Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Trust in the Lord
For the director of music. Of David.
11 I ·trust in the Lord for protection [find refuge in the Lord].
So why do you say to me,
“·Fly [L Flee] like a bird to your mountain.
2 For, look, the wicked ·string [bend] their bows;
they set their arrows on the bowstrings.
They shoot from dark places
at those who are ·honest [L upright/virtuous in heart].
3 When the foundations [C a stable society] collapse,
what can ·good [righteous] people do?”
4 The Lord is in his holy Temple;
the Lord sits on his throne in heaven.
·He sees what people do [L His eyes watch];
·he keeps his eye on them [L his gaze examines/tests people].
5 The Lord ·tests [examines] ·those who do right and those who do wrong [the righteous and the wicked],
but he hates those who love ·to hurt others [violence].
6 He will ·send [L rain] hot coals and burning sulfur on the wicked.
A ·whirlwind [scorching wind] is ·what they will get [L the portion of their cup; C an image of judgment; Is. 51:17, 22; Ezek. 23:31–33; Matt. 26:39].
7 The Lord ·does what is right [is righteous], and he loves ·justice [righteousness],
so ·honest people [the upright/virtuous] will see his face.
Solomon Builds the Temple(A)
6 Solomon began to build the ·Temple [L house of the Lord] four hundred eighty years after the people of Israel ·had left [L came out of the land of] Egypt. This was during the fourth year of King Solomon’s ·rule [reign] over Israel. It was the second month, the month of Ziv [C midspring]. 2 The ·Temple [L house that Solomon built for the Lord] was ·ninety feet [L sixty cubits] long, ·thirty feet [L twenty cubits] wide, and ·forty-five feet [L thirty cubits] high. 3 The ·porch [entry room; portico; vestibule] in front of the ·main room [main hall; nave] of the ·Temple [L house] was ·fifteen feet [L ten cubits] deep and ·thirty feet [L twenty cubits] wide. This room ·ran along [projected from] the front of the ·Temple [L house] itself. Its width was equal to that of the ·Temple [L house]. 4 The ·Temple [L house] also had ·windows that opened and closed [narrow, recessed windows]. 5 Solomon also built ·some [a complex of] side ·rooms [chambers] against the walls of the ·main room [main hall; nave] and the inner room of the ·Temple [L house]. He built rooms all around. 6 The rooms on the bottom floor were ·seven and one-half feet [L five cubits] wide. Those on the middle floor were ·nine feet [L six cubits] wide, and the rooms above them were ·ten and one-half feet [L seven cubits] wide. The ·Temple [L house] wall that formed the side of each room ·was thinner than the wall in the room below [had offset ledges]. These rooms were pushed against the ·Temple wall [L house], but they did not have their ·main [support] beams built into this wall.
7 The stones used to build the ·Temple [L house] were ·prepared [finished; shaped] at the quarry. So there was no noise of hammers, axes, or any other iron tools at the ·Temple [L house].
8 The entrance to the lower rooms beside the ·Temple [L house] was on the south side. From there, [winding] stairs went up to the second-floor rooms. And from there, stairs went on to the third-floor rooms. 9 Solomon put a ·roof [ceiling] made from beams and cedar boards on the ·Temple [L house]. So he finished building the Temple [L house] 10 as well as the bottom floor that was beside the ·Temple [L house]. This bottom floor was ·seven and one-half feet [L five cubits] high and was attached to the ·Temple [L house] by cedar beams.
11 The ·Lord said [L word of the Lord came] to Solomon: 12 “If you ·obey [follow; walk in] all my laws and commands, I will ·do for you [fulfill] what I promised your father David. 13 I will ·live [dwell; make my home] among the Israelites in this Temple, and I will never ·leave [abandon; forsake] my people Israel.”
14 So Solomon finished building the ·Temple [L house].
Final Greetings
21 Tychicus [Acts 20:4; Col. 4:7; 2 Tim. 4:12; Titus 3:12], our ·brother whom we love [dear/beloved brother] and a faithful servant ·of the Lord’s work [or in the Lord] will tell you everything that is happening with me. Then you will know how I am and what I am doing. 22 I am sending him to you for this reason—so that you will know how we are, and he can encourage ·you [L your hearts].
23 Peace and love with faith to you brothers and sisters from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 24 Grace to all of you who love our Lord Jesus Christ with ·love that never ends [an imperishable/undying love].
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.