Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
The Glories of the Messiah and His Bride
To the Chief Musician. (A)Set to [a]“The Lilies.” A [b]Contemplation of the sons of Korah. A Song of Love.
45 My heart is overflowing with a good theme;
I recite my composition concerning the King;
My tongue is the pen of a [c]ready writer.
2 You are fairer than the sons of men;
(B)Grace is poured upon Your lips;
Therefore God has blessed You forever.
6 (A)Your throne, O God, is forever and ever;
A (B)scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom.
7 You love righteousness and hate wickedness;
Therefore God, Your God, has (C)anointed You
With the oil of (D)gladness more than Your companions.
8 All Your garments are (E)scented with myrrh and aloes and cassia,
Out of the ivory palaces, by which they have made You glad.
9 (F)Kings’ daughters are among Your honorable women;
(G)At Your right hand stands the queen in gold from Ophir.
A Country Girl in a Palace
2 I am the rose of Sharon,
And the lily of the valleys.
The Beloved
2 Like a lily among thorns,
So is my love among the daughters.
The Shulamite
3 Like an apple tree among the trees of the woods,
So is my beloved among the sons.
I sat down in his shade with great delight,
And (A)his fruit was sweet to my taste.
The Shulamite to the Daughters of Jerusalem
4 He brought me to the [a]banqueting house,
And his banner over me was love.
5 Sustain me with cakes of raisins,
Refresh me with apples,
For I am lovesick.
The Perspective of Rich and Poor
9 Let the lowly brother glory in his exaltation, 10 but the rich in his humiliation, because (A)as a flower of the field he will pass away. 11 For no sooner has the sun risen with a burning heat than it withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beautiful appearance perishes. So the rich man also will fade away in his pursuits.
Loving God Under Trials
12 (B)Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive (C)the crown of life (D)which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. 13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. 14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. 15 Then, (E)when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, (F)brings forth death.
16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.