◀ All Reading Plans / Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous) / Psalm 115 (God’s blessings on the chosen ones); Exodus 28:29-38 (Aaron prays for the people); Philippians 1:3-11 (Paul prays for the church at Philippi) (New English Translation)

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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 115

Psalm 115^[a]

115 Not to us, O Lord, not to us,
but to your name bring honor,^[b]
for the sake of your loyal love and faithfulness.^[c]
²Why should the nations say,
“Where is their God?”
³Our God is in heaven.
He does whatever he pleases.^[d]
⁴Their^[e] idols are made of silver and gold—
they are man-made.^[f]
⁵They have mouths, but cannot speak,
eyes, but cannot see,
⁶ears, but cannot hear,
noses, but cannot smell,
⁷hands, but cannot touch,
feet, but cannot walk.
They cannot even clear their throats.^[g]
⁸Those who make them will end up^[h] like them,
as will everyone who trusts in them.
⁹O Israel, trust in the Lord.
He is their deliverer^[i] and protector.^[j]
¹⁰O family^[k] of Aaron, trust in the Lord.
He is their deliverer^[l] and protector.^[m]
¹¹You loyal followers of the Lord,^[n] trust in the Lord.
He is their deliverer^[o] and protector.^[p]
¹²The Lord takes notice of us;^[q] he will bless^[r]—
he will bless the family^[s] of Israel,
he will bless the family of Aaron.
¹³He will bless his loyal followers,^[t]
both young and old.^[u]
¹⁴May he increase your numbers,
yours and your children’s.^[v]
¹⁵May you be blessed by the Lord,
the Creator^[w] of heaven and earth.
¹⁶The heavens belong to the Lord,^[x]
but the earth he has given to mankind.^[y]
¹⁷The dead do not praise the Lord,
nor do any of those who descend into the silence of death.^[z]
¹⁸But we will praise the Lord
now and forevermore.
Praise the Lord!

Footnotes

Psalm 115:1 sn Psalm 115. The psalmist affirms that Israel’s God is superior to pagan idols and urges Israel to place their confidence in him.
Psalm 115:1 tn Or “give glory.”
Psalm 115:1 sn The psalmist asks the Lord to demonstrate his loyal love and faithfulness, not simply so Israel may benefit, but primarily so that the Lord will receive honor among the nations, who will recognize, contrary to their present view (see v. 2), that Israel’s God is committed to his people.
Psalm 115:3 sn He does whatever he pleases. Such sovereignty is characteristic of kings (see Eccl 8:3).
Psalm 115:4 tn The referent of the pronominal suffix is “the nations” (v. 2).
Psalm 115:4 tn Heb “the work of the hands of man.”
Psalm 115:7 tn Heb “they cannot mutter in their throats.” Verse 5a refers to speaking, v. 7c to inarticulate sounds made in the throat (see M. Dahood, Psalms [AB], 3:140-41).
Psalm 115:8 tn Heb “will be.” Another option is to take the prefixed verbal form as a prayer, “may those who make them end up like them.” sn Because the idols are lifeless, they cannot help their worshipers in times of crisis. Consequently the worshipers end up as dead as the gods in which they trust.
Psalm 115:9 tn Or “[source of] help.”
Psalm 115:9 tn Heb “and their shield.”
Psalm 115:10 tn Heb “house.”
Psalm 115:10 tn Or “[source of] help.”
Psalm 115:10 tn Heb “and their shield.”
Psalm 115:11 tn Heb “[you] fearers of the Lord.” See Ps 15:4.
Psalm 115:11 tn Or “[source of] help.”
Psalm 115:11 tn Heb “and their shield.”
Psalm 115:12 tn Or “remembers us.”
Psalm 115:12 tn Another option is to translate the prefixed form of the verb “bless” in vv. 12-13 as a jussive, “may he bless” (see v. 14).
Psalm 115:12 tn Heb “house.”
Psalm 115:13 tn Heb “the fearers of the Lord.”
Psalm 115:13 tn Heb “the small along with the great.” The translation assumes that “small” and “great” here refer to age (see 2 Chr 15:13). Another option is to translate “both the insignificant and the prominent” (see Job 3:19; cf. NEB “high and low alike”).
Psalm 115:14 tn Heb “may he add to you, to you and your sons.” The prefixed verbal form is jussive, indicating this is a prayer.
Psalm 115:15 tn Or “maker.”
Psalm 115:16 tn Heb “the heavens [are] heavens to the Lord.”
Psalm 115:16 tn Heb “to the sons of man.”
Psalm 115:17 tn Heb “silence,” a metonymy here for death (see Ps 94:17).

Exodus 28:29-38

²⁹Aaron will bear the names of the sons of Israel in the breastpiece of decision over his heart^[a] when he goes into the Holy Place, for a memorial before the Lord continually.

³⁰“You are to put the Urim and the Thummim^[b] into the breastpiece of decision; and they are to be over Aaron’s heart when he goes in before the Lord. Aaron is to bear the decisions^[c] of the Israelites over his heart before the Lord continually.

³¹“You are to make the robe^[d] of the ephod completely blue. ³²There is to be an opening^[e] in its top^[f] in the center of it, with an edge all around the opening, the work of a weaver,^[g] like the opening of a collar,^[h] so that it cannot be torn.^[i] ³³You are to make pomegranates^[j] of blue, purple, and scarlet all around its hem^[k] and bells of gold between them all around. ³⁴The pattern is to be^[l] a gold bell and a pomegranate, a gold bell and a pomegranate, all around the hem of the robe. ³⁵The robe^[m] is to be on Aaron as he ministers,^[n] and his sound will be heard^[o] when he enters the Holy Place before the Lord and when he leaves, so that he does not die.

³⁶“You are to make a plate^[p] of pure gold and engrave on it the way a seal is engraved:^[q] ‘Holiness to the Lord.’^[r] ³⁷You are to attach to it a blue cord so that it will be^[s] on the turban; it is to be^[t] on the front of the turban. ³⁸It will be on Aaron’s forehead, and Aaron will bear the iniquity of the holy things,^[u] which the Israelites are to sanctify by all their holy gifts;^[v] it will always be on his forehead, for their acceptance^[w] before the Lord.

Footnotes

Exodus 28:29 sn So Aaron will have the names of the tribes on his shoulders (v. 12) which bear the weight and symbol of office (see Isa 9:6; 22:22), and over his heart (implying that they have a constant place in his thoughts [Deut 6:6]). Thus he was to enter the presence of God as the nation’s representative, ever mindful of the nation’s interests, and ever bringing the remembrance of it before God (S. R. Driver, Exodus, 306).
Exodus 28:30 sn The Urim and the Thummim were two objects intended for determining the divine will. There is no clear evidence of their size or shape or the material of which they were made, but they seem to have been familiar items to Moses and the people. The best example of their use comes from 1 Sam 14:36-42. Some have suggested from the etymologies that they were light and dark objects respectively, perhaps stones or sticks or some other object. They seem to have fallen out of use after the Davidic period when the prophetic oracles became popular. It may be that the title “breastpiece of judgment” indicates that these objects were used for making “decisions” (J. P. Hyatt, Exodus [NCBC], 283-84). U. Cassuto has the most thorough treatment of the subject (Exodus, 378-82); he lists several very clear rules for their uses gathered from their instances in the Bible, including that they were a form of sacred lot, that priests or leaders of the people only could use them, and that they were used for discovering the divine will in areas that were beyond human knowledge.
Exodus 28:30 tn Or “judgment” (KJV, ASV, NASB, NRSV). The term is מִשְׁפָּט (mishpat), the same word that describes the breastpiece that held the two objects. Here it is translated “decisions” since the Urim and Thummim contained in the breastpiece represented the means by which the Lord made decisions for the Israelites. The high priest bore the responsibility of discerning the divine will on matters of national importance.
Exodus 28:31 tn The מְעִיל (m^eʿil), according to S. R. Driver (Exodus, 307), is a long robe worn over the ephod, perhaps open down the front, with sleeves. It is made of finer material than ordinary cloaks because it was to be worn by people in positions of rank.
Exodus 28:32 tn Heb “mouth” or “opening” (פִּי, pi; in construct).
Exodus 28:32 tn The “mouth of its head” probably means its neck; it may be rendered “the opening for the head,” except the pronominal suffix would have to refer to Aaron, and that is not immediately within the context.
Exodus 28:32 tn Or “woven work” (KJV, ASV, NASB), that is, “the work of a weaver.” The expression suggests that the weaving was from the fabric edges itself and not something woven and then added to the robe. It was obviously intended to keep the opening from fraying.
Exodus 28:32 tn The expression כְּפִי תַחְרָא (k^efi takhraʾ) is difficult. It was early rendered “like the opening of a coat of mail.” It occurs only here and in the parallel 39:23. Tg. Onq. has “coat of mail.” S. R. Driver suggests “a linen corselet,” after the Greek (Exodus, 308). See J. Cohen, “A Samaritan Authentication of the Rabbinic Interpretation of kephi tahraʾ,” VT 24 (1974): 361-66.
Exodus 28:32 tn The verb is the Niphal imperfect, here given the nuance of potential imperfect. Here it serves in a final clause (purpose/result), introduced only by the negative (see GKC 503-4 §165.a).
Exodus 28:33 sn This must mean round balls of yarn that looked like pomegranates. The fruit was very common in the land, but there is no indication of the reason for its choice here. Pomegranates are found in decorative schemes in Ugarit, probably as signs of fertility. It may be that here they represent the blessing of God on Israel in the land. The bells that are between them possibly have the intent of drawing God’s attention as the priest moves and the bells jingle (anthropomorphic, to be sure), or that the people would know that the priest was still alive and moving inside. Some have suggested that the pomegranate may have recalled the forbidden fruit eaten in the garden (the gems already have referred to the garden), the reason for the priest entering for atonement, and the bells would divert the eye (of God) to remind him of the need. This is possible but far from supportable, since nothing is said of the reason, nor is the fruit in the garden identified.
Exodus 28:33 tn The text repeats the idea: “you will make for its hem…all around its hem.”
Exodus 28:34 tn The words “the pattern is to be” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied in the translation for clarity and for stylistic reasons.
Exodus 28:35 tn Heb “it”; the referent (the robe) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
Exodus 28:35 tn The form is a Piel infinitive construct with the preposition ל (lamed): “to minister” or “to serve.” It may be taken epexegetically here, “while serving,” although S. R. Driver takes it as a purpose, “in order that he may minister” (Exodus, 308). The point then would be that he dare not enter into the Holy Place without wearing it.
Exodus 28:35 sn God would hear the bells and be reminded that this priest was in his presence representing the nation and that the priest had followed the rules of the sanctuary by wearing the appropriate robes with their attachments.
Exodus 28:36 tn The word צִּיץ (tsits) seems to mean “a shining thing” and so here a plate of metal. It originally meant “flower,” but they could not write on a flower. So it must have the sense of something worn openly, visible, and shining. The Rabbinic tradition says it was two fingers wide and stretched from ear to ear, but this is an attempt to give details that the Law does not give (see B. Jacob, Exodus, 818).
Exodus 28:36 tn Heb “the engravings of a seal”; this phrase is an adverbial accusative of manner.
Exodus 28:36 sn The engraving was a perpetual reminder of the holiness that was due the Lord (Heb “Yahweh”), that all the clothing, the furnishings, and the activities were to come under that description. This corresponded to the symbolism for the whole nation of binding the law between the eyes. It was to be a perpetual reminder of commitment.
Exodus 28:37 tn The verb is the perfect tense with the vav (ו) consecutive; it follows the same at the beginning of the verse. Since the first verb is equal to the imperfect of instruction, this could be as well, but it is more likely to be subordinated to express the purpose of the former.
Exodus 28:37 tn Heb “it will be,” an instruction imperfect.
Exodus 28:38 tn The construction “the iniquity of the holy things” is difficult. “Holy things” is explained in the passage by all the gifts the people bring and consecrate to Yahweh. But there will inevitably be iniquity involved. U. Cassuto explains that Aaron “will atone for all the transgressions committed in connection with the order of the service, the purity of the consecrated things, or the use of the holy gifts, for the declaration engraved on the plate will prove that everything was intended to be holy to the Lord, and if aught was done irregularly, the intention at least was good” (Exodus, 385).
Exodus 28:38 tn The clause reads: “according to/by all the gifts of their holiness.” The genitive is an attributive genitive, the suffix on it referring to the whole bound construction—“their holy gifts.” The idea of the line is that the people will consecrate as holy things gifts they bring to the sanctuary.
Exodus 28:38 tn This clause is the infinitive construct with the preposition ל (lamed), followed by the prepositional phrase: “for acceptance for them.” This infinitive provides the purpose or result of the act of wearing the dedicatory frontlet—that they will be acceptable.

Philippians 1:3-11

Prayer for the Church

³I thank my God every time I remember you.^[a] ⁴I always pray with joy in my every prayer for all of you ⁵because of your participation^[b] in the gospel from the first day until now.^[c] ⁶For I am sure of this very thing,^[d] that the one^[e] who began a good work in^[f] you will perfect it^[g] until the day of Christ Jesus. ⁷For^[h] it is right for me to think this about all of you, because I have you in my heart,^[i] since both in my imprisonment^[j] and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel all of you became partners in God’s grace^[k] together with me. ⁸For God is my witness that I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus. ⁹And I pray this, that your love may abound even more and more in knowledge and every kind of insight ¹⁰so that you can decide what is best, and thus be sincere and blameless for the day of Christ, ¹¹filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God.

Footnotes

Philippians 1:3 tn This could also be translated “for your every remembrance of me.” See discussion below.
Philippians 1:5 sn Your participation (Grk “fellowship”) could refer to Paul rejoicing because of the Philippian converts’ “fellowship” in the gospel along with him, but it is more likely that this refers to their active “participation” with him in the gospel by means of the financial support they sent to Paul on more than one occasion, discussed later in this letter (4:10-19, esp. 4:15-16).
Philippians 1:5 tn Several alternatives for translating vv. 3-5 are possible: (1) “I thank my God every time I remember you, yes, always in my every prayer for all of you. I pray with joy because of your participation…” (see NAB; also M. Silva, Philippians [BECNT], 43-44; G. D. Fee, Philippians [NICNT], 76-80); (2) “I thank my God because of your every remembrance of me. Always in my every prayer for all of you I pray with joy. [I am grateful] for your participation…” (see Moffatt; also P. T. O’Brien, Philippians [NIGTC], 58-61). Option (1) is quite similar to the translation above, but sees v. 4a as more or less parenthetical. Option (2) is significantly different in that Paul thanks God because the Philippians remember him rather than when he remembers them.
Philippians 1:6 tn Grk “since I am sure of this very thing.” The verse begins with an adverbial participle that is dependent on the main verb in v. 3 (“I thank”). Paul here gives one reason for his thankfulness.
Philippians 1:6 tn The referent is clearly God from the overall context of the paragraph and the mention of “the day of Christ Jesus” at the end, which would be redundant if Christ were referred to here.
Philippians 1:6 tn Or “among.”
Philippians 1:6 tn The word “it” is not in the Greek text but has been supplied. Direct objects were frequently omitted in Greek when clear from the context.
Philippians 1:7 tn Grk “Just as.” The sense here is probably, “So I give thanks (v. 3) just as it is right for me…”
Philippians 1:7 tn Or possibly “because you have me in your heart.”
Philippians 1:7 tn Grk “in my bonds.” The meaning “imprisonment” derives from a figurative extension of the literal meaning (“bonds,” “fetters,” “chains”), L&N 37.115.
Philippians 1:7 tn The word “God’s” is supplied from the context (v. 2) to clarify the meaning.

New English Translation (NET)

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Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

Psalm 115[a]

Footnotes

Footnotes

Prayer for the Church

Footnotes

Psalm 115^[a]