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Psalm 93

The Eternal reigns, clothed in majesty;
    He is dressed in power;
    He has surrounded Himself with strength.
He has established the world, and it will never be toppled.
Your throne was established from the beginning of the world, O God,
    and You are everlasting.

The waters have risen, O Eternal One;
    the sound of pounding waves is deafening.
    The waters have roared with power.
More powerful than the thunder of mighty rivers,
    more powerful than the mighty waves in the ocean
    is the Eternal on high!

Your teachings are true;
    Your decrees sure.
    Sacredness adorns Your house, O Eternal One, forevermore.

Psalm 93

The Lord reigns,(A) he is robed in majesty;(B)
    the Lord is robed in majesty and armed with strength;(C)
    indeed, the world is established,(D) firm and secure.(E)
Your throne was established(F) long ago;
    you are from all eternity.(G)

The seas(H) have lifted up, Lord,
    the seas have lifted up their voice;(I)
    the seas have lifted up their pounding waves.(J)
Mightier than the thunder(K) of the great waters,
    mightier than the breakers(L) of the sea—
    the Lord on high is mighty.(M)

Your statutes, Lord, stand firm;
    holiness(N) adorns your house(O)
    for endless days.

20 He then summoned five of his high-ranking officials: Hilkiah, Ahikam (son of Shaphan), Abdon (son of Micah), Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah the king’s servant.

Josiah: 21 You must intercede for me and for all those who remain in Israel and Judah. Ask the Lord about these laws which we have just found. The Eternal must be furious with us because our ancestors disobeyed His laws in this book. Soon He will unleash that anger and punish us all.

22 The four men including Hilkiah went straight to Huldah the prophetess in Jerusalem’s Second Quarter because they knew He would speak through her. Huldah was the wife of Shallum (son of Tokhath, son of Hasrah, the keeper of the wardrobe).

Huldah: 23-24 These are the words of the Eternal God of Israel: “Tell Josiah, king of Judah, that I will indeed curse this nation and these people, just as the book says I will, 25 because they have disobeyed Me and made sacrifices to other gods intending to infuriate Me by their actions. The pain and suffering you are about to experience will be unbearable and unending.

26 “But to the king of Judah who sent you to Me, I, the Eternal God of Israel, have noticed your reforms. 27 Because you recognized the True God’s laws, which convicted your nation of their sins, and you humbled yourself and mourned your nation’s actions by tearing your clothing, I have heard you and will have mercy on you. 28 You will die and lie with your ancestors in peace before I unleash My anger on this nation, so your eyes will not witness the great disaster that I am about to bring forth on this place and those dwelling here.”

The four servants gave the king this message, 29 and he immediately summoned all the elders in Judah and Jerusalem. 30 The entire nation (great and small, priest and layman, man and woman) went up to the Eternal’s temple where Josiah read to them the laws from the book of the covenant that was found in the Eternal’s temple. 31-32 There, the king and the entire assembly in Jerusalem, people from Benjamin and Judah, stood and renewed Israel’s covenant with the Eternal, promising to follow His ways, obey His laws with all diligence, and perform the duties of the covenant described in the book. Then all the people in Jerusalem respected their covenant with the True God, the God of their ancestors, 33 and Josiah purged all the lands of Israel of false worship, making certain everyone in Israel served the Eternal God. The people remained faithful to the Eternal God of their ancestors throughout Josiah’s reign.

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20 He gave these orders to Hilkiah, Ahikam son of Shaphan(A), Abdon son of Micah,[a] Shaphan the secretary and Asaiah the king’s attendant: 21 “Go and inquire of the Lord for me and for the remnant in Israel and Judah about what is written in this book that has been found. Great is the Lord’s anger that is poured out(B) on us because those who have gone before us have not kept the word of the Lord; they have not acted in accordance with all that is written in this book.”

22 Hilkiah and those the king had sent with him[b] went to speak to the prophet(C) Huldah, who was the wife of Shallum son of Tokhath,[c] the son of Hasrah,[d] keeper of the wardrobe. She lived in Jerusalem, in the New Quarter.

23 She said to them, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Tell the man who sent you to me, 24 ‘This is what the Lord says: I am going to bring disaster(D) on this place and its people(E)—all the curses(F) written in the book that has been read in the presence of the king of Judah. 25 Because they have forsaken me(G) and burned incense to other gods and aroused my anger by all that their hands have made,[e] my anger will be poured out on this place and will not be quenched.’ 26 Tell the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the Lord, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says concerning the words you heard: 27 Because your heart was responsive(H) and you humbled(I) yourself before God when you heard what he spoke against this place and its people, and because you humbled yourself before me and tore your robes and wept in my presence, I have heard you, declares the Lord. 28 Now I will gather you to your ancestors,(J) and you will be buried in peace. Your eyes will not see all the disaster I am going to bring on this place and on those who live here.’”(K)

So they took her answer back to the king.

29 Then the king called together all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem. 30 He went up to the temple of the Lord(L) with the people of Judah, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the priests and the Levites—all the people from the least to the greatest. He read in their hearing all the words of the Book of the Covenant, which had been found in the temple of the Lord. 31 The king stood by his pillar(M) and renewed the covenant(N) in the presence of the Lord—to follow(O) the Lord and keep his commands, statutes and decrees with all his heart and all his soul, and to obey the words of the covenant written in this book.

32 Then he had everyone in Jerusalem and Benjamin pledge themselves to it; the people of Jerusalem did this in accordance with the covenant of God, the God of their ancestors.

33 Josiah removed all the detestable(P) idols from all the territory belonging to the Israelites, and he had all who were present in Israel serve the Lord their God. As long as he lived, they did not fail to follow the Lord, the God of their ancestors.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 34:20 Also called Akbor son of Micaiah
  2. 2 Chronicles 34:22 One Hebrew manuscript, Vulgate and Syriac; most Hebrew manuscripts do not have had sent with him.
  3. 2 Chronicles 34:22 Also called Tikvah
  4. 2 Chronicles 34:22 Also called Harhas
  5. 2 Chronicles 34:25 Or by everything they have done

25 While fulfilling these sacred obligations at the temple, they encountered a man in Jerusalem named Simeon. He was a just and pious man, anticipating the liberation of Israel from her troubles. He was a man in touch with the Holy Spirit. 26 The Holy Spirit had revealed to Simeon that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Anointed One. 27 The Spirit had led him to the temple that day, and there he saw the child Jesus in the arms of His parents, who were fulfilling their sacred obligations. 28 Simeon took Jesus into his arms and blessed God.

29 Simeon: Now, Lord and King, You can let me, Your humble servant, die in peace.
30     You promised me that I would see with my own eyes
        what I’m seeing now: Your freedom,
31     Raised up in the presence of all peoples.
32     He is the light who reveals Your message to the other nations,
        and He is the shining glory of Your covenant people, Israel.

33 His father and mother were stunned to hear Simeon say these things. 34 Simeon went on to bless them both, and to Mary in particular he gave predictions.

Simeon: Listen, this child will make many in Israel rise and fall. He will be a significant person whom many will oppose. 35 In the end, He will lay bare the secret thoughts of many hearts. And a sword will pierce even your own soul, Mary.

36 At that very moment, an elderly woman named Anna stepped forward. Anna was a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She had been married for seven years before her husband died 37 and a widow to her current age of 84 years. She was deeply devoted to the Lord, constantly in the temple, fasting and praying. 38 When she approached Mary, Joseph, and Jesus, she began speaking out thanks to God, and she continued spreading the word about Jesus to all those who shared her hope for the rescue of Jerusalem.

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25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout.(A) He was waiting for the consolation of Israel,(B) and the Holy Spirit was on him. 26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. 27 Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required,(C) 28 Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:

29 “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised,(D)
    you may now dismiss[a] your servant in peace.(E)
30 For my eyes have seen your salvation,(F)
31     which you have prepared in the sight of all nations:
32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
    and the glory of your people Israel.”(G)

33 The child’s father and mother marveled at what was said about him. 34 Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother:(H) “This child is destined to cause the falling(I) and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, 35 so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.”

36 There was also a prophet,(J) Anna, the daughter of Penuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, 37 and then was a widow until she was eighty-four.[b](K) She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying.(L) 38 Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.(M)

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Footnotes

  1. Luke 2:29 Or promised, / now dismiss
  2. Luke 2:37 Or then had been a widow for eighty-four years.