Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
9 God, I will sing a new song [C celebrating victory; 33:3; 40:3; 96:1; 98:1; 149:1; Is. 42:10; Rev. 5:9; 14:3] to you;
I will ·play [make a psalm] to you on the ten-stringed harp.
10 You give ·victory [salvation] to kings.
You ·save [set free] your servant David from ·cruel [evil] swords.
11 ·Save me [Set me free], ·rescue [protect] me from ·these [L the hand/power of the] foreigners.
·They are liars [L Their mouths speak vanities/falsehood]; ·they are dishonest [L their right hand is a false right hand].
12 Let our sons in their youth
·grow like plants [or be like full-grown plants; C robust and vital; 128:3].
Let our daughters be
like the ·decorated [cut] ·stones [or pillars] in the ·Temple [or palace; C stately and beautiful].
13 Let our barns be filled
with crops of all kinds.
Let our sheep in the fields have
thousands and tens of thousands of lambs.
14 Let our cattle be ·strong [well fed; or heavy with young].
Let ·no one break in [L there be no breach; or no miscarriage; C in the city walls].
Let there be no ·war [L going out; C in war or exile, or perhaps referring to premature birth],
no screams in our ·streets [public areas].
15 ·Happy [Blessed] are ·those [L the people] who are like this;
·happy [blessed] are the people whose God is the Lord.
6 ·Who [or What] is this coming out of the ·desert [wilderness]
like a ·cloud [pillar] of smoke?
·Who is this that smells like [L …perfumed with] myrrh, ·incense [frankincense],
and ·other spices [L from all the scented powders of the trader]?
7 Look, it’s Solomon’s ·couch [palanquin; litter; C a bed carried by servants]
with sixty soldiers around it,
the ·finest soldiers [heroes; mighty men] of Israel.
8 These soldiers all carry swords
and have been trained in war.
Every man wears a sword at his ·side [thigh]
and is ready for the dangers of the night.
9 King Solomon had a ·couch [litter; v. 7] made for himself
of wood from Lebanon.
10 He made its posts of silver
and its ·braces [canopy] of gold.
The seat was covered with purple [C the color of royalty] cloth
that the ·women [L daughters] of Jerusalem [1:5] ·wove [inlaid its interior] with love.
11 ·Women [L Daughters] of ·Jerusalem [L Zion; 1:5], go out and see King Solomon.
He is wearing the crown his mother put on his head
on his wedding day,
when his heart was happy!
Be a Good Servant of Christ
6 By ·telling [pointing out] these things to the brothers and sisters, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus. You will be ·made strong [nourished; nurtured] by the words of the faith and the good teaching which you have been following. 7 But ·do not follow [reject] ·foolish stories that disagree with God’s truth [T godless myths and old wives tales], but train yourself ·to serve God [for godliness/piety]. 8 [L For] ·Training your body [Physical exercise] helps you in ·some [or small] ways, but ·serving God [godliness] helps you in every way ·by bringing you blessings [L since it holds promise] in this life and in the future life, too. 9 What I say is true [or This saying/word is trustworthy; 1:15; 3:1; 2 Tim. 2:11; Titus 3:8], and ·you should fully accept it [L worthy of full acceptance]. 10 This is why we work and struggle,[a] because we have put our hope in the living God who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe.
11 Command and teach these things. 12 Do not let anyone ·treat you as if you are unimportant [despise/disregard/look down on you] because you are young. Instead, be an example to the believers with your words, your ·actions [conduct; behavior], your love, your ·faith [faithfulness], and your ·pure life [purity]. 13 Until I come, ·continue to read the Scriptures to the people [attend/devote yourself to the public reading (of Scripture)], ·strengthen [encourage; exhort] them, and teach them. 14 ·Use [L Do not neglect] the ·gift from the Spirit [spiritual gift; L gift] ·you have [that is in you], which was given to you through prophecy when the group of elders laid their hands on you [C a way of dedicating someone to Christian service; 1:18; 5:22]. 15 ·Continue [Take care; Be diligent] to do those things; give your life to doing them so your progress may be seen by everyone. 16 Be ·careful [conscientious] ·in your life [L about yourself] and in your teaching. If you ·continue to live and teach rightly [L persevere in these things], you will save both yourself and those who listen to you.
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