Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Praise to Yahweh for His Providence
147 Praise Yah.[a]
For it is good to sing praises to our God;
for it is pleasant; praise is fitting.
2 Yahweh is building Jerusalem;
he gathers the scattered ones of Israel.
3 He is the one who heals the brokenhearted,
and binds up their wounds.
4 He counts the number of the stars;
he gives names to all of them.
5 Great is our Lord, and abundant in power;
his understanding is unlimited.
6 Yahweh helps the afflicted up;
he brings the wicked down to the ground.
7 Sing to Yahweh with thanksgiving;
sing praises to our God with lyre,
8 who covers the heavens with clouds,
who provides rain for the earth,
who causes grass to grow on the mountains.
9 He gives to the animal its food,
and to the young ravens that cry.
10 He does not delight in the strength of the horse;
he takes no pleasure in the legs of the man.
11 Yahweh takes pleasure in those who fear him,
the ones who hope[b] for his loyal love.
20 He has not done so for any nation,
and they do not know his ordinances.
Praise Yah.[a]
Babylon’s Idols
46 Bel bows down;
Nebo is stooping.
Their idols are on[a] animals[b] and on[c] cattle;
your cargo[d] is carried as a burden on[e] weary animals.
2 They stoop;
they bow down together.
They are not able to save the burden,
but[f] they themselves go[g] in captivity.
3 “Listen to me, house of Jacob,
and all the remnant of the house of Israel
who have been carried from the belly,
who have been carried from the womb:
4 Even[h] to your old age I am he;
even[i] to your advanced age I myself will support you.
I myself have made you,
and I myself will carry you,
and I myself will support you,
and I will save you.
5 To whom will you liken me,
and count as equal,
and compare with me,
as though[j] we were alike?
6 Those who lavish gold from the purse
and weigh out silver in the balance scales;
hire a goldsmith[k]
and he makes him a god;
they bow down,
indeed they bow in worship.
7 They carry it on their shoulder;
they support it and they set it in its place,
and it stands in position.
It cannot be removed from its place;
even when he cries out to it, it does not answer.
It does not save him from his trouble.
8 Remember this and pluck up courage!
Call to mind,[l] you transgressors!
9 Remember the former things from a long time ago,[m]
for I am God and there is none besides me,
God and there is none like me,
10 who from the beginning declares the end,
and from before, things that have not been done,
who says, ‘My plan shall stand,’
and, ‘I will accomplish[n] all my wishes,’[o]
11 who calls a bird of prey from the east,
the man of his[p] plan from a country from afar.
Indeed I have spoken; indeed I will bring it to being.
I have formed it; indeed I will do it.
12 Listen to me, strong of heart,
far from righteousness!
13 I bring my righteousness near; it is not far.
And my salvation will not delay;
and I will put[q] salvation in Zion,
for Israel my glory.”
A Man with a Withered Hand Healed
9 And going on from there he came into their synagogue. 10 And behold, there was a man who had a withered hand, and they asked him, saying, “Is it permitted to heal on the Sabbath?” in order that they could accuse him. 11 But he said to them, “What man will there be among you who will have one sheep and if this one fell into a pit on the Sabbath, will not take hold of it and lift it[a] out? 12 Then to what degree is a man worth more than a sheep? So then, it is permitted to do good on the Sabbath.”
13 Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand,” and he stretched it[b] out, and it was restored as healthy as the other one. 14 But the Pharisees went out and plotted[c] against him in order that they could destroy him.
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