Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Psalm 45
A Royal Wedding Song
For the choir director: according to “The Lilies.”[a] A Maskil of the sons of Korah. A love song.
6 Your throne,(A) God, is[a] forever and ever;
the scepter of Your[b] kingdom is a scepter of justice.(B)
7 You love righteousness and hate wickedness;(C)
therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of joy
more than your companions.
8 Myrrh, aloes, and cassia perfume all your garments;
from ivory palaces harps bring you joy.(D)
9 Kings’ daughters are among your honored women;(E)
the queen, adorned with gold from Ophir,
stands at your right hand.(F)
2 M Like a lily among thorns,
so is my darling among the young women.
3 W Like an apricot[d] tree among the trees of the forest,
so is my love among the young men.
I delight to sit in his shade,
and his fruit is sweet to my taste.
4 He brought me to the banquet hall,[e](B)
and he looked on me with love.[f](C)
5 Sustain me with raisins;
refresh me with apricots,[g]
for I am lovesick.(D)
6 His left hand is under my head,
and his right arm embraces me.[h](E)
7 Young women of Jerusalem, I charge you
by the gazelles and the wild does of the field:
do not stir up or awaken love
until the appropriate time.[i](F)
9 The brother of humble circumstances should boast in his exaltation, 10 but the one who is rich should boast in his humiliation because he will pass away like a flower of the field.(A) 11 For the sun rises with its scorching heat and dries up the grass; its flower falls off, and its beautiful appearance is destroyed. In the same way, the rich man will wither away while pursuing his activities.(B)
12 A man who endures trials[a] is blessed, because when he passes the test he will receive the crown(C) of life that God[b] has promised to those who love Him.(D)
13 No one undergoing a trial should say, “I am being tempted by God.” For God is not tempted by evil,[c] and He Himself doesn’t tempt anyone. 14 But each person is tempted when he is drawn away and enticed by his own evil desires.(E) 15 Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and when sin is fully grown, it gives birth to death.(F)
16 Don’t be deceived, my dearly loved brothers.(G)
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