Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
The King’s Wedding Song
45 My heart flows over with good words. I sing my songs to the King. My tongue writes the words of a good writer. 2 You are more beautiful than the children of men. Loving-favor is poured upon Your lips. So God has honored You forever.
6 O God, Your throne is forever and ever. You rule Your holy nation by what is right. 7 You have loved what is right and good. You have hated what is wrong. That is why God, Your God, has chosen You. He has poured over You the oil of joy more than over anyone else. 8 All Your clothes smell of fine perfumes. Out of ivory palaces music of strings have made You glad. 9 Daughters of kings are among Your women of honor. At Your right hand stands the queen, wearing gold from Ophir.
2 “I am the rose of Sharon, the lily of the valleys.”
King Solomon
2 “Like a lily among the thorns, so is my loved one among the young women.”
The Woman
3 “Like a fruit tree among many trees, so is my loved one among the young men. With much joy I sat down in his shadow. And his fruit was sweet to my taste. 4 He brought me to his special large room for eating, and his colors over me were love. 5 Make me strong with cakes of dried grapes. Make me strong again with fruit, because I am sick with love. 6 Let his left hand be under my head and his right hand hold me close.”
King Solomon
7 “I tell you, O daughters of Jerusalem, by the gazelles and deer of the field, you must not wake up my love until it is pleasing to her.”
9 A Christian brother who has few riches of this world should be happy for what he has. He is great in the eyes of God. 10 But a rich man should be happy even if he loses everything. He is like a flower that will die. 11 The sun comes up with burning heat. The grass dries up and the flower falls off. It is no longer beautiful. The rich man will die also and all his riches will be gone. 12 The man who does not give up when tests come is happy. After the test is over, he will receive the crown of life. God has promised this to those who love Him.
God Does Not Tempt Us
13 When you are tempted to do wrong, do not say, “God is tempting me.” God cannot be tempted. He will never tempt anyone. 14 A man is tempted to do wrong when he lets himself be led by what his bad thoughts tell him to do. 15 When he does what his bad thoughts tell him to do, he sins. When sin completes its work, it brings death.
16 My Christian brothers, do not be fooled about this.
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