Psalm 148

New International Version

Psalm 148

¹Praise the Lord.^[a]^(A)

Praise the Lord from the heavens;^(B)
    praise him in the heights above.
²Praise him, all his angels;^(C)
    praise him, all his heavenly hosts.^(D)
³Praise him, sun^(E) and moon;
    praise him, all you shining stars.
⁴Praise him, you highest heavens^(F)
    and you waters above the skies.^(G)

⁵Let them praise the name^(H) of the Lord,
for at his command^(I) they were created,
⁶and he established them for ever and ever—
he issued a decree^(J) that will never pass away.

⁷Praise the Lord^(K) from the earth,
    you great sea creatures^(L) and all ocean depths,^(M)
⁸lightning and hail,^(N) snow and clouds,
    stormy winds that do his bidding,^(O)
⁹you mountains and all hills,^(P)
    fruit trees and all cedars,
¹⁰wild animals^(Q) and all cattle,
    small creatures and flying birds,
¹¹kings^(R) of the earth and all nations,
    you princes and all rulers on earth,
¹²young men and women,
    old men and children.

¹³Let them praise the name of the Lord,^(S)
    for his name alone is exalted;
    his splendor^(T) is above the earth and the heavens.^(U)
¹⁴And he has raised up for his people a horn,^[b]^(V)
    the praise^(W) of all his faithful servants,^(X)
    of Israel, the people close to his heart.^(Y)

Praise the Lord.

Footnotes

Psalm 148:1 Hebrew Hallelu Yah; also in verse 14
Psalm 148:14 Horn here symbolizes strength.

Isaiah 54:1-13

New International Version

The Future Glory of Zion

54 “Sing, barren woman,^(A)
    you who never bore a child;
burst into song, shout for joy,^(B)
    you who were never in labor;^(C)
because more are the children^(D) of the desolate^(E) woman
    than of her who has a husband,^(F)”
says the Lord.
²“Enlarge the place of your tent,^(G)
    stretch your tent curtains wide,
    do not hold back;
lengthen your cords,
    strengthen your stakes.^(H)
³For you will spread out to the right and to the left;
    your descendants^(I) will dispossess nations^(J)
    and settle in their desolate^(K) cities.

⁴“Do not be afraid;^(L) you will not be put to shame.^(M)
    Do not fear disgrace;^(N) you will not be humiliated.
You will forget the shame of your youth^(O)
    and remember no more the reproach^(P) of your widowhood.^(Q)
⁵For your Maker^(R) is your husband^(S)—
    the Lord Almighty is his name—
the Holy One^(T) of Israel is your Redeemer;^(U)
    he is called the God of all the earth.^(V)
⁶The Lord will call you back^(W)
    as if you were a wife deserted^(X) and distressed in spirit—
a wife who married young,^(Y)
    only to be rejected,” says your God.
⁷“For a brief moment^(Z) I abandoned^(AA) you,
    but with deep compassion^(AB) I will bring you back.^(AC)
⁸In a surge of anger^(AD)
    I hid^(AE) my face from you for a moment,
but with everlasting kindness^(AF)
    I will have compassion^(AG) on you,”
    says the Lord your Redeemer.^(AH)

⁹“To me this is like the days of Noah,
    when I swore that the waters of Noah would never again cover the earth.^(AI)
So now I have sworn^(AJ) not to be angry^(AK) with you,
    never to rebuke^(AL) you again.
¹⁰Though the mountains be shaken^(AM)
    and the hills be removed,
yet my unfailing love^(AN) for you will not be shaken^(AO)
    nor my covenant^(AP) of peace^(AQ) be removed,”
    says the Lord, who has compassion^(AR) on you.

¹¹“Afflicted^(AS) city, lashed by storms^(AT) and not comforted,^(AU)
    I will rebuild you with stones of turquoise,^[a]^(AV)
    your foundations^(AW) with lapis lazuli.^(AX)
¹²I will make your battlements of rubies,
    your gates^(AY) of sparkling jewels,
    and all your walls of precious stones.
¹³All your children will be taught by the Lord,^(AZ)
    and great will be their peace.^(BA)

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Footnotes

Isaiah 54:11 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.

Revelation 21:1-7

New International Version

A New Heaven and a New Earth

21 Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,”^[a]^(A) for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away,^(B) and there was no longer any sea. ²I saw the Holy City,^(C) the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God,^(D) prepared as a bride^(E) beautifully dressed for her husband. ³And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them.^(F) They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.^(G) ⁴‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes.^(H) There will be no more death’^[b]^(I) or mourning or crying or pain,^(J) for the old order of things has passed away.”^(K)

⁵He who was seated on the throne^(L) said, “I am making everything new!”^(M) Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”^(N)

⁶He said to me: “It is done.^(O) I am the Alpha and the Omega,^(P) the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost^(Q) from the spring of the water of life.^(R) ⁷Those who are victorious^(S) will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children.^(T)