Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
How Precious Your Thoughts!
Psalm 139
1 For the music director: a psalm of David.
Adonai, You searched me and know me.
2 Whenever I sit down or stand up, You know it.
You discern my thinking from afar.
3 You observe my journeying and my resting
and You are familiar with all my ways.
4 Even before a word is on my tongue,
behold, Adonai, You know all about it.
5 You hemmed me in behind and before,
and laid Your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too lofty for me to attain.
13 For You have created my conscience.
You knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 I praise You, for I am awesomely, wonderfully made!
Wonderful are Your works—
and my soul knows that very well.
15 My frame was not hidden from You
when I was made in the secret place,
when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
16 Your eyes saw me when I was unformed,
and in Your book were written the days that were formed—
when not one of them had come to be.
17 How precious are Your thoughts, O God!
How great is the sum of them!
18 Were I to count them,
they would outnumber the grains of sand!
When I awake, I am still with You.
14 Heal me, Adonai, and I will be healed.
Save me, and I will be saved.
For You are my praise.
15 Look, they are saying to me,
“Where is the word of Adonai?
Let it come now!”[a]
16 As for me, I have not run away from being a shepherd after You,
nor have I desired the woeful day.
What came out of my lips You know—it was before You.
17 Be not a ruin to me—
You are my refuge in the evil day.
18 Let my persecutors be ashamed,
yet let me not be ashamed.
Let them be dismayed,
but let me not be dismayed.
Bring on them the evil day,
Destroy them with double destruction.
Carry No Burdens on Shabbat
19 Thus said Adonai to me: “Go, stand in the gate of the children of the people, through which the kings of Judah come in and go out, and in all the gates of Jerusalem, 20 and say to them: ‘Hear the word of Adonai, kings of Judah, and all Judah and all inhabitants of Jerusalem who enter through these gates! 21 Thus says Adonai, “Guard your souls! Carry no burden on the day of Shabbat or bring it in through the gates of Jerusalem. 22 Nor should you carry a burden out of your houses on Yom Shabbat or do any work, but keep Yom Shabbat holy—as I commanded your fathers.” 23 Yet they did not listen or incline their ear, but stiffened their neck, not hearing or accepting correction.
24 “However, if you listen attentively to Me,” says Adonai, “to bring in no burden through the gates of this city on Yom Shabbat, but sanctify Yom Shabbat and do no work on it, 25 then there will enter in through the gates of this city kings and princes sitting on the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses—with their princes, the people of Judah and those dwelling in Jerusalem—and this city will be inhabited forever. 26 They will come from the cities of Judah and from all around Jerusalem, from the land of Benjamin, from the lowland, from the hill country and from the South, bringing burnt offerings and sacrifices, grain offerings, frankincense, and sacrifices of thanksgiving to the House of Adonai.
27 “But if you do not listen to Me to keep Yom Shabbat holy, by not bearing a burden or entering through the gates of Jerusalem on Yom Shabbat, then I will set its gates on fire, and it will consume the citadels of Jerusalem, and not be quenched.’”
34 “Do not think that I came to bring shalom on the earth; I did not come to bring shalom, but a sword. 35 For I have come to set
‘a man against his father,
a daughter against her mother, and
a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law;
36 and a man’s enemies will be the members of his household.’[a]
37 “He who loves father or mother more than Me isn’t worthy of Me, and he who loves son or daughter more than Me isn’t worthy of Me. 38 And whoever does not take up his cross and follow after Me isn’t worthy of Me. 39 He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.
40 “He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives the One who sent Me. 41 He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward, and he who receives a tzaddik in the name of a tzaddik shall receive a tzaddik’s reward. 42 And whoever gives to one of these little ones even a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, amen I tell you, he shall never lose his reward.”
Tree of Life (TLV) Translation of the Bible. Copyright © 2015 by The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society.