhere. I called to him, but there was no reply. 7 The guards found me and struck and wounded me. The watchman on the wall tore off my veil. 8 I adjure you, O women of Jerusalem, if you find my beloved one, tell him that I am sick with love.”
The Young Women of Jerusalem: 9 “O woman of rare beauty, what is it about your loved one that is better than any other, that you command us this?”
The Girl: 10 “My beloved one is tanned and handsome, better than ten thousand others! 11 His head is purest gold, and he has wavy, raven hair. 12 His eyes are like doves beside the water brooks, deep and quiet. 13 His cheeks are like sweetly scented beds of spices. His lips are perfumed lilies, his breath like myrrh. 14 His arms are round bars of gold set with topaz; his body is bright ivory encrusted with jewels. 15 His legs are as pillars of marble set in sockets of finest gold, like cedars of Lebanon; none can rival him. 16 His mouth is altogether sweet, lovable in every way. Such, O women of Jerusalem, is my beloved, my friend.”
6 The Young Women of Jerusalem: “O rarest of beautiful women, where has your loved one gone? We will help you find him.”
The Girl: 2 “He has gone down to his garden, to his spice beds, to pasture his flock and to gather the lilies. 3 I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine. He pastures his flock among the lilies!”
King Solomon:
19 Praise the Lord if you are punished for doing right! 20 Of course, you get no credit for being patient if you are beaten for doing wrong; but if you do right and suffer for it, and are patient beneath the blows, God is well pleased.
21 This suffering is all part of the work God has given you. Christ, who suffered for you, is your example. Follow in his steps: 22 He never sinned, never told a lie, 23 never answered back when insulted; when he suffered he did not threaten to get even; he left his case in the hands of God who always judges fairly. 24 He personally carried the load of our sins in his own body when he died on the cross so that we can be finished with sin and live a good life from now on. For his wounds have healed ours! 25 Like sheep you wandered away from God, but now you have returned to your Shepherd, the Guardian of your souls who keeps you safe from all attacks.
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.