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.
The Woman Dreams
2 I sleep, but my ·heart [mind] ·is awake [was alert].
·I hear [L The sound of] my lover knocking.
“Open to me, my sister [4:9; C he desires physical intimacy], my darling,
my dove, my ·perfect [flawless] one.
My head is ·wet with [L full of] dew,
and my hair with the ·dampness [drizzle] of the night.”
3 I have taken off my ·garment [clothes]
·and don’t want to put it on [L should I get dressed…?] again.
I have washed my feet
·and don’t want to get [L should I get…?] them dirty again.
4 My lover put his hand through the ·opening [L hole],
and I felt ·excited inside [aroused; warmed].
5 I got up to open the door for my lover.
Myrrh was dripping from my hands
and liquid myrrh [4:14] was flowing from my fingers,
onto the handles of the lock.
6 I opened the door for my lover,
but my lover had left and was gone.
When he spoke, ·he took my breath away [L my spirit went out].
I ·looked for [sought] him, but I could not find him;
I called for him, but he did not answer.
7 The ·watchmen [guards; C an ancient equivalent to police; 3:3] found me
·as they patrolled [those who make their rounds in] the city.
They hit me and ·hurt [bruised] me;
the guards ·on the wall took away my veil [L lifted my garments from me].
8 ·Promise me [I adjure you], ·women [L daughters] of Jerusalem [1:5],
if you find my lover,
·tell him [L what should you say to him? That] I am weak with love.
The Friends Answer the Woman
9 How is your lover better than other lovers,
most beautiful of women?
How is your lover better than other lovers?
Why do you want us to promise this?
The Woman Answers the Friends
10 My lover is ·healthy [radiant] and ·tan [ruddy],
·the best of [distinguished among] ten thousand men.
11 His head is like ·the finest [pure] gold;
his hair is wavy and black like a raven.
12 His eyes are like doves [1:15]
by ·springs [streams] of water.
They seem to be bathed in ·cream [milk; C referring to the white of the eye]
·and are set like jewels [or sitting by pools].
13 His cheeks are like beds of spices [C his beard is perfumed];
·they smell like mounds of perfume [L growing aromatics].
His lips are like lilies
flowing with myrrh [4:14].
14 His ·hands [or arms] are like gold ·hinges [or bars],
·filled with jewels [L set with Tarshish stones; C a location in Spain; perhaps a black jet stone or golden topaz].
His ·body [or member] is like ·shiny ivory [or an ivory tusk]
·covered with sapphires [ornamented with lapis].
15 His legs are like large marble ·posts [pillars],
standing on ·bases [pedestals] of fine gold.
·He is like a cedar of [L His appearance is like] Lebanon,
·like the finest of the trees [L choice like the cedars].
16 His mouth is sweet [C to kiss],
and ·I desire him very much [he is totally desirable].
Yes, ·daughters [women] of Jerusalem [1:5],
this is my lover
and my ·friend [darling].
The Friends Speak to the Woman
6 Where has your lover gone,
most beautiful of women?
Which way did your lover turn?
We will ·look [search] for him with you.
The Woman Answers the Friends
19 A person might have to suffer even when it is ·unfair [unjust], but if ·through awareness of God [or because of his God-given conscience] he endures the ·pain [grief], ·God is pleased [or this is commendable; L this is favor/credit/grace]. 20 If you are beaten for ·doing wrong [sin], ·there is no reason to praise you [what credit/honor is that for you…?] for ·being patient in your punishment [enduring it]. But if you suffer for doing good, and you ·are patient [endure it], ·then God is pleased [this is commendable to God; L this is favor/credit/grace from God]. 21 [L For] This is what you were called to do, because Christ suffered for you ·and gave you [leaving you] an example to follow. So you should ·do as he did [L follow in his footsteps].
22 “He ·had never sinned [committed no sin],
and ·he had never lied [L no deceit was found in his mouth; Is. 53:9].”
23 People ·insulted [abused; reviled] Christ, but he did not ·insult [abuse; revile] them in return. Christ suffered, but he did not threaten. ·He let God, the One who judges rightly, take care of him [L He delivered/entrusted himself to the One who judges justly/rightly]. 24 Christ [L himself] ·carried [bore] our sins in his body on the ·cross [L tree; Deut. 21:23; Gal. 3:13] so we would ·stop living for [die to] sin and start living for ·what is right [righteousness]. And you are healed ·because of [by] his wounds. 25 [L For] You were like sheep that wandered away [Is. 53:6], but now you have come back to the Shepherd and ·Overseer [Guardian] of your souls.
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