Psalm 76[a]

For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A psalm of Asaph. A song.

God is renowned in Judah;
    in Israel his name is great.(A)
His tent is in Salem,(B)
    his dwelling place in Zion.(C)
There he broke the flashing arrows,(D)
    the shields and the swords, the weapons of war.[b](E)

You are radiant with light,(F)
    more majestic than mountains rich with game.
The valiant(G) lie plundered,
    they sleep their last sleep;(H)
not one of the warriors
    can lift his hands.
At your rebuke,(I) God of Jacob,
    both horse and chariot(J) lie still.

It is you alone who are to be feared.(K)
    Who can stand(L) before you when you are angry?(M)
From heaven you pronounced judgment,
    and the land feared(N) and was quiet—
when you, God, rose up to judge,(O)
    to save all the afflicted(P) of the land.
10 Surely your wrath against mankind brings you praise,(Q)
    and the survivors of your wrath are restrained.[c]

11 Make vows to the Lord your God and fulfill them;(R)
    let all the neighboring lands
    bring gifts(S) to the One to be feared.
12 He breaks the spirit of rulers;
    he is feared by the kings of the earth.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 76:1 In Hebrew texts 76:1-12 is numbered 76:2-13.
  2. Psalm 76:3 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 9.
  3. Psalm 76:10 Or Surely the wrath of mankind brings you praise, / and with the remainder of wrath you arm yourself

19 “Then I wanted to know the meaning of the fourth beast, which was different from all the others and most terrifying, with its iron teeth and bronze claws—the beast that crushed and devoured its victims and trampled underfoot whatever was left. 20 I also wanted to know about the ten horns(A) on its head and about the other horn that came up, before which three of them fell—the horn that looked more imposing than the others and that had eyes and a mouth that spoke boastfully.(B) 21 As I watched, this horn was waging war against the holy people and defeating them,(C) 22 until the Ancient of Days came and pronounced judgment in favor of the holy people of the Most High, and the time came when they possessed the kingdom.(D)

23 “He gave me this explanation: ‘The fourth beast is a fourth kingdom that will appear on earth. It will be different from all the other kingdoms and will devour the whole earth, trampling it down and crushing it.(E) 24 The ten horns(F) are ten kings who will come from this kingdom. After them another king will arise, different from the earlier ones; he will subdue three kings. 25 He will speak against the Most High(G) and oppress his holy people(H) and try to change the set times(I) and the laws. The holy people will be delivered into his hands for a time, times and half a time.[a](J)

26 “‘But the court will sit, and his power will be taken away and completely destroyed(K) forever. 27 Then the sovereignty, power and greatness of all the kingdoms(L) under heaven will be handed over to the holy people(M) of the Most High.(N) His kingdom will be an everlasting(O) kingdom, and all rulers will worship(P) and obey him.’

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Footnotes

  1. Daniel 7:25 Or for a year, two years and half a year

The Two Witnesses

11 I was given a reed like a measuring rod(A) and was told, “Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, with its worshipers. But exclude the outer court;(B) do not measure it, because it has been given to the Gentiles.(C) They will trample on the holy city(D) for 42 months.(E) And I will appoint my two witnesses,(F) and they will prophesy for 1,260 days,(G) clothed in sackcloth.”(H) They are “the two olive trees”(I) and the two lampstands, and “they stand before the Lord of the earth.”[a](J) If anyone tries to harm them, fire comes from their mouths and devours their enemies.(K) This is how anyone who wants to harm them must die.(L) They have power to shut up the heavens(M) so that it will not rain during the time they are prophesying;(N) and they have power to turn the waters into blood(O) and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they want.

Now when they have finished their testimony, the beast(P) that comes up from the Abyss(Q) will attack them,(R) and overpower and kill them. Their bodies will lie in the public square of the great city(S)—which is figuratively called Sodom(T) and Egypt—where also their Lord was crucified.(U) For three and a half days some from every people, tribe, language and nation(V) will gaze on their bodies and refuse them burial.(W) 10 The inhabitants of the earth(X) will gloat over them and will celebrate by sending each other gifts,(Y) because these two prophets had tormented those who live on the earth.

11 But after the three and a half days(Z) the breath[b] of life from God entered them,(AA) and they stood on their feet, and terror struck those who saw them. 12 Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.”(AB) And they went up to heaven in a cloud,(AC) while their enemies looked on.

13 At that very hour there was a severe earthquake(AD) and a tenth of the city collapsed. Seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the survivors were terrified and gave glory(AE) to the God of heaven.(AF)

14 The second woe has passed; the third woe is coming soon.(AG)

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Footnotes

  1. Revelation 11:4 See Zech. 4:3,11,14.
  2. Revelation 11:11 Or Spirit (see Ezek. 37:5,14)

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