Psalm 137

The Ark Brought to Jerusalem^(A)

15 After David had constructed buildings for himself in the City of David, he prepared^(B) a place for the ark of God and pitched^(C) a tent for it. ² Then David said, “No one but the Levites^(D) may carry^(E) the ark of God, because the Lord chose them to carry the ark of the Lord and to minister^(F) before him forever.”

³ David assembled all Israel^(G) in Jerusalem to bring up the ark of the Lord to the place he had prepared for it. ⁴ He called together the descendants of Aaron and the Levites:^(H)

¹¹ Then David summoned Zadok^(L) and Abiathar^(M) the priests, and Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel and Amminadab the Levites. ¹² He said to them, “You are the heads of the Levitical families; you and your fellow Levites are to consecrate^(N) yourselves and bring up the ark of the Lord, the God of Israel, to the place I have prepared for it. ¹³ It was because you, the Levites,^(O) did not bring it up the first time that the Lord our God broke out in anger against us.^(P) We did not inquire of him about how to do it in the prescribed way.^(Q)” ¹⁴ So the priests and Levites consecrated themselves in order to bring up the ark of the Lord, the God of Israel. ¹⁵ And the Levites carried the ark of God with the poles on their shoulders, as Moses had commanded^(R) in accordance with the word of the Lord.^(S)

¹⁶ David^(T) told the leaders of the Levites^(U) to appoint their fellow Levites as musicians^(V) to make a joyful sound with musical instruments: lyres, harps and cymbals.^(W)

¹⁷ So the Levites appointed Heman^(X) son of Joel; from his relatives, Asaph^(Y) son of Berekiah; and from their relatives the Merarites,^(Z) Ethan son of Kushaiah; ¹⁸ and with them their relatives next in rank: Zechariah,^[b] Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom^(AA) and Jeiel,^[c] the gatekeepers.

¹⁹ The musicians Heman,^(AB) Asaph and Ethan were to sound the bronze cymbals; ²⁰ Zechariah, Jaaziel,^[d] Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah and Benaiah were to play the lyres according to alamoth,^{[e] 21} and Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom, Jeiel and Azaziah were to play the harps, directing according to sheminith.^{[f] 22} Kenaniah the head Levite was in charge of the singing; that was his responsibility because he was skillful at it.

²³ Berekiah and Elkanah were to be doorkeepers for the ark. ²⁴ Shebaniah, Joshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah and Eliezer the priests were to blow trumpets^(AC) before the ark of God. Obed-Edom and Jehiah were also to be doorkeepers for the ark.

²⁵ So David and the elders of Israel and the commanders of units of a thousand went to bring up the ark^(AD) of the covenant of the Lord from the house of Obed-Edom, with rejoicing. ²⁶ Because God had helped the Levites who were carrying the ark of the covenant of the Lord, seven bulls and seven rams^(AE) were sacrificed. ²⁷ Now David was clothed in a robe of fine linen, as were all the Levites who were carrying the ark, and as were the musicians, and Kenaniah, who was in charge of the singing of the choirs. David also wore a linen ephod.^{(AF) 28} So all Israel^(AG) brought up the ark of the covenant of the Lord with shouts,^(AH) with the sounding of rams’ horns^(AI) and trumpets, and of cymbals, and the playing of lyres and harps.

²⁹ As the ark of the covenant of the Lord was entering the City of David, Michal daughter of Saul watched from a window. And when she saw King David dancing and celebrating, she despised him in her heart.

The Judgment of Satan

⁷ When the thousand years are over,^(A) Satan will be released from his prison ⁸ and will go out to deceive the nations^(B) in the four corners of the earth^(C)—Gog and Magog^(D)—and to gather them for battle.^(E) In number they are like the sand on the seashore.^{(F) 9} They marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded^(G) the camp of God’s people, the city he loves.^(H) But fire came down from heaven^(I) and devoured them. ¹⁰ And the devil, who deceived them,^(J) was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur,^(K) where the beast^(L) and the false prophet^(M) had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.^(N)

The Judgment of the Dead

¹¹ Then I saw a great white throne^(O) and him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence,^(P) and there was no place for them. ¹² And I saw the dead, great and small,^(Q) standing before the throne, and books were opened.^(R) Another book was opened, which is the book of life.^(S) The dead were judged^(T) according to what they had done^(U) as recorded in the books. ¹³ The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades^(V) gave up the dead^(W) that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done.^{(X) 14} Then death^(Y) and Hades^(Z) were thrown into the lake of fire.^(AA) The lake of fire is the second death.^{(AB) 15} Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life^(AC) was thrown into the lake of fire.

The Transfiguration^(A)(B)

17 After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John^(C) the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. ² There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. ³ Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus.

⁴ Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.”

⁵ While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.^(D) Listen to him!”^(E)

⁶ When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified. ⁷ But Jesus came and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Don’t be afraid.”^{(F) 8} When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus.

⁹ As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus instructed them, “Don’t tell anyone^(G) what you have seen, until the Son of Man^(H) has been raised from the dead.”^(I)

¹⁰ The disciples asked him, “Why then do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?”

¹¹ Jesus replied, “To be sure, Elijah comes and will restore all things.^{(J) 12} But I tell you, Elijah has already come,^(K) and they did not recognize him, but have done to him everything they wished.^(L) In the same way the Son of Man is going to suffer^(M) at their hands.” ¹³ Then the disciples understood that he was talking to them about John the Baptist.^(N)