FIRST READING Behold, my beloved cometh, leaping over the mountains. A reading from The Song of Songs 2:8-14

_🌿Daily Reading for Monday December 21, 2020_ 

FIRST READING 

Behold, my beloved cometh, leaping over the mountains. 

A reading from The Song of Songs 2:8-14

BELOVED: I hear my love. See how he comes leaping on the mountains, bounding over the hills. My love is like a gazelle, like a young stag. See where he stands behind our wall. He looks in at the window, he peers through the opening.

My love lifts up his voice, he says to me, 'Come then, my beloved, my lovely one, come. For see, winter is past, the rains are over and gone. 'Flowers are appearing on the earth. The season of glad songs has come, the cooing of the turtledove is heard in our land. The fig tree is forming its first figs and the blossoming vines give out their fragrance. Come then, my beloved, my lovely one, come. 'My dove, hiding in the clefts of the rock, in the coverts of the cliff, show me your face, let me hear your voice; for your voice is sweet and your face is lovely.' 

The Word of the Lord

Or 

The Lord, the King of Israel, is in your midst. 

Exodus 3: 14-17 from the book of Zephaniah 

Daughter Zion! Arbury with pleasure; O Israel! Daughter Jerusalem! Enjoy your whole being. The Lord has postponed your judgment; He drove away your enemies; The Lord, the King of Israel, is in your midst; You will no longer be afraid of any harm. 

On that day it will be said to Jerusalem: “Do not be afraid, Zion. Do not let your hands get tired. The Lord your God is in your midst; He is a hero; Redemption provider; He will rejoice and be glad for your sake; He will revive you with His love; He will sing for you. ” 

The Word of the Lord.