Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
A song for going up to worship.
126 When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion,
it was as if we were dreaming.
2 Then our mouths were filled with laughter
and our tongues with joyful songs.
Then the nations said,
“The Lord has done spectacular things for them.”
3 The Lord has done spectacular things for us.
We are overjoyed.
4 Restore our fortunes, O Lord,
as you restore streams ⌞to dry riverbeds⌟ in the Negev.
5 Those who cry while they plant
will joyfully sing while they harvest.
6 The person who goes out weeping, carrying his bag of seed,
will come home singing, carrying his bundles of grain.
8 Bring the people who are blind but still have eyes,
the people who are deaf but still have ears.
9 All nations have gathered together, and people have assembled.
Who among them could have revealed this?
Who among them could have foretold this to us?
They should bring their witnesses to prove that they were right.
Let the people hear them. Then they will say that it is true.
10 “You are my witnesses,” declares the Lord.
“I have chosen you as my servant
so that you can know and believe in me
and understand that I am the one ⌞who did this⌟.
No god was formed before me,
and there will be none after me.
11 I alone am the Lord,
and there is no savior except me.
12 I have revealed it to you, I have saved you,
and I have announced it to you.
There was no foreign ⌞god⌟ among you.
You are my witnesses that I am God,” declares the Lord.
13 “From the ⌞first⌟ day I was the one ⌞who did this⌟.
No one can rescue people from my power.
When I do something, who can undo it?”
14 This is what the Lord, your Defender, the Holy One of Israel, says:
For your sake I will send ⌞an army⌟ to Babylon.
I will bring back all the Babylonian refugees
in the ships that they take pride in.
15 I am the Lord, your Holy One,
the Creator of Israel, your King.
25 I feel that I must send Epaphroditus—my brother, coworker, and fellow soldier—back to you. You sent him as your personal representative to help me in my need. 26 He has been longing to see all of you and is troubled because you heard that he was sick. 27 Indeed, he was so sick that he almost died. But God had mercy not only on him but also on me and kept me from having one sorrow on top of another. 28 So I’m especially eager to send him to you. In this way you will have the joy of seeing him again and I will feel relieved. 29 Give him a joyful Christian welcome. Make sure you honor people like Epaphroditus highly. 30 He risked his life and almost died for the work of Christ in order to make up for the help you couldn’t give me.
Run Straight toward the Goal
3 Now then, brothers and sisters, be joyful in the Lord. It’s no trouble for me to write the same things to you, and it’s for your safety.
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