Book of Common Prayer
Psalm 68
For the Music Director. A Psalm of David. A Song.
1 Let God arise, let His enemies be scattered;
let those who hate Him flee before Him.
2 As smoke is driven away,
You drive them away;
as wax melts before the fire,
so may the wicked perish before God.
3 But let the righteous be glad;
let them rejoice before God;
let them rejoice exceedingly.
4 Sing to God, sing praises to His name;
raise a song to Him who rides through the deserts—
His name is the Lord;
exult before Him.
5 A father of the fatherless, and a protector of the widows,
is God in His holy habitation.
6 God sets the deserted in families;
He brings out prisoners into prosperity,
but the rebellious dwell in a dry land.
7 O God, when You went forth before Your people,
when You marched through the wasteland, Selah
8 the earth shook;
the heavens also poured down rain
at the presence of God; even Sinai shook
at the presence of God, the God of Israel.
9 You, O God, sent plentiful rain;
You established Your inheritance when it was weary.
10 Your congregation has lived in it;
You, O God, by Your goodness have prepared for the poor.
11 The Lord gave the word;
great was the company of women who proclaimed it:
12 “Kings of armies flee; they flee!”
Even the women who were at home divided the spoil.
13 Though you sleep between the sheepfolds,
yet you will be like the wings of a dove overlaid with silver,
and its feathers with yellow gold.
14 When the Almighty scattered kings in it,
it was white as snow on Mount Zalmon.
15 The mountain of God is as the mountain of Bashan;
a mountain of many peaks like the mountain of Bashan.
16 Why are you envious, you mountains of many peaks?
This is the mountain which God desires to dwell in;
yes, the Lord will dwell in it forever.
17 The chariots of God are twice ten thousand, even thousands of thousands;
the Lord is among them, as in Sinai, in the holy place.
18 You have ascended on high,
You have led captivity captive;
You have received gifts from people,
yes, even from the rebellious,
that the Lord God might dwell among them.
19 Blessed be the Lord, who daily loads us with benefits,
even the God who is our salvation. Selah
20 That God is for us, the God of saving acts;
and to God the Lord belongs escape from death.
Elijah Ascends to Heaven
2 Then when the Lord was about to take Elijah up to heaven by a whirlwind, Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal. 2 Elijah said to Elisha, “Tarry here, I ask you, for the Lord has sent me to Bethel.”
But Elisha said to him, “As the Lord lives, and as you live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel.
3 The sons of the prophets who were at Bethel came out to Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that today the Lord is taking away your master from you?”
And he said, “Yes, I know. Keep silent.”
4 Elijah said to him, “Elisha, stay here, for the Lord has sent me to Jericho.”
And he said, “As the Lord lives, and as you live, I will not leave you.” So they entered Jericho.
5 The sons of the prophets who were at Jericho approached Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that today the Lord is taking away your master from you?”
And he said, “Yes, I know. Keep silent.”
6 Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here, for the Lord has sent me to the Jordan.”
And he said, “As the Lord lives, and as you live, I will not leave you.” And the two of them went on.
7 Fifty men of the sons of the prophets went and stood at a distance, and the two of them stood by the Jordan. 8 Then Elijah took his robe and rolled it up and struck the water, and it was divided from one side to the other. Then the two of them crossed on dry ground.
9 And as they were crossing, Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask for something, and I will do it for you before I am taken away from you.”
And Elisha said, “Let a double portion of your spirit be upon me.”
10 He said, “You have asked for a difficult thing, but if you see me when I am taken from you, it will happen to you. If not, it will not.”
11 As they continued walking and talking, a chariot of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them, and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. 12 Elisha was watching and crying, “My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and its horsemen!” And he did not see him again. Then he grabbed his own clothes and tore them in two pieces.
13 He picked up the robe of Elijah that fell from him, and he returned and stood on the bank of the Jordan. 14 And he took the robe of Elijah that fell from him, and struck the water, and said, “Where is the Lord, God of Elijah?” When he had struck the water, it parted from one side to the other, and Elisha crossed over.
15 When the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho saw him from far off, they said, “The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha.” And they came to meet him and bowed down to the ground before him.
The Scroll and the Lamb
5 Then I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a scroll written within and on the back, sealed with seven seals. 2 And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and to break its seals?” 3 But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look in it. 4 I began to weep loudly, because no one was found worthy to open and read the scroll, or to look in it. 5 Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep. Look! The Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals.”
6 I saw a Lamb in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, standing as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God, sent out into all the earth. 7 He came and took the scroll out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne. 8 When He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each one having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of saints. 9 And they sang a new song, saying:
“You are worthy to take the scroll,
and to open its seals;
for You were slain,
and have redeemed us to God by Your blood
out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation,
10 and have made us kings and priests unto our God;
and we shall reign on the earth.”
11 Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voices of many angels, numbering ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, 12 saying with a loud voice:
“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain,
to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength
and honor and glory and blessing!”
13 Then I heard every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that are in them, saying:
“To Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
be blessing and honor and glory and power,
forever and ever!”
14 The four living creatures said, “Amen.” And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshipped Him who lives forever and ever.
The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.