Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Psalm 124
The Lord Is on Our Side
A song of ascents. Of David.
1 If the Lord had not been on our side—
let Israel say—
2 if the Lord had not been on our side(A)
when people attacked us,(B)
3 then they would have swallowed us alive
in their burning anger against us.(C)
4 Then the water would have engulfed us;
the torrent would have swept over us;
5 the raging water would have swept over us.(D)
Future Glory for Israel
54 “Rejoice, childless one, who did not give birth;
burst into song and shout,
you who have not been in labor!(A)
For the children of the desolate one will be more
than the children of the married woman,”(B)
says the Lord.
2 “Enlarge the site of your tent,
and let your tent curtains be stretched out;(C)
do not hold back;
lengthen your ropes,
and drive your pegs deep.
3 For you will spread out to the right and to the left,(D)
and your descendants will dispossess nations
and inhabit the desolate cities.
4 “Do not be afraid, for you will not be put to shame;(E)
don’t be humiliated, for you will not be disgraced.
For you will forget the shame of your youth,
and you will no longer remember
the disgrace of your widowhood.(F)
5 Indeed, your husband is your Maker(G)—
his name is the Lord of Armies—
and the Holy One of Israel(H) is your Redeemer;(I)
he is called the God of the whole earth.
6 For the Lord has called you,
like a wife deserted and wounded in spirit,(J)
a wife of one’s youth(K) when she is rejected,”
says your God.
7 “I deserted you for a brief moment,(L)
but I will take you back with abundant compassion.
8 In a surge of anger
I hid my face(M) from you for a moment,
but I will have compassion on you
with everlasting love,”(N)
says the Lord your Redeemer.
9 “For this is like the days[a] of Noah to me:
when I swore that the water of Noah
would never flood the earth again,(O)
so I have sworn that I will not be angry with you
or rebuke you.(P)
10 Though the mountains move
and the hills shake,
my love will not be removed from you
and my covenant of peace(Q) will not be shaken,”
says your compassionate Lord.
23 “If anyone tells you then, ‘See, here is the Messiah!’(A) or, ‘Over here!’ do not believe it.(B) 24 For false messiahs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders to lead astray,(C) if possible, even the elect. 25 Take note: I have told you in advance. 26 So if they tell you, ‘See, he’s in the wilderness!’ don’t go out; or, ‘See, he’s in the storerooms!’ do not believe it. 27 For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.(D) 28 Wherever the carcass is, there the vultures[a] will gather.(E)
The Coming of the Son of Man
29 “Immediately after the distress(F) of those days, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not shed its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30 Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the peoples of the earth[b] will mourn;[c] and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.(G) 31 He will send out his angels with a loud trumpet,(H) and they will gather his elect from the four winds,(I) from one end of the sky to the other.
The Parable of the Fig Tree
32 “Learn this lesson(J) from the fig tree: As soon as its branch becomes tender and sprouts leaves, you know that summer is near. 33 In the same way, when you see all these things, recognize[d] that he[e] is near—at the door.(K) 34 Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things take place.(L) 35 Heaven and earth will pass away,(M) but my words will never pass away.(N)
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