Book of Common Prayer
Psalm 93
1 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)
2 Your throne was established(F) long ago;
you are from all eternity.(G)
Psalm 96(A)
1 Sing to the Lord(B) a new song;(C)
sing to the Lord, all the earth.
2 Sing to the Lord, praise his name;(D)
proclaim his salvation(E) day after day.
3 Declare his glory(F) among the nations,
his marvelous deeds(G) among all peoples.
4 For great is the Lord and most worthy of praise;(H)
he is to be feared(I) above all gods.(J)
5 For all the gods of the nations are idols,(K)
but the Lord made the heavens.(L)
6 Splendor and majesty(M) are before him;
strength and glory(N) are in his sanctuary.
7 Ascribe to the Lord,(O) all you families of nations,(P)
ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
8 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;
bring an offering(Q) and come into his courts.(R)
9 Worship the Lord(S) in the splendor of his[a] holiness;(T)
tremble(U) before him, all the earth.(V)
10 Say among the nations, “The Lord reigns.(W)”
The world is firmly established,(X) it cannot be moved;(Y)
he will judge(Z) the peoples with equity.(AA)
11 Let the heavens rejoice,(AB) let the earth be glad;(AC)
let the sea resound, and all that is in it.
12 Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them;
let all the trees of the forest(AD) sing for joy.(AE)
13 Let all creation rejoice before the Lord, for he comes,
he comes to judge(AF) the earth.
He will judge the world in righteousness(AG)
and the peoples in his faithfulness.(AH)
Psalm 148
Praise the Lord from the heavens;(B)
praise him in the heights above.
2 Praise him, all his angels;(C)
praise him, all his heavenly hosts.(D)
3 Praise him, sun(E) and moon;
praise him, all you shining stars.
4 Praise him, you highest heavens(F)
and you waters above the skies.(G)
5 Let them praise the name(H) of the Lord,
for at his command(I) they were created,
6 and he established them for ever and ever—
he issued a decree(J) that will never pass away.
7 Praise the Lord(K) from the earth,
you great sea creatures(L) and all ocean depths,(M)
8 lightning and hail,(N) snow and clouds,
stormy winds that do his bidding,(O)
9 you mountains and all hills,(P)
fruit trees and all cedars,
10 wild animals(Q) and all cattle,
small creatures and flying birds,
11 kings(R) of the earth and all nations,
you princes and all rulers on earth,
12 young men and women,
old men and children.
13 Let them praise the name of the Lord,(S)
for his name alone is exalted;
his splendor(T) is above the earth and the heavens.(U)
14 And he has raised up for his people a horn,[b](V)
the praise(W) of all his faithful servants,(X)
of Israel, the people close to his heart.(Y)
Praise the Lord.
Psalm 150
Praise God in his sanctuary;(B)
praise him in his mighty heavens.(C)
2 Praise him for his acts of power;(D)
praise him for his surpassing greatness.(E)
3 Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet,(F)
praise him with the harp and lyre,(G)
4 praise him with timbrel and dancing,(H)
praise him with the strings(I) and pipe,(J)
5 praise him with the clash of cymbals,(K)
praise him with resounding cymbals.
6 Let everything(L) that has breath praise the Lord.
Praise the Lord.
17 Your eyes will see the king(A) in his beauty(B)
and view a land that stretches afar.(C)
18 In your thoughts you will ponder the former terror:(D)
“Where is that chief officer?
Where is the one who took the revenue?
Where is the officer in charge of the towers?(E)”
19 You will see those arrogant people(F) no more,
people whose speech is obscure,
whose language is strange and incomprehensible.(G)
20 Look on Zion,(H) the city of our festivals;
your eyes will see Jerusalem,
a peaceful abode,(I) a tent(J) that will not be moved;(K)
its stakes will never be pulled up,
nor any of its ropes broken.
21 There the Lord will be our Mighty(L) One.
It will be like a place of broad rivers and streams.(M)
No galley with oars will ride them,
no mighty ship(N) will sail them.
22 For the Lord is our judge,(O)
the Lord is our lawgiver,(P)
the Lord is our king;(Q)
it is he who will save(R) us.
John and the Angel
6 The angel said to me,(A) “These words are trustworthy and true.(B) The Lord, the God who inspires the prophets,(C) sent his angel(D) to show his servants the things that must soon take place.”
7 “Look, I am coming soon!(E) Blessed(F) is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy written in this scroll.”(G)
8 I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things.(H) And when I had heard and seen them, I fell down to worship at the feet(I) of the angel who had been showing them to me. 9 But he said to me, “Don’t do that! I am a fellow servant with you and with your fellow prophets and with all who keep the words of this scroll.(J) Worship God!”(K)
10 Then he told me, “Do not seal up(L) the words of the prophecy of this scroll,(M) because the time is near.(N) 11 Let the one who does wrong continue to do wrong; let the vile person continue to be vile; let the one who does right continue to do right; and let the holy person continue to be holy.”(O)
18 I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this scroll:(A) If anyone adds anything to them,(B) God will add to that person the plagues described in this scroll.(C) 19 And if anyone takes words away(D) from this scroll of prophecy,(E) God will take away from that person any share in the tree of life(F) and in the Holy City, which are described in this scroll.
20 He who testifies to these things(G) says, “Yes, I am coming soon.”(H)
Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.(I)
The Birth of John the Baptist
57 When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son. 58 Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy.
59 On the eighth day they came to circumcise(A) the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zechariah, 60 but his mother spoke up and said, “No! He is to be called John.”(B)
61 They said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who has that name.”
62 Then they made signs(C) to his father, to find out what he would like to name the child. 63 He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s astonishment he wrote, “His name is John.”(D) 64 Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue set free, and he began to speak,(E) praising God. 65 All the neighbors were filled with awe, and throughout the hill country of Judea(F) people were talking about all these things. 66 Everyone who heard this wondered about it, asking, “What then is this child going to be?” For the Lord’s hand was with him.(G)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.