Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Psalm 65
God’s Care for the Earth
For the choir director. A Davidic psalm. A song.
1 Praise is rightfully Yours,[a]
God, in Zion;
vows to You will be fulfilled.(A)
2 All humanity will come to You,
the One who hears prayer.(B)
3 Iniquities overwhelm me;
only You can atone for[b] our rebellions.(C)
4 How happy is the one You choose
and bring near to live in Your courts!
We will be satisfied with the goodness of Your house,
the holiness of Your temple.[c](D)
5 You answer us in righteousness,
with awe-inspiring works,
God of our salvation,
the hope of all the ends of the earth
and of the distant seas.(E)
6 You establish the mountains by Your[d] power,
robed with strength.(F)
7 You silence the roar of the seas,
the roar of their waves,
and the tumult of the nations.(G)
8 Those who live far away are awed by Your signs;
You make east and west shout for joy.(H)
9 You visit the earth and water it abundantly,
enriching it greatly.
God’s stream is filled with water,
for You prepare the earth[e] in this way,
providing people with grain.(I)
10 You soften it with showers and bless its growth,
soaking its furrows and leveling its ridges.(J)
11 You crown the year with Your goodness;
Your ways overflow with plenty.[f](K)
12 The wilderness pastures overflow,
and the hills are robed with joy.(L)
13 The pastures are clothed with flocks
and the valleys covered with grain.(M)
They shout in triumph; indeed, they sing.(N)
God’s Call for Repentance
12 Even now—
this is the Lord’s declaration—
turn to Me with all your heart,(A)
with fasting, weeping, and mourning.(B)
13 Tear your hearts,(C)
not just your clothes,(D)
and return to the Lord your God.
For He is gracious and compassionate,
slow to anger, rich in faithful love,
and He relents from sending disaster.(E)
14 Who knows? He may turn and relent(F)
and leave a blessing behind Him,(G)
so you can offer grain and wine
to the Lord your God.(H)
15 Blow the horn in Zion!(I)
Announce a sacred fast;(J)
proclaim an assembly.
16 Gather the people;
sanctify the congregation;(K)
assemble the aged;[a](L)
gather the children,
even those nursing at the breast.
Let the groom leave his bedroom,(M)
and the bride her honeymoon chamber.
17 Let the priests,(N) the Lord’s ministers,
weep between the portico and the altar.(O)
Let them say:
“Have pity on Your people, Lord,(P)
and do not make Your inheritance a disgrace,(Q)
an object of scorn among the nations.
Why should it be said among the peoples,
‘Where is their God?’”(R)
God’s Response to His People
18 Then the Lord became jealous for His land(S) and spared His people.(T) 19 The Lord answered His people:
Look, I am about to send you
grain, new wine, and olive oil.(U)
You will be satiated with them,
and I will no longer make you
a disgrace among the nations.(V)
Mary’s Praise
46 And Mary said:
My soul proclaims the greatness of[a] the Lord,(A)
47 and my spirit has rejoiced(B) in God my Savior,(C)
48 because He has looked with favor
on the humble condition of His slave.
Surely, from now on all generations
will call me blessed,(D)
49 because the Mighty One(E)
has done great things for me,(F)
and His name(G) is holy.
50 His mercy is from generation to generation(H)
on those who fear Him.
51 He has done a mighty deed with His arm;(I)
He has scattered the proud
because of the thoughts of their hearts;
52 He has toppled the mighty from their thrones
and exalted the lowly.
53 He has satisfied the hungry with good things(J)
and sent the rich away empty.
54 He has helped His servant Israel,
mindful of His mercy,[b]
55 just as He spoke to our ancestors,
to Abraham and his descendants[c] forever.
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