Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Psalm 56
A Call for God’s Protection
For the choir director: according to “A Silent Dove Far Away.”[a] A Davidic Miktam. When the Philistines seized him in Gath.(A)
1 Be gracious to me, God, for man tramples me;
he fights and oppresses me all day long.
2 My adversaries trample me all day,
for many arrogantly fight against me.[b](B)
3 When I am afraid,
I will trust in You.(C)
4 In God, whose word I praise,
in God I trust; I will not fear.
What can man do to me?(D)
5 They twist my words all day long;
all their thoughts against me are evil.(E)
6 They stir up strife,[c] they lurk;
they watch my steps
while they wait to take my life.(F)
7 Will they escape in spite of such sin?
God, bring down the nations in wrath.(G)
8 You Yourself have recorded my wanderings.[d]
Put my tears in Your bottle.
Are they not in Your records?(H)
9 Then my enemies will retreat on the day when I call.(I)
This I know: God is for me.(J)
10 In God, whose word I praise,
in the Lord, whose word I praise,
11 in God I trust; I will not fear.
What can man do to me?(K)
Two Visions
11 Then the word of the Lord came to me, asking, “What do you see, Jeremiah?”(A)
I replied, “I see a branch of an almond tree.”
12 The Lord said to me, “You have seen correctly, for I watch over My word to accomplish it.”(B) 13 Again the word of the Lord came to me inquiring, “What do you see?”
And I replied, “I see a boiling pot,(C) its lip tilted from the north to the south.”
14 Then the Lord said to me, “Disaster will be poured out[a] from the north(D) on all who live in the land. 15 Indeed, I am about to summon all the clans and kingdoms of the north.”(E)
This is the Lord’s declaration.
They will come, and each king will set up his throne
at the entrance to Jerusalem’s gates.
They will attack all her surrounding walls
and all the other cities of Judah.
16 “I will pronounce My judgments against them for all the evil they did when they abandoned Me to burn incense to other gods and to worship the works of their own hands.(F)
17 “Now, get ready. Stand up and tell them everything that I command you. Do not be intimidated by them(G) or I will cause you to cower before them. 18 Today, I am the One who has made you a fortified city,(H) an iron pillar, and bronze walls(I) against the whole land—against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests, and the population. 19 They will fight against you but never prevail over you,(J) since I am with you to rescue you.”(K)
This is the Lord’s declaration.
Jesus’ Love for Jerusalem
41 As He approached and saw the city, He wept(A) over it, 42 saying, “If you knew(B) this day what would bring peace—but now it is hidden(C) from your eyes. 43 For the days will come on you(D) when your enemies will build an embankment against you, surround you, and hem you in on every side.(E) 44 They will crush you and your children within you to the ground,(F) and they will not leave one stone on another(G) in you, because you did not recognize the time of your visitation.”(H)
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