Book of Common Prayer
For the choir director; a psalm by David; a song.
68 God will arise.
His enemies will be scattered.
Those who hate him will flee from him.
2 Blow them away like smoke.
Let wicked people melt in God’s presence like wax next to a fire.
3 But let righteous people rejoice.
Let them celebrate in God’s presence.
Let them overflow with joy.
4 Sing to God; make music to praise his name.
Make a highway for him to ride through the deserts.[a]
The Lord is his name.
Celebrate in his presence.
5 The God who is in his holy dwelling place
is the father of the fatherless and the defender of widows.
6 God places lonely people in families.
He leads prisoners out of prison into productive lives,
but rebellious people must live in an unproductive land.
7 O God, when you went in front of your people,
when you marched through the desert, Selah
8 the earth quaked and the sky poured
in the presence of the God of Sinai,
in the presence of the God of Israel.
9 You watered the land with plenty of rain, O God.
You refreshed it when your land was exhausted.
10 Your flock settled there.
Out of your goodness, O God,
you provided for oppressed people.
11 The Lord gives instructions.
The women who announce the good news are a large army.
12 ⌞They say,⌟ “The kings of the armies flee; they run away.
The women who remained at home will divide the goods.
13 Though you stayed among the sheep pens,
⌞you will be like⌟ the wings of a dove covered with silver, its feathers with yellow gold.
14 Meanwhile, the Almighty was still scattering kings there
like snow falling on Mount Zalmon.”
15 The mountain of Bashan is the mountain of God.
The mountain of Bashan is the mountain with many peaks.
16 Why do you look with envy, you mountains with many peaks,
at the mountain where God has chosen to live?
Certainly, the Lord will live there forever.
17 The chariots of God are twenty thousand in number,
thousands upon thousands.
The Lord is among them.
⌞The God of⌟ Sinai is in his holy place.
18 You went to the highest place.
You took prisoners captive.
You received gifts from people,
even from rebellious people, so that the Lord God may live there.
19 Thanks be to the Lord,
who daily carries our burdens for us.
God is our salvation. Selah
20 Our God is the God of victories.
The Almighty Lord is our escape from death.
Elijah Taken to Heaven
2 When the Lord was going to take Elijah to heaven in a windstorm, Elijah and Elisha left Gilgal. 2 Elijah said to Elisha, “Please stay here because the Lord is sending me to Bethel.”
Elisha answered, “I solemnly swear, as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not abandon you.” So they went to Bethel.
3 Some of the disciples of the prophets at Bethel came to Elisha. They asked him, “Do you know that the Lord is going to take your master from you today?”
He answered, “Yes, I know. Be quiet.”
4 Elijah said, “Elisha, please stay here because the Lord is sending me to Jericho.”
Elisha answered, “I solemnly swear, as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not abandon you.” So they went to Jericho.
5 Then some of the disciples of the prophets who were in Jericho approached Elisha. They asked, “Do you know that the Lord is going to take your master from you today?”
He answered, “Yes, I know. Be quiet.”
6 Elijah said to Elisha, “Please stay here because the Lord is sending me to the Jordan River.”
Elisha answered, “I solemnly swear, as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not abandon you.”
7 Fifty disciples of the prophets stood at a distance as Elijah and Elisha stood by the Jordan River. 8 Elijah took his coat, rolled it up, and struck the water with it. The water divided to their left and their right, and the two men crossed ⌞the river⌟ on dry ground.
9 While they were crossing, Elijah asked Elisha, “What should I do for you before I’m taken from you?”
Elisha answered, “Let me inherit a double share of your spirit.”
10 Elijah said, “You have asked for something difficult. If you see me taken from you, it will be yours. Otherwise, it will not.”
11 As they continued walking and talking, a fiery chariot with fiery horses separated the two of them, and Elijah went to heaven in a windstorm.
12 When Elisha saw this, he cried out, “Master! Master! Israel’s chariot and horses!” When he couldn’t see Elijah anymore, he grabbed his own garment and tore it in two ⌞to show his grief⌟. 13 Then he picked up Elijah’s coat (which had fallen off Elijah), went back, and stood on the bank of the Jordan River. 14 He took the coat and struck the water with it. He asked, “Where is the Lord God of Elijah?” As he struck the water, it divided to his left and his right, and Elisha crossed ⌞the river⌟.
15 The disciples of the prophets who were at Jericho saw him from a distance. They said, “Elijah’s spirit rests on Elisha!” Then they went to meet him and bowed in front of him with their faces touching the ground.
The Lamb Takes the Scroll That Has Seven Seals
5 I saw a scroll in the right hand of the one who sits on the throne. It had writing both on the inside and on the outside. It was sealed with seven seals. 2 I saw a powerful angel calling out in a loud voice, “Who deserves to open the scroll and break the seals on it?” 3 No one in heaven, on earth, or under the earth could open the scroll or look inside it. 4 I cried bitterly because no one was found who deserved to open the scroll or look inside it.
5 Then one of the leaders said to me, “Stop crying! The Lion from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has won the victory. He can open the scroll and the seven seals on it.”
6 I saw a lamb standing in the center near the throne with the four living creatures and the leaders. The lamb looked like he had been slaughtered. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent all over the world. 7 He took the scroll from the right hand of the one who sits on the throne.
8 When the lamb had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the 24 leaders bowed in front of him. Each held a harp and a gold bowl full of incense, the prayers of God’s holy people. 9 Then they sang a new song,
“You deserve to take the scroll and open the seals on it,
because you were slaughtered.
You bought people with your blood to be God’s own.
They are from every tribe, language, people, and nation.
10 You made them a kingdom and priests for our God.
They will rule as kings on the earth.”
11 Then I heard the voices of many angels, the four living creatures, and the leaders surrounding the throne. They numbered ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands times thousands. 12 In a loud voice they were singing,
“The lamb who was slain deserves to receive
power, wealth, wisdom, strength, honor, glory, and praise.”
13 I heard every creature in heaven, on earth, under the earth, and on the sea. Every creature in those places was singing,
“To the one who sits on the throne and to the lamb
be praise, honor, glory, and power forever and ever.”
14 The four living creatures said, “Amen!” Then the leaders bowed and worshiped.
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