Psalm 97

The Lord reigns,(A) let the earth be glad;(B)
    let the distant shores(C) rejoice.
Clouds(D) and thick darkness(E) surround him;
    righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.(F)
Fire(G) goes before(H) him
    and consumes(I) his foes on every side.
His lightning(J) lights up the world;
    the earth(K) sees and trembles.(L)
The mountains melt(M) like wax(N) before the Lord,
    before the Lord of all the earth.(O)
The heavens proclaim his righteousness,(P)
    and all peoples see his glory.(Q)

All who worship images(R) are put to shame,(S)
    those who boast in idols(T)
    worship him,(U) all you gods!(V)

Zion hears and rejoices
    and the villages of Judah are glad(W)
    because of your judgments,(X) Lord.
For you, Lord, are the Most High(Y) over all the earth;(Z)
    you are exalted(AA) far above all gods.
10 Let those who love the Lord hate evil,(AB)
    for he guards(AC) the lives of his faithful ones(AD)
    and delivers(AE) them from the hand of the wicked.(AF)
11 Light shines[a](AG) on the righteous(AH)
    and joy on the upright in heart.(AI)
12 Rejoice in the Lord,(AJ) you who are righteous,
    and praise his holy name.(AK)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 97:11 One Hebrew manuscript and ancient versions (see also 112:4); most Hebrew manuscripts Light is sown

97 The Lord reigneth; let the earth rejoice; let the multitude of isles be glad thereof.

Clouds and darkness are round about him: righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his throne.

A fire goeth before him, and burneth up his enemies round about.

His lightnings enlightened the world: the earth saw, and trembled.

The hills melted like wax at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.

The heavens declare his righteousness, and all the people see his glory.

Confounded be all they that serve graven images, that boast themselves of idols: worship him, all ye gods.

Zion heard, and was glad; and the daughters of Judah rejoiced because of thy judgments, O Lord.

For thou, Lord, art high above all the earth: thou art exalted far above all gods.

10 Ye that love the Lord, hate evil: he preserveth the souls of his saints; he delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked.

11 Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart.

12 Rejoice in the Lord, ye righteous; and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.

15 Moses turned and went down the mountain with the two tablets of the covenant law(A) in his hands.(B) They were inscribed(C) on both sides, front and back. 16 The tablets were the work of God; the writing was the writing of God, engraved on the tablets.(D)

17 When Joshua(E) heard the noise of the people shouting, he said to Moses, “There is the sound of war in the camp.”

18 Moses replied:

“It is not the sound of victory,
    it is not the sound of defeat;
    it is the sound of singing that I hear.”

19 When Moses approached the camp and saw the calf(F) and the dancing,(G) his anger burned(H) and he threw the tablets out of his hands, breaking them to pieces(I) at the foot of the mountain. 20 And he took the calf the people had made and burned(J) it in the fire; then he ground it to powder,(K) scattered it on the water(L) and made the Israelites drink it.

21 He said to Aaron, “What did these people do to you, that you led them into such great sin?”

22 “Do not be angry,(M) my lord,” Aaron answered. “You know how prone these people are to evil.(N) 23 They said to me, ‘Make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don’t know what has happened to him.’(O) 24 So I told them, ‘Whoever has any gold jewelry, take it off.’ Then they gave me the gold, and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf!”(P)

25 Moses saw that the people were running wild and that Aaron had let them get out of control and so become a laughingstock(Q) to their enemies. 26 So he stood at the entrance to the camp and said, “Whoever is for the Lord, come to me.” And all the Levites rallied to him.

27 Then he said to them, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Each man strap a sword to his side. Go back and forth through the camp from one end to the other, each killing his brother and friend and neighbor.’”(R) 28 The Levites did as Moses commanded, and that day about three thousand of the people died. 29 Then Moses said, “You have been set apart to the Lord today, for you were against your own sons and brothers, and he has blessed you this day.”

30 The next day Moses said to the people, “You have committed a great sin.(S) But now I will go up to the Lord; perhaps I can make atonement(T) for your sin.”

31 So Moses went back to the Lord and said, “Oh, what a great sin these people have committed!(U) They have made themselves gods of gold.(V) 32 But now, please forgive their sin(W)—but if not, then blot me(X) out of the book(Y) you have written.”

33 The Lord replied to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against me I will blot out(Z) of my book. 34 Now go, lead(AA) the people to the place(AB) I spoke of, and my angel(AC) will go before you. However, when the time comes for me to punish,(AD) I will punish them for their sin.”

35 And the Lord struck the people with a plague because of what they did with the calf(AE) Aaron had made.

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15 And Moses turned, and went down from the mount, and the two tables of the testimony were in his hand: the tables were written on both their sides; on the one side and on the other were they written.

16 And the tables were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, graven upon the tables.

17 And when Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said unto Moses, There is a noise of war in the camp.

18 And he said, It is not the voice of them that shout for mastery, neither is it the voice of them that cry for being overcome: but the noise of them that sing do I hear.

19 And it came to pass, as soon as he came nigh unto the camp, that he saw the calf, and the dancing: and Moses' anger waxed hot, and he cast the tables out of his hands, and brake them beneath the mount.

20 And he took the calf which they had made, and burnt it in the fire, and ground it to powder, and strawed it upon the water, and made the children of Israel drink of it.

21 And Moses said unto Aaron, What did this people unto thee, that thou hast brought so great a sin upon them?

22 And Aaron said, Let not the anger of my lord wax hot: thou knowest the people, that they are set on mischief.

23 For they said unto me, Make us gods, which shall go before us: for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.

24 And I said unto them, Whosoever hath any gold, let them break it off. So they gave it me: then I cast it into the fire, and there came out this calf.

25 And when Moses saw that the people were naked; (for Aaron had made them naked unto their shame among their enemies:)

26 Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Who is on the Lord's side? let him come unto me. And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him.

27 And he said unto them, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Put every man his sword by his side, and go in and out from gate to gate throughout the camp, and slay every man his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbour.

28 And the children of Levi did according to the word of Moses: and there fell of the people that day about three thousand men.

29 For Moses had said, Consecrate yourselves today to the Lord, even every man upon his son, and upon his brother; that he may bestow upon you a blessing this day.

30 And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses said unto the people, Ye have sinned a great sin: and now I will go up unto the Lord; peradventure I shall make an atonement for your sin.

31 And Moses returned unto the Lord, and said, Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold.

32 Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin--; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written.

33 And the Lord said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book.

34 Therefore now go, lead the people unto the place of which I have spoken unto thee: behold, mine Angel shall go before thee: nevertheless in the day when I visit I will visit their sin upon them.

35 And the Lord plagued the people, because they made the calf, which Aaron made.

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A Call to Persevere

17 But, dear friends, remember what the apostles(A) of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold.(B) 18 They said to you, “In the last times(C) there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.”(D) 19 These are the people who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit.(E)

20 But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up(F) in your most holy faith(G) and praying in the Holy Spirit,(H) 21 keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait(I) for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.(J)

22 Be merciful to those who doubt; 23 save others by snatching them from the fire;(K) to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.[a](L)

Doxology

24 To him who is able(M) to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence(N) without fault(O) and with great joy— 25 to the only God(P) our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore!(Q) Amen.(R)

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Footnotes

  1. Jude 1:23 The Greek manuscripts of these verses vary at several points.

17 But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ;

18 How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts.

19 These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.

20 But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,

21 Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.

22 And of some have compassion, making a difference:

23 And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.

24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,

25 To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.

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