Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
He Builds Up Jerusalem
Psalm 147
1 Halleluyah!
How good it is to sing praises to our God.
How pleasant and fitting is praise.
2 Adonai builds up Jerusalem.
He gathers together the exiles of Israel.
3 He heals the brokenhearted
and binds up their wounds.
4 He determines the number of the stars.
He gives them all their names.
5 Great is our Lord and mighty in power—
His understanding is infinite!
6 Adonai upholds the humble.
He brings the wicked to the ground.
7 Sing to Adonai with thanksgiving.
Sing praises to our God on the harp.
8 He covers the sky with clouds.
He provides rain for the earth.
He makes grass sprout on the hills.
9 He gives food to the cattle
and to the young ravens which cry.
10 He delights not in the horse’s strength,
nor takes pleasure in a man’s legs.
11 Adonai delights in those who revere Him,
in those who trust in His lovingkindness.
20 He has not done so with any other nation.
They have not known His judgments.
Halleluyah!
Elihu Magnifies the Almighty
36 Then Elihu said further:
2 “Be patient with me a bit longer and I will show you
that there is more to say on God’s behalf.
3 I get my knowledge from afar;
I ascribe righteousness to my Maker.
4 For truly, my words are not false;
One who is perfect in knowledge is with you.
5 “Indeed, God is mighty, but despises none,
He is mighty in strength of understanding.
6 He does not keep the wicked alive,
but gives justice to the afflicted.
7 He does not take His eyes from the righteous,
but enthrones them with kings and exalts them forever.
8 But if they are bound in chains,
and held captive by cords of affliction,
9 then He declares to them their deed
that they have transgressed arrogantly.
10 And He opens their ear to instruction,
and commands that they turn from evil.
11 If they obey and serve, they will end their days in prosperity,
and their years in happiness.
12 But if they do not listen, they will perish by the sword,
and die without knowledge.
13 “The godless in heart harbor anger,
they do not cry for help even when He binds them.
14 Their souls die in youth,
their life ends among cult prostitutes.
15 He delivers the afflicted by his affliction
and opens their ear in oppression.
16 “And indeed, He will draw you from the mouth of distress,
to a spacious place without constraint, and the comfort of a table full of rich food.
17 But you are full of judgment on the wicked,
judgment and justice take hold of you!
18 Beware lest wrath entice you with riches;
or a large bribe turn you aside.
19 Will your wealth sustain you to keep you from distress,
or even all your mighty efforts?
20 Do not long for the night,
when people vanish from their places.
21 Be careful, do not turn to iniquity;
for you have chosen this rather than affliction.
22 “Indeed, God is exalted in His power.
Who is a teacher like Him?
23 Who has prescribed His way for Him?
Or said ‘You have done wrong’?
Servant Leadership Wins Over All
9 Am I not free? Am I not an emissary? Have I not seen Yeshua our Lord? Are you not my work in the Lord? 2 If to others I am not an emissary, at least I am to you—for you are the seal of my office of emissary in the Lord.
3 My defense to those who examine me is this. 4 Don’t we have the right to food and drink? 5 Don’t we have the right to take along a believing wife, as do the other emissaries and the Lord’s brothers and Kefa? 6 Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to not work? 7 What soldier ever serves at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat its fruit? Or who tends a flock and does not drink its milk?
8 I don’t say these things merely as a man, do I? Doesn’t Torah also say these things? 9 For it is written in the Torah of Moses, “You shall not muzzle an ox while it is threshing.”[a] Is it the oxen that concern God, 10 or is He speaking entirely for our sake? Yes, it was written for our sake, because the one plowing ought to plow in hope and the one threshing in hope of a share in the crop. 11 If we sowed spiritual things into you, is it too much if we reap material things from you? 12 If others have a share in this claim over you, shouldn’t we even more?
Nevertheless we did not use this right, but we put up with all things so that we cause no hindrance to the Good News of Messiah. 13 Don’t you know that those who perform the holy services eat from the Temple, and those who wait on the altar receive a share at the altar? [b] 14 So also the Lord ordered those who proclaim the Good News to get their living from the Good News.
15 But I have used none of these things, and I am not writing these things so it will happen this way in my case—for I would rather die than let anyone deprive me of my reason to boast. 16 For if I proclaim the Good News, I have no reason to boast—for pressure is put on me and woe to me if I don’t proclaim the Good News!
Tree of Life (TLV) Translation of the Bible. Copyright © 2015 by The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society.