Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

63 O God, Thou art my God; early will I seek Thee. My soul thirsteth for Thee, my flesh longeth for Thee, in a dry and thirsty land where no water is,

² to see Thy power and Thy glory as I have seen Thee in the sanctuary.

³ Because Thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise Thee.

⁴ Thus will I bless Thee while I live; I will lift up my hands in Thy name.

⁵ My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness and my mouth shall praise Thee with joyful lips,

⁶ when I remember Thee upon my bed, and meditate on Thee in the night watches.

⁷ Because Thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of Thy wings will I rejoice.

⁸ My soul followeth hard after Thee; Thy right hand upholdeth me.

5 Now will I sing to my Well-beloved a song of my Beloved concerning His vineyard: my Well-beloved hath a vineyard on a very fruitful hill.

² And He fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine; and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a wine press therein. And He looked for it to bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes.

³ “And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, between Me and My vineyard.

⁴ What could have been done more to My vineyard than I have not done in it? Why, when I looked for it to bring forth good grapes, brought it forth wild grapes?

⁵ “And now, I will tell you what I will do to My vineyard: I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up; and break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down.

⁶ And I will lay it waste; it shall not be pruned nor dug, but there shall come up briers and thorns. I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it.”

⁷ For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah, His pleasant plant. And He looked for judgment, but behold, oppression; for righteousness, but behold, a cry.

⁴³ “For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

⁴⁴ For every tree is known by his own fruit. For from thorns men do not gather figs, nor from a bramble bush gather they grapes.

⁴⁵ A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil; for of the abundance of his heart his mouth speaketh.