Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
23 Children of Zion,(A) rejoice and be glad
in the Lord your God,(B)
because He gives you the autumn rain
for your vindication.[a](C)
He sends showers for you,
both autumn and spring rain(D) as before.
24 The threshing floors will be full of grain,(E)
and the vats will overflow
with new wine and olive oil.
25 I will repay you for the years
that the swarming locust ate,(F)
the young locust, the destroying locust,
and the devouring locust—
My great army that I sent against you.
26 You will have plenty to eat and be satisfied.(G)
You will praise the name of Yahweh your God,(H)
who has dealt wondrously with you.(I)
My people will never again be put to shame.(J)
27 You will know that I am present in Israel(K)
and that I am Yahweh your God,
and there is no other.(L)
My people will never again be put to shame.(M)
God’s Promise of His Spirit
28 [b] After this(N)
I will pour out My Spirit(O) on all humanity;(P)
then your sons and your daughters will prophesy,
your old men will have dreams,
and your young men will see visions.
29 I will even pour out My Spirit
on the male and female slaves in those days.(Q)
30 I will display wonders
in the heavens and on the earth:(R)
blood, fire, and columns of smoke.
31 The sun will be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood(S)
before the great and awe-inspiring Day of the Lord comes.(T)
32 Then everyone who calls
on the name of Yahweh will be saved,(U)
for there will be an escape
for those on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem,
as the Lord promised,(V)
among the survivors the Lord calls.
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)
6 For I am already being poured out as a drink offering,(A) and the time for my departure is close. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 There is reserved for me in the future the crown(B) of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge,(C) will give me on that day, and not only to me, but to all those who have loved His appearing.(D)
16 At my first defense, no one stood by me, but everyone deserted me.(A) May it not be counted against them. 17 But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that the proclamation might be fully made through me and all the Gentiles might hear. So I was rescued from the lion’s mouth. 18 The Lord will rescue me from every evil work and will bring me safely into His heavenly kingdom.(B) To Him be the glory forever and ever! Amen.
The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector
9 He(A) also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves(B) that they were righteous(C) and looked down(D) on everyone else: 10 “Two men went up to the temple complex to pray,(E) one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee took his stand[a](F) and was praying like this: ‘God, I thank You that I’m not like other people[b] —greedy,(G) unrighteous,(H) adulterers,(I) or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast(J) twice a week; I give a tenth[c](K) of everything I get.’
13 “But the tax collector, standing far off,(L) would not even raise his eyes to heaven(M) but kept striking his chest[d](N) and saying, ‘God, turn Your wrath from me[e](O)—a sinner!’(P) 14 I tell you, this one went down to his house justified(Q) rather than the other; because everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”(R)
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