Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

Psalm 128

A Blessed Family

Heading
A song of the ascents.

Promise

Prayer

⁹ Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their hard work. ¹⁰ If one of them falls, his companion can lift him up. Pity the person who falls and has no one else to lift him up. ¹¹ What’s more, if two lie down, they can keep warm, but how can one person keep warm alone? ¹² Though an attacker can overpower one person, two people together can stand up against him. A rope with three strands is not quickly snapped.

¹³ Better a poor but wise child than an old but foolish king, who no longer knows enough to pay attention to a warning, ¹⁴ for he came out of prison to rule as king, even though he had been born poor in the land that became his kingdom.^{[a] 15} I saw that all the living, all those people walking under the sun, sided with the king’s successor, the child who took his place. ¹⁶ There was no end to all the people who were before them. Yet people who come later will not be pleased with him. This too is vapor and chasing the wind.

Woe to the Rich

5 Come now, you who are rich, weep and cry aloud over the miseries that are going to come upon you. ² Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. ³ Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will be evidence against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have stored up treasure in these last days. ⁴ Listen, the wages that you failed to pay the workers who reaped your fields are crying out! And the cries of the harvesters have entered the ears of the Lord of Armies. ⁵ You have lived for pleasure on the earth and led a life of luxury. You have fattened your hearts on the day of slaughter. ⁶ You condemned and murdered the Righteous One.^[a] Does he not oppose you?^[b]