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Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

Daily Bible readings that follow the church liturgical year, with sequential stories told across multiple weeks.

Duration: 1245 days

Psalm 137

Psalm 137^[a]

137 By the rivers of Babylon
we sit down and weep^[b]
when we remember Zion.
²On the poplars in her midst
we hang our harps,
³for there our captors ask us to compose songs;^[c]
those who mock us demand that we be happy, saying:^[d]
“Sing for us a song about Zion!”^[e]
⁴How can we sing a song to the Lord
in a foreign land?
⁵If I forget you, O Jerusalem,
may my right hand be crippled.^[f]
⁶May my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth,
if I do not remember you,
and do not give Jerusalem priority
over whatever gives me the most joy.^[g]
⁷Remember, O Lord, what the Edomites did
on the day Jerusalem fell.^[h]
They said, “Tear it down, tear it down,^[i]
right to its very foundation!”
⁸O daughter Babylon, soon to be devastated,^[j]
how blessed will be the one who repays you
for what you dished out to us.^[k]
⁹How blessed will be the one who grabs your babies
and smashes them on a rock.^[l]

Footnotes

Psalm 137:1 sn Psalm 137. The Babylonian exiles lament their condition, vow to remain loyal to Jerusalem, and appeal to God for revenge on their enemies.
Psalm 137:1 tn Heb “there we sit down, also we weep.”
Psalm 137:3 tn Heb “ask us [for] the words of a song.”
Psalm 137:3 tn Heb “our [?] joy.” The derivation and meaning of the Hebrew phrase תוֹלָלֵינוּ (tolalenu, “our [?]”) are uncertain. A derivation from תָּלַל (talal, “to mock”) fits contextually, but this root occurs only in the Hiphil stem. For a discussion of various proposals, see L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 236.
Psalm 137:3 tn Heb “from a song of Zion.” Most modern translations read, “one of the songs of Zion,” taking the preposition מִן (min, “from”) as partitive and “song” as collective. The present translation assumes the mem (ם) is enclitic, being misunderstood later as the prefixed preposition.
Psalm 137:5 tn Heb “may my right hand forget.” In this case one must supply an object, such as “how to move” or “its skill.” The elliptical nature of the text has prompted emendations (see L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 [WBC], 236). The translation assumes an emendation to תִּכְשַׁח (tikhshakh), from an otherwise unattested root כָּשַׁח (kashakh), meaning “to be crippled; to be lame.” See HALOT 502 s.v. כשׁח, which cites Arabic cognate evidence in support of the proposal. The difficulty of the MT can be explained as an error of transposition facilitated by the use of שָׁכַח (shakhakh, “forget”) just before this.
Psalm 137:6 tn Heb “if I do not lift up Jerusalem over the top of my joy.”
Psalm 137:7 tn Heb “remember, O Lord, against the sons of Edom, the day of Jerusalem.”
Psalm 137:7 tn Heb “lay [it] bare, lay [it] bare.”
Psalm 137:8 tn Heb “O devastated daughter of Babylon.” The psalmist dramatically anticipates Babylon’s demise.
Psalm 137:8 tn Heb “O the happiness of the one who repays you your wage which you paid to us.”
Psalm 137:9 sn For other references to the wholesale slaughter of babies in the context of ancient Near Eastern warfare, see 2 Kgs 8:12; Isa 13:16; Hos 13:16; Nah 3:10.

Lamentations 1:16-22

ע (Ayin)

¹⁶I weep because of these things;
my eyes^[a] flow with tears.^[b]
For there is no one in sight who can comfort me^[c]
or encourage me.^[d]
My children^[e] are desolated^[f]
because an enemy has prevailed.

פ (Pe)

The Prophet Speaks

¹⁷Zion spread out her hands,
but there is no one to comfort her.
The Lord has issued a decree against Jacob;
his neighbors^[g] have become his enemies.
Jerusalem has become
like filthy garbage^[h] in their midst.^[i]

צ (Tsade)

Jerusalem Speaks

¹⁸The Lord is right to judge me!^[j]
Yes, I rebelled against his commands.^[k]
Please listen, all you nations,^[l]
and look at my suffering!
My young women and men
have gone into exile.

ק (Qof)

¹⁹I called for my lovers,^[m]
but they had deceived me.
My priests and my elders
perished in the city.
Truly they had^[n] searched for food
to^[o] keep themselves^[p] alive.^[q]

ר (Resh)

²⁰Look, O Lord! I am distressed;^[r]
my stomach is in knots!^[s]
My heart is pounding^[t] inside me.
Yes, I was terribly rebellious!^[u]
Out in the street the sword bereaves a mother of her children;^[v]
Inside the house death is present.^[w]

ש (Sin/Shin)

²¹They have heard^[x] that I groan,
yet there is no one to comfort me.
All my enemies have heard of my trouble;
they are glad that you^[y] have brought it about.^[z]
Bring about^[aa] the day of judgment^[ab] that you promised^[ac]
so that^[ad] they may end up^[ae] like me!

ת (Tav)

²²Let all their wickedness come before you;
afflict^[af] them
just as you have afflicted me^[ag]
because of all my acts of rebellion.^[ah]
For my groans are many,
and my heart is sick with sorrow.^[ai]

Footnotes

Lamentations 1:16 tc The MT and several medieval Hebrew mss read עֵינִי עֵינִי (ʿeni, ʿeni, “my eye, my eye”). However, the second עֵינִי does not appear in several other medieval Hebrew mss, or in Old Greek, Syriac Peshitta, or Latin Vulgate.tn Heb “My eye, my eye.” The Hebrew text repeats the term for literary emphasis to stress the emotional distress of personified Jerusalem.
Lamentations 1:16 tn Heb “with water.” The noun מַיִם (mayim, “water”) functions as an adverbial accusative of manner or impersonal instrument. The term מַיִם (mayim, “water”) is a metonymy of material (= water) for the thing formed (= tears).
Lamentations 1:16 tn Heb “For a comforter is far from me.”
Lamentations 1:16 tn The phrase מֵשִׁיב נַפְשִׁי (meshiv nafshi, “one who could cause my soul to return”) is a Hebrew idiom that means “one who could encourage me.” The noun נַפְשִׁי (nafshi) refers to the whole person (e.g., Gen 27:4, 25; 49:6; Lev 26:11, 30; Num 23:10; Judg 5:21; 16:30; Isa 1:14; Lam 3:24). When used with the noun נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh), the Hiphil הָשִׁיב (hashiv) of שׁוּב (shuv, “to turn, return”) means “to encourage, refresh, cheer” a person emotionally (Ruth 4:15; Pss 19:8; 23:3; Prov 25:13; Lam 1:11, 16, 19).
Lamentations 1:16 tn Heb “my sons.” The term “my sons” (בַּנַי, banay) is a figurative description (hypocatastasis) of the former inhabitants of Jerusalem/Judah personified as the Lady Jerusalem’s children. Jerusalem mourns (and views) their devastation like a mother would her children.
Lamentations 1:16 tn The verb שָׁמֵם (shamem) means “to be desolated.” The verb is used used in reference to land destroyed in battle and left “deserted” (Isa 49:8; Ezek 33:28; 35:12, 15; 36:4). When used in reference to persons, it describes the aftermath of a physical attack, such as rape (2 Sam 13:20) or military overthrow of a city (Isa 54:1; Lam 1:13, 16; 3:11).
Lamentations 1:17 tn Heb “his neighbors,” which refers to the surrounding nations.
Lamentations 1:17 tn The noun II נִדָּה (niddah, “unclean thing”) has three basic categories of meaning: (1) biological uncleanness: menstruation of a woman (Lev 12:2, 5; 15:19-33 [9x]; Num 19:9, 13, 20; 31:23; Ezek 18:6; 22:10; 36:17); (2) ceremonial uncleanness: moral impurity and idolatry (Lev 20:21; 2 Chr 29:5; Ezra 9:11; Zech 13:1); and (3) physical uncleanness: filthy garbage (Lam 1:17; Ezek 7:19, 20).
Lamentations 1:17 tc The MT reads בֵּינֵיהֶם (b^enehem, “in them” = “in their midst”). The BHS editors suggest that this is a textual variation from an original text of בְּעֵינֵיהֶם (b^eʿenehem, “in their eyes” = “in their view”). The ע (ʿayin) might have dropped out due to orthographic confusion.tn Or “in their eyes.” See the preceding tc note.
Lamentations 1:18 tn Heb “The Lord himself is right.” The phrase “to judge me” is not in the Hebrew but is added in the translation to clarify the expression.
Lamentations 1:18 tn Heb “His mouth.” The term “mouth” (פֶּה, peh) is a metonymy of instrument (= mouth) for the product (= words). The term פֶּה often stands for spoken words (Ps 49:14; Eccl 10:3; Isa 29:13), declaration (Gen 41:40; Exod 38:21; Num 35:30; Deut 17:6; Ezra 1:1) and commands of God (Exod 17:1; Num 14:41; 22:18; Josh 15:13; 1 Sam 15:24; 1 Chr 12:24; Prov 8:29; Isa 34:16; 62:2). When the verb מָרָה (marah, “to rebel”) is used with פֶּה (peh, “mouth”) as the direct object, it connotes disobedience to God’s commandments (Num 20:24; 1 Sam 12:14, 15; 1 Kgs 13:21) (BDB 805 s.v. פֶּה 2.c).
Lamentations 1:18 tc The Kethib is written עַמִּים (ʿammim, “peoples”), but the Qere, followed by many medieval Hebrew mss and the ancient versions (LXX and Aramaic Targum), reads הָעַמִּים (haʿammim, “O peoples”). The Qere is probably the original reading. tn Heb “O peoples.” Here Jerusalem addresses the peoples of the surrounding nations (note the use of “neighbors” in the preceding verse).
Lamentations 1:19 sn The term “lovers” is a figurative expression (hypocatastasis), comparing Jerusalem’s false gods and political alliance with Assyria to a woman’s immoral lovers. The prophet Hosea uses similar imagery (Hos 2:5, 7, 10, 13).
Lamentations 1:19 tn Here the conjunction כּי (ki) functions either (1) with a temporal sense in reference to a past event, following a perfect: “when” (BDB 473 s.v. 2.a; cf. KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV), (2) with a concessive sense, following a perfect: “although” (Pss 21:12; 119:83; Mic 7:8; Nah 1:10; cf. BDB 473 s.v. 2.c.β), or (3) with an intensive force, introducing a statement with emphasis: “surely, certainly” (BDB 472 s.v. 1.e). The present translation follows the third option.
Lamentations 1:19 tn The vav (ו) prefixed to וְיָשִׁיבוּ (v^eyashivu) introduces a purpose clause: “they sought food for themselves, in order to keep themselves alive.”
Lamentations 1:19 tn The noun נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh, “soul”) functions as a metonymy of association (= life) (e.g., Gen 44:30; Exod 21:23; 2 Sam 14:7; Jon 1:14). When used with נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh), the Hiphil הָשִׁיב (hashiv) of שׁוּב (shuv, “to turn, return”) may mean “to preserve a person’s life,” that is, to keep a person alive (Lam 1:14, 19).
Lamentations 1:19 tc The LXX adds καὶ οὐχ εὗρον (kai ouch heuron, “but they did not find it”). This is probably an explanatory scribal gloss, added to explicate what appeared to be ambiguous. The LXX often adds explanatory glosses in many OT books.
Lamentations 1:20 tn Heb “because distress belongs to me” (כִּי־צַר־לִי, ki tsar li).
Lamentations 1:20 tn Heb “my bowels burn,” or “my bowels are in a ferment.” The verb חֳמַרְמָרוּ (khamarmaru) is an unusual form and derived from a debated root: Poalal perfect third person common plural from III חָמַר (khamar, “to be red,” HALOT 330 s.v. III חמר) or Peʿalʿal perfect third person common plural from I חָמַר (khamar, “to ferment, boil up,” BDB 330 s.v. I חָמַר). The Poalal stem of this verb occurs only three times in the OT: with פָּנִים (panim, “face,” Job 16:16) and מֵעִים (meʿim, “bowels,” Lam 1:20; 2:11). The phrase מֵעַי חֳמַרְמָרוּ (meʿay khamarmaru) means “my bowels burned” (HALOT 330 s.v.) or “my bowels are in a ferment,” as a euphemism for lower-intestinal bowel problems (BDB 330 s.v.). This phrase also occurs in later rabbinic literature (m. Sanhedrin 7:2). The present translation, “my stomach is in knots,” is not a literal equivalent to this Hebrew idiom; however, it is an attempt to approximate the equivalent English idiom.
Lamentations 1:20 tn The Niphl participle from הָפַךְ (hafakh, “to turn over”) functions verbally, referring to progressive present-time action (from the speaker’s viewpoint).
Lamentations 1:20 tn Heb “because I was certainly rebellious.” Using the infinitive absolute before the finite verb of the same root emphasizes the verb’s modality, here indicative mode.
Lamentations 1:20 tn Heb “in the street the sword bereaves.” The words “a mother of her children” are supplied in the translation as a clarification.
Lamentations 1:20 tn Heb “in the house it is like death.”
Lamentations 1:21 tc The MT reads שָׁמְעוּ (sham^eʿu, “They heard”), Qal perfect third person common plural from שָׁמַע (shamaʿ, “to hear”). The LXX ἀκούσατε (akousate) reflects שִׁמְעוּ (shimʿu, “Hear!”), the imperative second person masculine plural form of the same stem and root. Most English versions follow the MT (KJV, NASB, NIV, NJPS, CEV), but several follow the LXX (RSV, NRSV, TEV). Internal evidence favors the MT. The poet has been addressing God (v. 20) and continues to describe his distress, including what the enemy does. The description later in this verse also uses the Qal perfect third person common plural form שָׁמְעוּ (sham^eʿu, “they heard”). The MT vocalization is most likely original.
Lamentations 1:21 tn “You” here and in the following line refers to the Lord.
Lamentations 1:21 tn Heb “that You have done it.”
Lamentations 1:21 tc The MT reads הֵבֵאתָ (heveʾta, “you brought”) and is followed by the LXX. The Syriac Peshitta translates the verb with an imperative, implying an original text of הָבֵא אֵת (haveʾ ʾet), the imperative plus direct-object indicator. The MT’s reading would arise from dropping an א (ʾalef) followed by wrong word division. An alternate view is to understand the perfect as precative, a proposed unusual volitional nuance of the perfect. The precative may be used in reference to situations the speaker prays for and expects to be realized, a prayer, or a request of confidence (e.g., 2 Sam 7:29; Job 21:16; 22:18; Pss 3:8; 4:2; 7:7; 22:22; 31:5-6; 71:3; Lam 1:21). See IBHS 494-95 §30.5.4c, d. Most English versions employ a volitional nuance, whether precative or imperative of request (NRSV, NASB, NIV, TEV, NJPS, CEV). A few English versions adopt a prophetic perfect future-time nuance: “thou wilt bring the day that thou hast called” (KJV, ASV).
Lamentations 1:21 tn Heb “day.” The words “of judgment” were supplied in the translation. The term יוֹם (yom, “day”) is often used as a metonymy of association, standing for the event associated with that particular time period: judgment (e.g., Isa 2:12; 13:6, 9; Jer 46:10; Lam 2:22; Ezek 13:5; 30:3; Amos 5:18, 20; Obad 15; Zeph 1:7, 14; Zech 14:1; Mal 4:5 [3:23 HT]) (BDB 399 s.v. 3).
Lamentations 1:21 tn Heb “proclaimed.”
Lamentations 1:21 tn Heb “and.” Following a volitive use of the perfect, the vav (ו) prefixed to וְיִהְיוּ (v^eyihyu, “and let it be!”) introduces a purpose/result clause in a dependent volitive construction: “so that they may be like me!”
Lamentations 1:21 tn Heb “that they be like me.”
Lamentations 1:22 tn For the nuance “afflict” see the note at 1:12.
Lamentations 1:22 tn The parallel statements “afflict them” and “just as you have afflicted me” in the translation mirror the Hebrew wordplay between עוֹלֵל לָמוֹ (ʿolel lamo, “May you deal with them”) and עוֹלַלְתָּ לִי (ʿolalta li, “you dealt with me”).
Lamentations 1:22 tn Heb “all my rebellions,” that is, “all my rebellious acts.”
Lamentations 1:22 tn Heb “is sorrowful” or “is faint.” The adjective דַוָּי (davvay, “faint”) is used in reference to emotional sorrow (e.g., Isa 1:5; Lam 1:22; Jer 8:18). The cognate Aramaic term means “sorrow,” and the cognate Syriac term refers to “misery” (HALOT 216 s.v. *דְּוַי). The related Hebrew adjective דְּוַה (d^evah) means “(physically) sick” and “(emotionally) sad,” while the related Hebrew verb דָּוָה (davah) means “to be sad” due to menstruation. The more literal English versions fail to bring out explicitly the nuance of emotional sorrow and create possible confusion as to whether the problem is simply loss of courage: “my heart is faint” (KJV, NKJV, RSV, NRSV, ASV, NASB, NIV). The more paraphrastic English versions explicate the emotional sorrow that this idiom connotes: “my heart is sick” (NJPS), “I am sick at heart” (TEV), and “I’ve lost all hope!” (CEV).

James 1:2-11

Joy in Trials

²My brothers and sisters,^[a] consider it nothing but joy^[b] when you fall into all sorts of trials, ³because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. ⁴And let endurance have its perfect effect, so that you will be perfect and complete, not deficient in anything. ⁵But if anyone is deficient in wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all generously and without reprimand, and it will be given to him. ⁶But he must ask in faith without doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed around by the wind. ⁷For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord, ⁸since he is a double-minded individual,^[c] unstable in all his ways.

⁹Now the believer^[d] of humble means^[e] should take pride^[f] in his high position.^[g] ¹⁰But the rich person’s pride should be in his humiliation, because he will pass away like a wildflower in the meadow.^[h] ¹¹For the sun rises with its heat and dries up the meadow; the petal of the flower falls off and its beauty is lost forever.^[i] So also the rich person in the midst of his pursuits will wither away.

New English Translation (NET)

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Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

Psalm 137[a]

Footnotes

ע (Ayin)

פ (Pe)

The Prophet Speaks

צ (Tsade)

Jerusalem Speaks

ק (Qof)

ר (Resh)

ש (Sin/Shin)

ת (Tav)

Footnotes

Joy in Trials

Footnotes

Psalm 137^[a]