2  ^{1 q}But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah,

who are too little to be among the clans of ^rJudah,

from you shall come forth for me

one who is to be ^sruler in Israel,

^twhose coming forth is ^ufrom of old,

from ancient days.

3  Therefore he shall give them up ^vuntil the time

when she who is in labor has given birth;

then ^wthe rest of his brothers shall return

to the people of Israel.

4  And he shall stand ^xand shepherd his flock ^yin the strength of the Lord,

in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.

And they shall dwell secure, for now ^zhe shall be great

to the ends of the earth.

5  And he shall be ^atheir peace.

^bWhen the Assyrian comes into our land

and treads in our palaces,

then we will raise against him seven ^cshepherds

and eight princes of men;

1  Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel,

you who lead ^gJoseph like ^ha flock.

You who are ⁱenthroned upon the cherubim, ^jshine forth.

2  Before ^kEphraim and Benjamin and Manasseh,

^lstir up your might

and ^mcome to save us!

3  ⁿRestore us,¹ O God;

^olet your face shine, that we may be saved!

4  O ^pLord God of hosts,

^qhow long will you be angry with your people’s prayers?

5  You have fed them with ^rthe bread of tears

and given them tears to drink in full measure.

6  ^sYou make us an object of contention for our ^sneighbors,

and our enemies laugh among themselves.

7  ⁿRestore us, O God of hosts;

let your face shine, that we may be saved!

^y“My ^zsoul ^amagnifies the Lord,

47  ^band my ^zspirit rejoices in ^cGod my Savior,

48  for ^dhe has looked on the humble estate of his servant.

For behold, from now on all generations ^ewill call me blessed;

49  for ^fhe who is mighty ^ghas done great things for me,

and ^hholy is his name.

50  And ⁱhis mercy is for those who fear him

from generation to generation.

51  ^jHe has shown strength with his arm;

^khe has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;

52  ^jhe has brought down the mighty from their thrones

^land exalted those of humble estate;

53  he has filled ^mthe hungry with good things,

and the rich ⁿhe has sent away empty.

54  He has ^ohelped ^phis servant Israel,

^qin remembrance of his mercy,

55  ^ras he spoke to our fathers,

^qto Abraham and to his offspring forever.”