Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

Book II
Psalms 42–72

Psalms 42 & 43

An Exile’s Prayer: Why Are You Cast Down?^[a]

Heading

For the choir director. A maskil^[b] by the Sons of Korah.^[c]

Longing for the Temple

Refrain

Remembrance of the Lord

Refrain

Life-Giving Water in the New Creation

47 Then he brought me back to the entrance of the temple, and I saw that water was flowing out from under the threshold of the temple toward the east (the temple faced east). The water was flowing down from under the south side of the temple, south of the altar.

² He brought me out through the north gate that led into the inner courtyard and led me around on the outside of the temple to the outer gateway on the east side, and I saw that water was trickling out from its south side. ³ As the man went out toward the east, he had a measuring line in his hand. He measured off a thousand cubits,^[a] and then he led me through the water. The water was ankle-deep. ⁴ Then he measured off another thousand cubits and led me through the water. The water was knee-deep. He measured a thousand more and led me through water that was now waist-deep. ⁵ He measured a thousand more, but now it was a river that I was not able to cross, because the water had risen so much that one would have to swim across it. It was a river that could not be forded.

⁶ Then he asked me, “Have you noticed anything, son of man?” and he led me back to the bank of the river. ⁷ When I returned there, I noticed that on the banks of the river there were a large number of trees, on both sides.

⁸ Then he said to me, “These waters are flowing out to the eastern part of the land. They go down to the Arabah and go into the sea,^[b] into the sea whose waters are unusable,^[c] and then the waters of the sea are made fresh.^{[d] 9} Every living creature that swarms can live wherever the stream flows. There will be a large number of fish because these waters have come there, and the waters of the sea have been made fresh, so every living creature can live everywhere the river goes. ¹⁰ There will be fishermen standing beside it from En Gedi to En Eglaim, and there will be places for them to spread their nets to dry. There will be all kinds of fish there, like the fish of the Great Sea^[e]—so very many. ¹¹ But its swamps and marshes will not be made fresh. They will be left to provide salt. ¹² Beside the river, on both its banks, every kind of tree will grow for providing food. Their leaves will never wither, and their fruit will never fail. Every month they will bear fruit because their waters flow out from the sanctuary. Its fruit will provide food, and its leaves will be for healing.

Keep Yourselves in God’s Love

¹⁷ But you, dear friends, remember the words that were spoken earlier by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. ¹⁸ They said to you, “In the last time there will be scoffers who follow their own ungodly lusts.”^{[a] 19} These are the people who cause divisions. They are worldly because they do not have the Spirit.

²⁰ But you, dear friends, continue to build yourselves up in your most holy faith as you keep praying in the Holy Spirit. ²¹ Keep yourselves in God’s love as you continue to wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, which results in eternal life. ²² Show mercy to those who are wavering.^{[b] 23} Save others by snatching them out of the fire. Show mercy to still others with fear,^[c] hating even the clothing that is stained by the flesh.

²⁴ Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you faultless in the presence of his glory with great joy, ²⁵ to the only^[d] God, our Savior, be glory, majesty, power, and authority through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all time, now, and to all eternity. Amen.