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April 16, 2021

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Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

Daily Bible readings that follow the church liturgical year, with thematically matched Old and New Testament readings.

Duration: 1245 days

Psalm 4

Psalm 4^[a]

For the music director, to be accompanied by stringed instruments; a psalm of David.

4 When I call out, answer me,
O God who vindicates me.^[b]
Though I am hemmed in, you will lead me into a wide, open place.^[c]
Have mercy on me^[d] and respond to^[e] my prayer.
²You men,^[f] how long will you try to turn my honor into shame?^[g]
How long^[h] will you love what is worthless^[i]
and search for what is deceptive?^[j] (Selah)
³Realize that^[k] the Lord shows the godly special favor;^[l]
the Lord responds^[m] when I cry out to him.
⁴Tremble with fear and do not sin.^[n]
Meditate as you lie in bed, and repent of your ways.^[o] (Selah)
⁵Offer the prescribed sacrifices^[p]
and trust in the Lord.^[q]
⁶Many say, “Who can show us anything good?”
Smile upon us, Lord!^[r]
⁷You make me happier^[s]
than those who have abundant grain and wine.^[t]
⁸I will lie down and sleep peacefully,^[u]
for you, Lord, make me safe and secure.^[v]

Footnotes

Psalm 4:1 sn Psalm 4. The psalmist asks God to hear his prayer, expresses his confidence that the Lord will intervene, and urges his enemies to change their ways and place their trust in God. He concludes with another prayer for divine intervention and again affirms his absolute confidence in God’s protection.
Psalm 4:1 tn Heb “God of my righteousness.”
Psalm 4:1 tn Heb “in distress (or “a narrow place”) you make (a place) large for me.” The function of the Hebrew perfect verbal form here is uncertain. The translation above assumes that the psalmist is expressing his certitude and confidence that God will intervene. The psalmist is so confident of God’s positive response to his prayer, he can describe God’s deliverance as if it had already happened. Such confidence is consistent with the mood of the psalm (vv. 3, 8). Another option is to take the perfects as precative, expressing a wish or request (“lead me”). See IBHS 494-95 §30.5.4c, d. However, not all grammarians are convinced that the perfect is used as a precative in biblical Hebrew.
Psalm 4:1 tn Or “show me favor.”
Psalm 4:1 tn Heb “hear.”
Psalm 4:2 tn Heb “sons of man.”
Psalm 4:2 tn Heb “how long my honor to shame?”
Psalm 4:2 tn The interrogative construction עַד־מֶה (ʿad meh, “how long?”), is understood by ellipsis in the second line.
Psalm 4:2 tn Heb “emptiness.”
Psalm 4:2 tn Heb “a lie.” Some see the metonymic language of v. 2b (“emptiness, lie”) as referring to idols or false gods. However, there is no solid immediate contextual evidence for such an interpretation. It is more likely that the psalmist addresses those who threaten him (see v. 1) and refers in a general way to their sinful lifestyle. (See R. Mosis, TDOT 7:121.) The two terms allude to the fact that sinful behavior is ultimately fruitless and self-destructive.
Psalm 4:3 tn Heb “and know that.”
Psalm 4:3 tn Heb “that the Lord sets apart a faithful one for himself.” The psalmist states a general principle, though the singular form and the parallel line indicate he has himself in mind as the representative godly person. A חָסִיד (khasid; here translated as “the godly”) is one who does what is right in God’s eyes and remains faithful to God (see Pss 12:1; 18:25; 31:23; 37:28; 86:2; 97:10).
Psalm 4:3 tn Heb “hears.”
Psalm 4:4 sn The psalmist warns his enemies that they need to tremble with fear before God and repudiate their sinful ways.
Psalm 4:4 tn Heb “say in your heart(s) on your bed(s) and wail/lament.” The verb דֹמּוּ (dommu) is understood as a form of דָמָם (“wail, lament”) in sorrow and repentance. Another option is to take the verb from II דָמָם (damam, “be quiet”); cf. NIV, NRSV “be silent.”
Psalm 4:5 tn Or “proper, right.” The phrase also occurs in Deut 33:19 and Ps 51:19.
Psalm 4:5 sn Trust in the Lord. The psalmist urges his enemies to make peace with God and become his followers.
Psalm 4:6 tn Heb “lift up upon us the light of your face, Lord.” The verb נסה is apparently an alternate form of נשׂא, “lift up.” See GKC 217 §76.b. The idiom “light of your face” probably refers to a smile (see Eccl 8:1), which in turn suggests favor and blessing (see Num 6:25; Pss 31:16; 44:3; 67:1; 80:3, 7, 19; 89:15; Dan 9:17).sn Smile upon us. Though many are discouraged, the psalmist asks the Lord to intervene and transform the situation.
Psalm 4:7 tn Heb “you place joy in my heart.” Another option is to understand the perfect verbal form as indicating certitude, “you will make me happier.”
Psalm 4:7 tn Heb “from (i.e., more than) the time (when) their grain and their wine are abundant.”
Psalm 4:8 tn Heb “in peace at the same time I will lie down and sleep.”
Psalm 4:8 tn Heb “for you, Lord, solitarily, securely make me dwell.” The translation understands לְבָדָד (l^evadad) as modifying the verb; the Lord keeps enemies away from the psalmist so that he is safe and secure. Another option is to take לְבָדָד with what precedes and translate, “you alone, Lord, make me secure.”

Daniel 10:2-19

²In those days I, Daniel, was mourning for three whole weeks.^[a] ³I ate no choice food, no meat or wine came to my lips,^[b] nor did I anoint myself with oil^[c] until the end of those three weeks.

⁴On the twenty-fourth day of the first month^[d] I was beside the great river, the Tigris.^[e] ⁵I looked up^[f] and saw a^[g] man^[h] clothed in linen;^[i] around his waist was a belt made of gold from Ufaz.^[j] ⁶His body resembled yellow jasper,^[k] and his face had an appearance like lightning. His eyes were like blazing torches;^[l] his arms and feet had the gleam of polished bronze. His voice^[m] thundered forth like the sound of a large crowd.

⁷Only I, Daniel, saw the vision; the men who were with me did not see it.^[n] On the contrary, they were overcome with fright^[o] and ran away to hide. ⁸I alone was left to see this great vision. My strength drained from^[p] me, and my vigor disappeared;^[q] I was without energy.^[r] ⁹I listened to his voice,^[s] and as I did so^[t] I fell into a trance-like sleep with my face to the ground. ¹⁰Then^[u] a hand touched me and set me on my hands and knees.^[v] ¹¹He said to me, “Daniel, you are of great value.^[w] Understand the words that I am about to^[x] speak to you. So stand up,^[y] for I have now been sent to you.” When he said this^[z] to me, I stood up shaking. ¹²Then he said to me, “Don’t be afraid, Daniel, for from the very first day you applied your mind^[aa] to understand and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard. I have come in response to your words. ¹³However, the prince of the kingdom of Persia was opposing me for twenty-one days. But^[ab] Michael, one of the leading princes, came to help me, because I was left there^[ac] with the kings of Persia. ¹⁴Now I have come to help you understand what will happen to your people in future days, for the vision pertains to days to come.”^[ad]

¹⁵While he was saying this to me,^[ae] I was flat on^[af] the ground and unable to speak. ¹⁶Then^[ag] one who appeared to be a human being^[ah] was touching my lips. I opened my mouth and started to speak, saying to the one who was standing before me, “Sir,^[ai] due to the vision, anxiety has gripped me and I have no strength. ¹⁷How, sir, am I able to speak with you?^[aj] My strength is gone,^[ak] and I am breathless.” ¹⁸Then the one who appeared to be a human being touched me again^[al] and strengthened me. ¹⁹He said to me, “Don’t be afraid, you who are highly valued.^[am] Peace be to you! Be strong! Be really strong!” When he spoke to me, I was strengthened. I said, “Sir, you may speak now,^[an] for you have given me strength.”

Footnotes

Daniel 10:2 tn Heb “three weeks of days.” The inclusion of “days” here and in v. 3 is perhaps intended to call attention to the fact that these weeks are very different in nature from those of chap. 9, which are “weeks of years.”
Daniel 10:3 tn Heb “mouth.”
Daniel 10:3 sn Anointing oneself with oil (usually olive oil) was a common OT practice due to the severity of the Middle Eastern sun (cf. Ps 121:6). It was also associated with rejoicing (e.g., Prov 27:9) and was therefore usually not practiced during a period of mourning.
Daniel 10:4 sn The first month would be the month of Nisan, during which Passover was observed.
Daniel 10:4 tn The Hebrew text has חִדָּקֶל (hiddaqel). “Tigris” appears here in the LXX, since it is the Greek name for this river. Elsewhere in the OT “the great river” refers to the Euphrates (e.g., Gen 15:18; Josh 1:4), leading some interpreters to think that a mistake is involved in using the expression to refer to the Tigris. But it is doubtful that the expression had such a fixed and limited usage. The Syriac, however, does render the word here by “Euphrates” (Syr. perat) in keeping with biblical usage elsewhere.
Daniel 10:5 tn Heb “I lifted up my eyes.”
Daniel 10:5 tn Heb “one.” The Hebrew numerical adjective is used here like an English indefinite article.
Daniel 10:5 sn The identity of the messenger is not specifically disclosed. Presumably he is an unnamed angel. Some interpreters identify him as Gabriel, but there is no adequate reason for doing so.
Daniel 10:5 tn The Hebrew word בַּדִּים (baddim) is a plural of extension. See GKC 396-97 §124.a, b, c and Joüon 2:500 §136.c.
Daniel 10:5 tn The location of this place and even the exact form of the Hebrew name אוּפָז (ʾufaz) are uncertain. Apparently it was a source for pure gold. (See Jer 10:9.) The Hebrew word פָּז (paz, “refined gold” or “pure gold”) is more common in the OT than אוּפָז, and some scholars emend the text of Dan 10:5 to read this word. Cf. also “Ophir” (1 Kgs 9:28; Isa 13:12; Job 22:24; 28:16).
Daniel 10:6 tn The Hebrew word translated “yellow jasper” is תַּרשִׁישׁ (tarshish); it appears to be a semiprecious stone, but its exact identity is somewhat uncertain. It may be the yellow jasper, although this is conjectural (cf. NAB, NIV “chrysolite”; NASB, NRSV “beryl”).
Daniel 10:6 tn Heb “torches of fire.”
Daniel 10:6 tn Heb “The sound of his words” (cf. v. 9).
Daniel 10:7 tn Heb “the vision.”
Daniel 10:7 tn Heb “great trembling fell on them.”
Daniel 10:8 tn Heb “did not remain in.”
Daniel 10:8 tn Heb “was changed upon me for ruin.”
Daniel 10:8 tn Heb “strength.”
Daniel 10:9 tc Heb “I heard the sound of his words.” These words are absent in the LXX and the Syriac.
Daniel 10:9 tn Heb “as I listened to the sound of his words.”
Daniel 10:10 tn Heb “Behold.”
Daniel 10:10 tc Theodotion lacks “and the palms of my hands.”tn Heb “on my knees and the palms of my hands.”
Daniel 10:11 tn Or “a treasured person”; KJV “a man greatly beloved”; NASB “man of high esteem.”
Daniel 10:11 tn The Hebrew participle is often used, as here, to refer to the imminent future.
Daniel 10:11 tn Heb “stand upon your standing.”
Daniel 10:11 tn Heb “spoke this word.”
Daniel 10:12 tn Heb “gave your heart.”
Daniel 10:13 tn Heb “and behold.”
Daniel 10:13 tc The Greek version of Theodotion reads “I left him [i.e., Michael] there,” and this is followed by a number of English translations (cf. NAB, NRSV, NLT).
Daniel 10:14 tn Heb “days.”
Daniel 10:15 tn Heb “speaking to me according to these words.”
Daniel 10:15 tn Heb “I placed my face toward.”
Daniel 10:16 tn Heb “Behold.”
Daniel 10:16 tc So most Hebrew mss; one Hebrew ms along with the Dead Sea Scrolls and LXX read: “something that looked like a man’s hand.”
Daniel 10:16 tn Heb “my lord,” here a title of polite address (cf. v. 19).
Daniel 10:17 tn Heb “How is the servant of this my lord able to speak with this my lord?”
Daniel 10:17 tn Heb “does not stand.”
Daniel 10:18 tn Heb “He added and touched me.” The construction is a verbal hendiadys.
Daniel 10:19 tn Heb “treasured man.”
Daniel 10:19 tn Heb “my lord may speak.”

1 John 2:26-28

²⁶These things I have written to you about those who are trying to deceive you.^[a]

²⁷Now as for you, the anointing^[b] that you received from him^[c] resides^[d] in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you. But as his^[e] anointing teaches you about all things, it is true and is not a lie. Just as^[f] it^[g] has taught you, you reside^[h] in him.

Children of God

²⁸And now, little children, remain^[i] in him,^[j] so that when^[k] he appears we may have confidence and not shrink away from him in shame when he comes back.^[l]

Footnotes

1 John 2:26 sn The phrase those who are trying to deceive you in 1 John 2:26 is a clear reference to the secessionist opponents mentioned earlier in 1 John 2:19, who are attempting to deceive the people the author is writing to.
1 John 2:27 sn The anointing. The “anointing” (χρῖσμα, chrisma) which believers have received refers to the indwelling Holy Spirit which has been given to them at their conversion.
1 John 2:27 sn The pronoun could refer to God or Jesus Christ, but a reference to Jesus Christ is more likely here.
1 John 2:27 tn This use of μένω (menō) has been translated “reside” both times in 2:27 because it refers to the current status of believers.
1 John 2:27 sn The pronoun could refer (1) to God or (2) to Jesus Christ, but a reference to Jesus Christ is more likely here.
1 John 2:27 tn Grk “and is not a lie, and just as.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
1 John 2:27 tn Or “he.”
1 John 2:27 tn The verb may be read as either (1) indicative or (2) imperative mood. The same verb is found in the following verse, 2:28, but the address to the readers there seems clearly to indicate an imperative. On analogy some have called for an imperative here, but others have seen this as suggesting an indicative here, so that the author is not repeating himself. An indicative is slightly more likely here. Up to this point the thrust of the author has been reassurance rather than exhortation, and an indicative here (“…you reside in him”) balances the indicative in the first part of 2:27 (“the anointing which you received from him resides in you…”). With the following verse the author switches from reassurance (the readers at the time he is writing still ‘remain’; they have not yet adopted the teaching of the opponents) to exhortation (he is writing so that they will ‘remain’ and not succumb to the deception of the opponents).
1 John 2:28 tn Again, as at the end of 2:27, the verb μένετε (menete) may be read as either (1) indicative or (2) imperative mood. At the end of 2:27 the translation opted for an indicative because the author had been attempting to reassure his readers that they did indeed possess eternal life, and also because an indicative at the end of 2:27 balances the indicative reference to the “anointing” residing in the readers at the beginning of the verse. With the return in 2:28 to the eschatological note introduced in 2:18, however, it appears that the author switches from reassurance to exhortation. At the time he is writing them, the readers do still “remain” since they have not yet adopted the heretical teaching of the opponents. But now the author wants to forestall the possibility that they might do so at some point, and so he begins this section with an exhortation to the readers to “reside/remain” in Christ. This suggests that μένετε in the present verse should be read as imperative rather than indicative, a view made even more probable by the following ἵνα (hina) clause which states the purpose for the exhortation: in order that at the parousia (second advent) when Jesus Christ is revealed, the readers may have confidence and not shrink back from him in shame when he appears.
1 John 2:28 sn A reference to Jesus Christ is more likely here. Note the mention of the second coming (second advent) at the end of this verse.
1 John 2:28 tn In this context ἐάν (ean) does not indicate uncertainty about whether or not Christ will return, but rather uncertainty about the exact time when the event will take place. In the Koine period ἐάν could mean “when” or “whenever” and was virtually the equivalent of ὅταν (hotan; see BDAG 268 s.v. ἐάν 2). It has this meaning in John 12:32 and 14:3.
1 John 2:28 tn Grk “at his coming.” sn Have confidence…shrink away from him in shame when he comes back. Once again in the antithetical framework of Johannine thought (that is, the author’s tendency to think in terms of polar opposites), there are only two alternatives, just as there are only two alternatives in John 3:18-21, a key section for the understanding of the present passage in 1 John. Anyone who does not ‘remain’ demonstrates (just as the opponents demonstrated by their departure from the community in 2:19) that whatever profession he has made is false and he is not truly a believer.

New English Translation (NET)

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Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

Psalm 4[a]

For the music director, to be accompanied by stringed instruments; a psalm of David.

Footnotes

Footnotes

Children of God

Footnotes

Psalm 4^[a]