Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Taste and See
Psalm 34
1 Of David, when he feigned insanity before Abimelech, who drove him away, and he left.
2 I will bless Adonai at all times.
His praise is continually in my mouth.
3 My soul boasts in Adonai.
The humble ones hear of it and rejoice.
4 Magnify Adonai with me
and let us exalt His Name together.
5 I sought Adonai, and He answered me,
and delivered me from all my fears.
6 They who looked to Him were radiant,
and their faces will never be ashamed.
7 This poor man cried, and Adonai heard,
and saved him out of all his troubles.
8 The angel of Adonai encamps around those who fear Him,
and delivers them.
19 Adonai is close to the brokenhearted,
and saves those crushed in spirit.
20 Many are the distresses of the righteous,
but Adonai delivers him out of them all.
21 He keeps all his bones—
not one of them is broken.[a]
22 Evil kills the wicked—
those who hate the righteous will be held guilty.
Nehemiah Intercedes for Jerusalem
1 The words of Nehemiah son of Hacaliah:
Now it happened that in the month of Kislev in the twentieth year, while I was in Shushan the capitol, 2 that Hanani, one of my brothers, together with some men from Judah, arrived and I asked them about the Judeans, the remnant who had survived the captivity, and about Jerusalem.
3 They said to me, “The remnant who have survived the captivity there in the province are in great distress and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down and its gates have been burned with fire.”
4 Upon hearing these words I sat down and wept and mourned for days. I prayed and fasted before the God of heaven. 5 Then I said:
“Adonai, God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps the covenant and lovingkindness with those who love Him and keep His mitzvot, 6 please let Your ear be attentive and Your eyes open to hear the prayer of Your servant that I am praying before You today both day and night on behalf of Your servants, the Bnei-Yisrael. I am confessing the sins of Bnei-Yisrael that we have sinned against You—yes, I and my ancestral house have sinned. 7 We have acted very corruptly against You. We have not kept the mitzvot, the statutes, nor the rulings that You commanded Your servant Moses.
8 “Please recall the word that You commanded Your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you act unfaithfully, I will scatter you among the peoples, 9 but if you return to Me and obey My mitzvot, and do them, then even if your dispersed people are at the ends of the heavens, I will gather them from there, and bring them back to the place where I have chosen for My Name to dwell.’
10 “They are Your servants and Your people whom You redeemed by Your great strength and by Your mighty hand. 11 Please, my Lord, let Your ear be attentive to the prayer of Your servant and to the prayer of Your servants who delight in revering Your Name. Give Your servant success today and grant compassion in the presence of this man.”
Now I was cupbearer to the king.
Yeshua, Our Kohen Gadol Forever
11 Now if perfection was through the Levitical priesthood (for based on it the people had been given the Torah[a]), what further need was there for a different kohen to arise—designated according to the order of Melchizedek, not according to the order of Aaron? 12 For whenever the priesthood is altered, out of necessity an alteration[b] of law also takes place. 13 For the one about whom these things are said belongs to another tribe, from which no one has officiated at the altar. 14 For it is clear that our Lord has sprung forth[c] from Judah—concerning this tribe, Moses said nothing about kohanim. 15 And it is even more evident, if another kohen arises like Melchizedek— 16 one made not by virtue of a Torah requirement of physical descent,[d] but by virtue of the power of an indestructible life. 17 For it is testified,
“You are a kohen forever,
according to the order of Melchizedek.”[e]
18 For on the one hand, a former requirement is set aside because of its weakness and ineffectiveness— 19 for Torah made nothing perfect. But on the other hand, a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God.
20 Moreover, it was not without a sworn oath. (Others indeed have become kohanim without a sworn oath, 21 but He with an oath—sworn by the One who said to Him, “Adonai has sworn and will not change His mind, ‘You are a kohen forever.’”[f]) 22 How much more then has Yeshua become the guarantee of a better covenant.
Tree of Life (TLV) Translation of the Bible. Copyright © 2015 by The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society.