Thursday in Easter — Open Word

FIRST READING

Song of Solomon 2:8-15

Verse 8. Listen! My beloved approaches. Look! Here he comes, leaping across the mountains, bounding over the hills. Verse 9. My beloved is like a gazelle or a young stag. Look, he stands behind our wall, gazing through the windows, peering through the lattice. Verse 10. My beloved calls to me, “Arise, my darling. Come away with me, my beautiful one. Verse 11. For now the winter is past; the rain is over and gone. Verse 12. The flowers have appeared in the countryside; the season of singing has come, and the cooing of turtledoves is heard in our land. Verse 13. The fig tree ripens its figs; the blossoming vines spread their fragrance. Arise, come away, my darling; come away with me, my beautiful one.” Verse 14. O my dove in the clefts of the rock, in the crevices of the cliff, let me see your face, let me hear your voice; for your voice is sweet, and your countenance is lovely. Verse 15. Catch for us the foxes— the little foxes that ruin the vineyards— for our vineyards are in bloom.

PSALM

Psalm 16

A Miktam of David. Preserve me, O God, for in You I take refuge.

I said to the LORD, “You are my Lord; apart from You I have no good thing.”

As for the saints in the land, they are the excellence in whom all my delight resides.

Sorrows will multiply to those who chase other gods. I will not pour out their libations of blood, or speak their names with my lips.

The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup; You have made my lot secure.

The lines of my boundary have fallen in pleasant places; surely my inheritance is delightful.

I will bless the LORD who counsels me; even at night my conscience instructs me.

I have set the LORD always before me. Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.

Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will dwell securely.

For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol, nor will You let Your Holy One see decay.

You have made known to me the path of life; You will fill me with joy in Your presence, with eternal pleasures at Your right hand.

SECOND READING

Colossians 4:2-5

Verse 2. Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful, Verse 3. as you pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Verse 4. Pray that I may declare it clearly, as I should. Verse 5. Act wisely toward outsiders, redeeming the time.