Thursday 21 December 2023

8The voice of my beloved!Behold, he comes,leaping on the mountains,skipping on the hills.9My beloved is like a roe or a young deer.Behold, he stands behind our wall!He looks in at the windows.He glances through the lattice.10My beloved spoke, and said to me,“Rise up, my love, my beautiful one, and come away.11For behold, the winter is past.The rain is over and gone.12The flowers appear on the earth.The time of the singing has come,and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land.13The fig tree ripens her green figs.The vines are in blossom.They give out their fragrance.Arise, my love, my beautiful one,and come away.”14My dove in the clefts of the rock,in the hiding places of the mountainside,let me see your face.Let me hear your voice;for your voice is sweet and your face is lovely.

2Give thanks to the Lord with the lyre.Sing praises to him with the harp of ten strings.3Sing to him a new song.Play skillfully with a shout of joy!

11The counsel of the Lord stands fast forever,the thoughts of his heart to all generations.12Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord,the people whom he has chosen for his own inheritance.

20Our soul has waited for the Lord.He is our help and our shield.21For our heart rejoices in him,because we have trusted in his holy name.

39Mary arose in those daysand went into the hill country with haste,into a city of Judah,40and entered into the house of Zachariasand greeted Elizabeth.41When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting,the baby leaped in her womb;and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.42She called out with a loud voice and said,“Blessed are you among women,and blessed is the fruit of your womb!43Why am I so favored,that the mother of my Lord should come to me?44For behold, when the voice of your greeting came into my ears,the baby leaped in my womb for joy!45Blessed is she who believed,for there will be a fulfillment of the thingswhich have been spoken to her from the Lord!”