Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

124 If the LORD had not been on our side, (may Israel now say)

² If the LORD had not been on our side when men rose up against us,

³ they would have swallowed us up quickly when their wrath was kindled against us.

⁴ Then, the waters had drowned us; the stream had gone over our soul:

⁵ Then, the swelling waters had gone over our soul.

⁶ Praise the LORD, Who has not given us as a prey to their teeth!

⁷ Our soul has escaped, even as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers. The snare is broken and we are delivered.

⁸ Our help is in the Name of the LORD, Who has made Heaven and Earth. A song of degrees

7 My son, keep my words, and hide my commandments with you.

² Keep my commandments, and you shall live; and my instruction, as the apple of your eyes.

³ Bind them upon your fingers. Write them upon the tablet of your heart.

⁴ Say to wisdom, “You are my sister”. And call understanding, “kinswoman”.

⁷ But to every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.

⁸ Therefore it says, “When He ascended upon high, He captured captivity and gave gifts to man.

⁹ (Now, in that He ascended, what is it but that He had also descended first into the lowest parts of the Earth?

¹⁰ He Who descended is also the same Who ascended far above all heavens, so that He might complete all things.)

¹¹ He, indeed, gave some to be Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers,

¹² for the preparing of the Saints, for the work of the ministry, and for the edification of the body of Christ

¹³ until we all reach the unity of faith and the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature belonging to the fullness of Christ.

¹⁴ So that we are henceforth children no more, wavering and carried about with every wind of doctrine and by the deceit of men, who with craftiness lay in wait to deceive.

¹⁵ But let us speak the truth in love. And in all things grow up into Him Who is the Head, Christ,

¹⁶ by Whom all the body, being coupled and knit together by the supply of every joint, according to the measure of each individual part, makes increase to the body, to the edifying of itself in love.