Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

Psalm 117

¹ O praise the Lord, all you nations! Praise Him, all you people!^(A)

² For His mercy and loving-kindness are great toward us, and the truth and faithfulness of the Lord endure forever. Praise the Lord! (Hallelujah!)

31 At that time, says the Lord, will I be the God of all the families of Israel, and they will be My people.

² Thus says the Lord: The people who survived the sword found favor in the wilderness [place of exile]—when Israel sought to find rest.

³ The Lord appeared from of old to me [Israel], saying, Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore with loving-kindness have I drawn you and continued My faithfulness to you.^(A)

⁴ Again I will build you and you will be built, O Virgin Israel! You will again be adorned with your timbrels [small one-headed drums] and go forth in the dancing [chorus] of those who make merry.^(B)

⁵ Again you shall plant vineyards upon the mountains of Samaria; the planters shall plant and make the fruit common and enjoy it [undisturbed].

⁶ For there shall be a day when the watchmen on the hills of Ephraim shall cry out, Arise, and let us go up to Zion, to the Lord our God.

1 Since [^[a]as is well known] many have undertaken to put in order and draw up a [^[b]thorough] narrative of the surely established deeds which have been accomplished and fulfilled ^[c] in and among us,

² Exactly as they were handed down to us by those who from the [^[d]official] beginning [of Jesus’ ministry] were eyewitnesses and ministers of the Word [that is, of ^[e]the doctrine concerning the attainment through Christ of salvation in the kingdom of God],

³ It seemed good and desirable to me, [and so I have determined] also after ^[f]having searched out diligently and followed all things closely and traced accurately the course from the highest to the minutest detail from the very first, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus,^(A)

⁴ [My purpose is] that you may know the full truth and understand with certainty and security against error the accounts (histories) and doctrines of the faith of which you have been informed and in which you have been ^[g]orally instructed.