Psalm 122

A song of ascents. Of David.

I rejoiced with those who said to me,
    “Let us go to the house of the Lord.”
Our feet are standing
    in your gates, Jerusalem.

Jerusalem is built like a city
    that is closely compacted together.
That is where the tribes go up—
    the tribes of the Lord
to praise the name of the Lord
    according to the statute given to Israel.
There stand the thrones for judgment,
    the thrones of the house of David.

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:
    “May those who love(A) you be secure.
May there be peace(B) within your walls
    and security within your citadels.(C)
For the sake of my family and friends,
    I will say, “Peace be within you.”
For the sake of the house of the Lord our God,
    I will seek your prosperity.(D)

Haman Impaled

So the king and Haman went to Queen Esther’s banquet,(A) and as they were drinking wine(B) on the second day, the king again asked, “Queen Esther, what is your petition? It will be given you. What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom,(C) it will be granted.(D)

Then Queen Esther answered, “If I have found favor(E) with you, Your Majesty, and if it pleases you, grant me my life—this is my petition. And spare my people—this is my request. For I and my people have been sold to be destroyed, killed and annihilated.(F) If we had merely been sold as male and female slaves, I would have kept quiet, because no such distress would justify disturbing the king.[a]

King Xerxes asked Queen Esther, “Who is he? Where is he—the man who has dared to do such a thing?”

Esther said, “An adversary and enemy! This vile Haman!”

Then Haman was terrified before the king and queen. The king got up in a rage,(G) left his wine and went out into the palace garden.(H) But Haman, realizing that the king had already decided his fate,(I) stayed behind to beg Queen Esther for his life.

Just as the king returned from the palace garden to the banquet hall, Haman was falling on the couch(J) where Esther was reclining.(K)

The king exclaimed, “Will he even molest the queen while she is with me in the house?”(L)

As soon as the word left the king’s mouth, they covered Haman’s face.(M) Then Harbona,(N) one of the eunuchs attending the king, said, “A pole reaching to a height of fifty cubits[b](O) stands by Haman’s house. He had it set up for Mordecai, who spoke up to help the king.”

The king said, “Impale him on it!”(P) 10 So they impaled(Q) Haman(R) on the pole(S) he had set up for Mordecai.(T) Then the king’s fury subsided.(U)

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Footnotes

  1. Esther 7:4 Or quiet, but the compensation our adversary offers cannot be compared with the loss the king would suffer
  2. Esther 7:9 That is, about 75 feet or about 23 meters

John’s Vision of Christ

I, John,(A) your brother and companion in the suffering(B) and kingdom(C) and patient endurance(D) that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God(E) and the testimony of Jesus.(F) 10 On the Lord’s Day(G) I was in the Spirit,(H) and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet,(I) 11 which said: “Write on a scroll what you see(J) and send it to the seven churches:(K) to Ephesus,(L) Smyrna,(M) Pergamum,(N) Thyatira,(O) Sardis,(P) Philadelphia(Q) and Laodicea.”(R)

12 I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands,(S) 13 and among the lampstands(T) was someone like a son of man,[a](U) dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet(V) and with a golden sash around his chest.(W) 14 The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire.(X) 15 His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace,(Y) and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters.(Z) 16 In his right hand he held seven stars,(AA) and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword.(AB) His face was like the sun(AC) shining in all its brilliance.

17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet(AD) as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me(AE) and said: “Do not be afraid.(AF) I am the First and the Last.(AG) 18 I am the Living One; I was dead,(AH) and now look, I am alive for ever and ever!(AI) And I hold the keys of death and Hades.(AJ)

19 “Write, therefore, what you have seen,(AK) what is now and what will take place later. 20 The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand(AL) and of the seven golden lampstands(AM) is this: The seven stars are the angels[b] of the seven churches,(AN) and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.(AO)

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Footnotes

  1. Revelation 1:13 See Daniel 7:13.
  2. Revelation 1:20 Or messengers

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