Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Psalm 65[a]
Thanksgiving for Divine Blessings
1 For the director.[b] A psalm of David. A song.
2 It is fitting to offer praise to you,[c]
O God, in Zion.
To you our vows must be fulfilled,
3 for you answer our prayers.
To you all flesh must come,[d]
4 burdened by its sinful deeds.
Too heavy for us are our sins,
and only you can blot them out.[e]
5 Blessed[f] is the one whom you choose
and invite to dwell in your courts.
We will be filled with the good things of your house,
of your holy temple.
6 Through your awesome deeds[g] of righteousness,
you respond to us, O God, our Savior;
you are the hope of all the ends of the earth
and of the far-off islands.
7 Clothed in your great power,
you hold the mountains in place.[h]
8 You quiet the roaring of the seas,
the turbulence of their waves,
and the turmoil of the nations.[i]
9 Those who dwell at the ends of the earth
are awestruck by your wonders.[j]
You call forth songs of joy
from sunrise and sunset.
10 You care for the earth and water it,
making it most fertile.
The streams of God[k] are filled with water
to provide grain for its people.
Thus, you prepare the earth for growth:
11 you water its furrows
and level its ridges;
you soften it with showers
and bless its yield.[l]
12 You crown the year with your bounty,[m]
and your tracks dispense fertility.
13 The pastures of the wilderness overflow,
and the hills are covered with rejoicing.
14 The meadows are clothed with flocks,
and the valleys are decked out with grain;
in their joy they shout and sing together.[n]
Rend Your Hearts and Not Your Garments[a]
12 Yet even now, says the Lord,
return to me with all your heart,
with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.
13 Rend your hearts and not your garments,
and turn back to the Lord, your God.
For he is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger, rich in kindness,
and always prepared to relent from punishing.
14 Perhaps he will turn back and relent,
and leave a blessing behind him,
cereal offerings and libations
to be presented to the Lord, your God.
15 Blow the trumpet in Zion!
Proclaim a fast!
Announce a solemn assembly!
16 Gather the people together;
summon the community;
assemble the elders;
gather the children,
even infants at the breast.
Call forth the bridegroom from his bedroom
and the bride from her wedding chamber.
17 Let the priests, the ministers of the Lord,
stand weeping, between the temple porch and the altar,
as they say, “Spare your people, O Lord,
and do not allow your heritage[b] to be mocked
and subjected to the contempt of the nations.
Why should the peoples say
‘Where is their God?’ ”
18 Thereupon, the Lord was stirred to feel concern for his land, and he took pity on his people. 19 In response to their request, the Lord said to his people:
I will send you
grain and wine and oil,
and you will have all you need.
Never again will I expose you
to the contempt of the nations.
20 I shall drive the northern army far from you
and banish them to an arid and desolate land,
with their vanguard toward the eastern sea,[d]
and their rearguard toward the western sea.
They will give off a stench,
and a foul stench will rise up.
21 Fear not, O land;
be glad and rejoice,
for the Lord has done great things.
22 Be not afraid, you beasts of the field,
for the open pastures are green once again.
The trees will bear fruit;
the fig tree and the vine will yield a full harvest.
46 The Canticle of Mary.[a] And Mary said:
“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord
47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.
48 For he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant;
henceforth all generations will call me blessed.
49 The Mighty One has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
50 His mercy is shown from age to age
to those who fear him.
51 He has shown the strength of his arm,
he has routed those who are arrogant in the desires of their hearts.
52 He has brought down the mighty from their thrones
and lifted up the lowly.
53 He has filled the hungry with good things
and sent the rich away empty.
54 He has come to the aid of Israel his servant,
ever mindful of his merciful love,
55 according to the promises he made to our ancestors,
to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”
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