Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
A Hymn of Thanksgiving
For the director of music. A psalm of David. A song.
65 God, ·you will be praised in Jerusalem [L praise is due/proper/ fitting to you in Zion; C the location of the Temple].
We will ·keep our promises [fulfill our vows] to you.
2 You ·hear [or answer] our prayers.
All ·people [L flesh] will come to you.
3 Our guilt ·overwhelms [overpowers] us,
but you ·forgive [wipe/blot out; make atonement for] our ·sins [transgressions].
4 ·Happy [Blessed] are the people you choose
and ·invite [L bring near] to stay in your court.
We are ·filled [satisfied] with good things in your house,
your holy Temple.
5 You answer us in amazing ways with ·vindication [victory; righteousness],
God our ·Savior [Victor].
People ·everywhere on [L of all the ends of] the earth
and ·beyond the sea [L the farthest seas] ·trust [have confidence in] you.
6 You ·made [established] the mountains by your strength;
you are ·dressed [girded; armed] in power.
7 You ·stopped [silence; calm] the roaring seas,
the roaring waves [C representing chaos],
and the ·uproar [tumult] of the ·nations [peoples].
8 Even those people at the ends of the earth fear your ·miracles [signs].
You are praised from ·where the sun rises [the east; L the gateways of the morning] to ·where it sets [the west; L evening].
9 You ·take care of [visit] the land and water it;
you make it very ·fertile [rich].
The ·rivers [channels] of God are full of water.
Grain grows because you make it grow.
10 You send rain to the plowed fields;
you ·fill the rows with water [level its ridges].
You soften the ground with rain,
and then you bless ·it with crops [its growth].
11 You ·give [L crown] the year ·a good harvest [L with your goodness/bounty],
and ·you load the wagons with many crops [L your wagon tracks/ruts drip with plenty].
12 The ·desert [wilderness] ·is covered [drips] with ·grass [pasturage]
and the hills with happiness.
13 The ·pastures [meadows] are ·full of [L clothed with] flocks,
and the valleys are ·covered [wrapped] with grain.
Everything shouts and sings for joy.
Change Your Hearts
12 The Lord says, “Even now, come back to me with all your heart.
Fast, ·cry [weep], and ·be sad [mourn].”
13 ·Tearing your clothes is not enough to show you are sad;
let your heart be broken [L Tear/Rend your hearts and not your garments; C true repentance, not just a show of grief].
Come back to the Lord your God,
because he is ·kind [gracious; merciful] and ·shows mercy [compassionate].
·He doesn’t become angry quickly […slow to anger],
and he has great ·love [loyalty; mercy; lovingkindness].
He ·can change his mind about [relents from] doing harm.
14 Who knows? Maybe he will ·turn back to you [grant a reprieve; L turn and relent]
and leave behind a blessing for you.
·Grain [L Gift; Tribute; Lev. 2:1] and drink offerings ·belong to [or for] the Lord your God.
15 Blow the trumpet in ·Jerusalem [L Zion; 2:1];
·call for [declare; appoint; consecrate] a ·day when everyone fasts [fast; 1:14].
·Tell everyone to stop work [L Call a sacred assembly]!
16 ·Bring the people together [Assemble/Gather the people]
and ·make the meeting holy for the Lord [consecrate/sanctify the congregation/assembly].
Bring together the elders,
as well as the children,
and even babies that still feed at their mothers’ breasts.
·The bridegroom should [L Let the bridegroom] come from his room [C indicating urgency; newly married men were exempt from military service; Deut. 20:7; 24:5],
the bride from her ·bedroom [chamber].
17 ·The [L Let the] priests, ·the Lord’s servants [who minister before the Lord], should ·cry [weep]
between the altar and the ·entrance to the Temple [portico; vestibule].
·They should [L Let them] say, “Lord, ·have mercy on [spare] your people.
Don’t let ·them [L your inheritance/possession] be ·put to shame [mocked; a reproach];
don’t let other nations make ·fun of them [them a byword].
·Don’t let [L Why should the] people in other nations ask,
‘Where is their God?’”
The Lord Restores the Land
18 Then the Lord became ·concerned about [jealous/zealous for] his land
and ·felt sorry [had compassion] for his people.
19 He ·said to [answered] them:
“[L Look; T Behold] I will send you grain, new wine, and olive oil,
so that you will ·have plenty [be satisfied].
No more will I ·shame you [make you a reproach/object of scorn]
among the nations.
20 I will ·force the army from the north to leave your land [L drive the northern one far from you]
and go into a dry, ·empty [desolate] land.
·Their soldiers [L Those] in front will be forced into the ·Dead [L Eastern] Sea,
and those in the rear into the ·Mediterranean [L Western] Sea.
·Their bodies will rot and stink [His stench and foul smell will rise].
The Lord has surely done ·a wonderful thing [great things]!”
21 Land, don’t be afraid;
be ·happy [glad] and ·full of joy [rejoice],
because the Lord has done ·a wonderful thing [great things].
22 ·Wild animals [L Beasts of the field], don’t be afraid,
because the ·open [wilderness] pastures ·have grown grass [L are sprouting green].
The trees ·have given [bear] fruit;
the fig trees and the grapevines ·have grown much fruit [provide riches].
Mary Praises God
46 Then Mary said,
“My soul ·praises [exalts; glorifies; magnifies] the Lord [1 Sam. 2:1–10];
47 my ·heart [spirit] rejoices in God my Savior [Ps. 35:9],
48 because he has ·shown his concern for [noticed; looked favorably on] his ·humble [lowly] servant girl [1 Sam. 1:11].
[L For look/T behold] From now on, all ·people [L generations] will ·say that I am [call me] blessed [Ps. 138:6],
49 because the ·Powerful [Mighty] One has done great things for me.
His name is holy.
50 ·God will show his mercy [L His mercy is/continues] ·forever and ever [L to generations and generations]
to those who ·worship and serve [L fear; reverence] him [Ps. 103:17].
51 He has done mighty deeds ·by his power [L with his arm; C a metaphor for strength].
He has scattered the people who are proud
·and think great things about themselves [or in the schemes they devise; L in the thoughts/intentions of their hearts].
52 He has brought down ·rulers [the powerful] from their thrones
and ·raised up [exalted] the ·humble [lowly].
53 He has filled the hungry with good things [Ps. 107:9]
and sent the rich away ·with nothing [empty-handed].
54 He has helped his servant, the people of Israel,
·remembering to show them [mindful of his] mercy
55 as he promised to our ancestors,
to Abraham and to his ·children [descendants; L seed] forever [Gen. 17:7, 19].”
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.