Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
For the choir director; according to shoshannim eduth; by Asaph; a psalm.
80 Open your ears, O Shepherd of Israel,
the one who leads ⌞the descendants of⌟ Joseph like sheep,
the one who is enthroned over the angels.[a]
2 Appear in front of Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh.
Wake up your power, and come to save us.
8 You brought a vine from Egypt.
You forced out the nations and planted it.
9 You cleared the ground for it
so that it took root and filled the land.
10 Its shade covered the mountains.
Its branches covered the mighty cedars.
11 It reached out with its branches to the Mediterranean Sea.
Its shoots reached the Euphrates River.
12 Why did you break down the stone fences around this vine?
All who pass by are picking its fruit.
13 Wild boars from the forest graze on it.
Wild animals devour it.
14 O God, commander of armies, come back!
Look from heaven and see!
Come to help this vine.
15 Take care of what your right hand planted,
the son you strengthened for yourself.
16 The vine has been cut down and burned.
Let them be destroyed by the threatening look on your face.
17 Let your power rest on the man you have chosen,
the son of man you strengthened for yourself.
18 Then we will never turn away from you.
Give us life again, and we will call on you.
19 O Lord God, commander of armies, restore us, and smile on us
so that we may be saved.
18 On that day the Lord will take away their fine things: jingling anklets, headbands, crescent-shaped necklaces, 19 pendants, bracelets, scarfs, 20 hats, ankle bracelets, blouses, perfume boxes, charms, 21 signet rings, nose rings, 22 fine robes, coats, shawls, purses, 23 mirrors, underwear, headdresses, and veils.
24 Instead of the smell of perfume, there will be the smell of decay.
They will wear ropes instead of belts.
They will have bald heads instead of beautiful hair.
They will wear sackcloth instead of expensive clothes.
Their beauty will be scarred.[a]
25 ⌞Women,⌟ your warriors will die in combat.
Your mighty men will die in battle.
26 The gates of Zion will cry and grieve,
and Zion will sit on the ground, exhausted.
4 When that day comes, seven women will grab one man and say,
“We’ll eat our own food and provide our own clothes.
Just let us marry you for your name.
Take away our disgrace.”
The Lord’s New Glory for Zion
2 When that day comes, the branch of the Lord
will be beautiful and wonderful.
The fruit of the land
will be the pride and joy of Israel’s survivors.
3 Then whoever is left in Zion and whoever remains in Jerusalem will be called holy, everyone who is recorded among the living in Jerusalem. 4 The Lord will wash away the filth of Zion’s people.[b] He will clean bloodstains from Jerusalem with a spirit of judgment and a spirit of burning. 5 The Lord will create a cloud of smoke during the day and a glowing flame of fire during the night over the whole area of Mount Zion and over the assembly. His glory will cover everything. 6 It will be a shelter from the heat during the day as well as a refuge and hiding place from storms and rain.
15 “The prophet Daniel said that the disgusting thing that will cause destruction will stand in the holy place. When you see this (let the reader take note), 16 those of you in Judea should flee to the mountains. 17 Those who are on the roof should not come down to get anything out of their houses. 18 Those who are in the field should not turn back to get their coats.
19 “How horrible it will be for the women who are pregnant or who are nursing babies in those days. 20 Pray that it will not be winter or a day of rest—a holy day, when you flee. 21 There will be a lot of misery at that time, a kind of misery that has not happened from the beginning of the world until now and will certainly never happen again. 22 If God does not reduce the number of those days, no one will be saved. But those days will be reduced because of those whom God has chosen.
23 “At that time don’t believe anyone who tells you, ‘Here is the Messiah!’ or ‘There he is!’ 24 False messiahs and false prophets will appear. They will work spectacular, miraculous signs and do wonderful things to deceive, if possible, even those whom God has chosen. 25 Listen! I’ve told you this before it happens. 26 So if someone tells you, ‘He’s in the desert!’ don’t go out ⌞looking for him⌟. And don’t believe anyone who says, ‘He’s in a secret place!’ 27 The Son of Man will come again just as lightning flashes from east to west.
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