Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Psalm 115
1 Don’t give glory to us, O Yahweh.
Don’t give glory to us.
Instead, give glory to your name
because of your mercy and faithfulness.
2 Why should other nations say, “Where is their Elohim?”
3 Our Elohim is in heaven.
He does whatever he wants.
4 Their idols are made of silver and gold.
They were made by human hands.[a]
5 They have mouths, but they cannot speak.
They have eyes, but they cannot see.
6 They have ears, but they cannot hear.
They have noses, but they cannot smell.
7 They have hands, but they cannot feel.
They have feet, but they cannot walk.
They cannot even make a sound with their throats.
8 Those who make idols end up like them.
So does everyone who trusts them.
9 Israel, trust Yahweh.
He is your helper and your Magen.
10 Descendants of Aaron, trust Yahweh.
He is your helper and your Magen.
11 If you fear Yahweh, trust Yahweh.
He is your helper and your Magen.
12 Yahweh, who is always thinking about us, will bless us.
He will bless the descendants of Israel.
He will bless the descendants of Aaron.
13 He will bless those who fear Yahweh,
from the least important to the most important.
14 May Yahweh continue to bless you and your children.
15 You will be blessed by Yahweh, the maker of heaven and earth.
16 The highest heaven belongs to Yahweh,
but he has given the earth to the descendants of Adam.
17 Those who are dead do not praise Yah,
nor do those who go into the silence of the grave.
18 But we will thank Yah now and forever.
Hallelujah!
5 At the evening sacrifice I got up from my misery, and with my clothes torn, I knelt down, stretched out my hands to Yahweh my Elohim in prayer, 6 and said,
“I am ashamed, my Elohim. I am embarrassed to look at you. Our sins have piled up over our heads, and our guilt is so overwhelming that it reaches heaven. 7 From our ancestors’ days until now, we have been deep in guilt. Our kings and our priests have been handed over to foreign kings to be executed. We have been taken captive, robbed, and humiliated, as we still are today because of our sins. 8 And now, for a brief moment, Yahweh our Elohim has been kind enough to leave us a few survivors from Babylon and to give us a secure hold on his holy place. Our Elohim has made our eyes light up and has given us new opportunities while we were slaves. 9 We are slaves, but our Elohim hasn’t abandoned us in our slavery. Instead, he has made the kings of Persia treat us kindly. He did this to give us an opportunity to rebuild our Elohim’s temple and restore its ruins and to give us a protective wall in Judah and Jerusalem.
10 “And now, our Elohim, what can we say after all this? We have abandoned your commandments! 11 The commandments you gave us through your servants the prophets, said, ‘The land you are going to take possession of has been polluted by its perverted people and by their disgusting practices that have filled it with wickedness from one end to another. 12 So never let your daughters marry their sons or your sons marry their daughters, and never seek peace or trade with them. Then you will be strong, be able to eat the good things the land produces, and be able to give this land as a long-lasting inheritance to your children.’
13 “After all that has happened to us because of the evil things we have done and because of our overwhelming guilt, you, our Elohim, have punished us far less than we deserve and have permitted a few of us to survive. 14 If we break your commandments again and intermarry with people doing these disgusting things, you will become even more angry with us until you finally destroy us and no survivors are left. 15 Yahweh Elohim of Israel, because you are fair, a few of us continue to remain as survivors. Look at us. All of us are guilty. None of us can stand in your presence because of this.”
16 “In a little while you won’t see me anymore. Then in a little while you will see me again.”
17 Some of his disciples said to each other, “What does he mean? He tells us that in a little while we won’t see him. Then he tells us that in a little while we will see him again and that he’s going to the Father.” 18 So they were asking each other, “What does he mean when he says, ‘In a little while’? We don’t understand what he’s talking about.”
19 Yeshua knew they wanted to ask him something. So he said to them, “Are you trying to figure out among yourselves what I meant when I said, ‘In a little while you won’t see me, and in a little while you will see me again’? 20 I can guarantee this truth: You will cry because you are sad, but the world will be happy. You will feel pain, but your pain will turn to happiness. 21 A woman has pain when her time to give birth comes. But after the child is born, she doesn’t remember the pain anymore because she’s happy that a child has been brought into the world.
22 “Now you’re in a painful situation. But I will see you again. Then you will be happy, and no one will take that happiness away from you. 23 When that day comes, you won’t ask me any more questions. I can guarantee this truth: If you ask the Father for anything in my name, he will give it to you. 24 So far you haven’t asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive so that you can be completely happy.
The Names of God Bible (without notes) © 2011 by Baker Publishing Group.