Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
An Experience of the Captivity.
137 By the (A)rivers of Babylon,
There we sat down and (B)wept,
When we remembered Zion.
2 Upon the [a](C)willows in the midst of it
We (D)hung our [b]harps.
3 For there our captors [c](E)demanded of us [d]songs,
And (F)our tormentors mirth, saying,
“Sing us one of the songs of Zion.”
4 How can we sing (G)the Lord’s song
In a foreign land?
5 If I (H)forget you, O Jerusalem,
May my right hand [e]forget her skill.
6 May my (I)tongue cling to the roof of my mouth
If I do not remember you,
If I do not [f](J)exalt Jerusalem
Above my chief joy.
7 Remember, O Lord, against the sons of (K)Edom
The day of Jerusalem,
Who said, “Raze it, raze it
(L)To its very foundation.”
8 O daughter of Babylon, you [g](M)devastated one,
How blessed will be the one who (N)repays you
With [h]the recompense with which you have repaid us.
9 How blessed will be the one who seizes and (O)dashes your little ones
Against the rock.
A Prayer for Mercy
5 Remember, O Lord, what has befallen us;
Look, and see our (A)reproach!
2 Our inheritance has been turned over to (B)strangers,
Our (C)houses to aliens.
3 We have become orphans (D)without a father,
Our mothers are like widows.
4 [a]We have to pay for our drinking (E)water,
Our wood comes to us at a price.
5 [b]Our pursuers are at our necks;
We are worn out, there is (F)no rest for us.
6 We have [c]submitted to (G)Egypt and Assyria [d]to get enough bread.
7 Our (H)fathers sinned, and are no more;
It is we who have borne their iniquities.
8 (I)Slaves rule over us;
There is (J)no one to deliver us from their hand.
9 We get our bread [e]at the (K)risk of our lives
[f]Because of the sword in the wilderness.
10 Our skin has become as (L)hot as an oven,
Because of [g]the burning heat of famine.
11 They ravished the (M)women in Zion,
The virgins in the cities of Judah.
12 Princes were hung by their hands;
[h](N)Elders were not respected.
13 Young men [i](O)worked at the grinding mill,
And youths (P)stumbled under loads of wood.
14 Elders [j]are gone from the gate,
Young men from their (Q)music.
15 The joy of our hearts has (R)ceased;
Our dancing has been turned into mourning.
16 The (S)crown has fallen from our head;
(T)Woe to us, for we have sinned!
17 Because of this our (U)heart is faint,
Because of these things our (V)eyes are dim;
18 Because of (W)Mount Zion which lies desolate,
(X)Foxes prowl in it.
19 (Y)You, O Lord, [k]rule forever;
Your (Z)throne is from generation to generation.
20 Why do You (AA)forget us forever?
Why do You forsake us [l]so long?
21 (AB)Restore us to You, O Lord, that we may be restored;
Renew (AC)our days as of old,
22 Unless (AD)You have utterly rejected us
And are exceedingly (AE)angry with us.
12 (A)On the next day, when they had left Bethany, He became hungry. 13 Seeing at a distance a fig tree in leaf, He went to see if perhaps He would find anything on it; and when He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. 14 He said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again!” And His disciples were listening.
20 (A)As they were passing by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots up. 21 Being reminded, Peter *said to Him, “(B)Rabbi, look, the fig tree which You cursed has withered.” 22 And Jesus *answered saying to them, “(C)Have faith in God. 23 (D)Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it will be granted him. 24 Therefore I say to you, (E)all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted you.
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