Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Adonai Magen
Psalm 7
1 A passionate song of David, which he sang to Adonai concerning Cush, a Benjamite.
2 Adonai my God, in You I have taken refuge.
Save me from each of my persecutors, and deliver me.
3 Otherwise he will rip me apart like a lion,
with no one to rescue me.
4 Adonai my God, if I have done this—
if there is guilt on my hands,
5 if I have paid back evil to anyone at peace with me,
or unjustly attacked my adversary,
6 then let the enemy chase me,
overtake me, and trample me into the ground,
leaving my honor in the dirt! Selah
7 Arise, Adonai, in Your anger,
arise against the fury of my enemies!
Awake for me!
You decreed justice.
8 Let an assembly of peoples gather around You
and return on high, above them.
9 Adonai judges the peoples.
Vindicate me, Adonai,
according to my righteousness and integrity in me.
10 Please, end the evil of the wicked
and sustain the righteous.
A just God examines hearts and minds.
11 My shield is God—
Savior of the upright in heart.
12 God is a righteous judge,
a God who is indignant every day.
13 If He does not relent,
He will sharpen His sword.
He has bent His bow and made it ready.
14 He prepares His own deadly weapons.
He makes His fiery arrows.
15 Look! The one pregnant with trouble conceives mischief
and brings forth deceit.[a]
16 He digs a pit, scrapes it out,
and then falls into the hole he has made.
17 His mischief will turn on his own head.
His violence will boomerang on his crown.
18 I will praise Adonai for His justice.
I sing praise to the Name of Adonai Elyon!
3 Esther again pleaded with the king, falling at his feet and weeping. She pleaded with him to stop the evil of Haman the Agagite and his plan that he had devised against the Jews. 4 Then the king extended the golden scepter to Esther, and she arose and stood before the king.
5 She said, “If it pleases the king, and if I have found favor before him and it seems right to the king, and if I am pleasing in his eyes, let an edict be written rescinding the dispatches devised by Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, which he wrote to destroy the Jews who are throughout the king’s provinces. 6 For how can I endure seeing the disaster that will fall on my people? How can I bear to see the destruction of my relatives?”
7 King Ahasuerus said to Queen Esther and Mordecai the Jew, “I have decided to give Haman’s estate to Esther and had him hanged on the gallows, because he stretched out his hand against the Jews. 8 Now write in the king’s name on behalf of the Jews what seems good to you and seal it with the king’s signet ring. For a decree that is written in the king’s name, and sealed with the king’s ring, cannot be revoked.”
9 So the king’s scribes were called at that time—on the 23rd day of the third month, the month of Sivan. It was written according to all that Mordecai commanded to all the Jews, as well as to the officials, governors and advisors of all the 127 provinces that stretch from India to Ethiopia. To each province it was written in its own script and in its own language, and also to the Jews in their own writing and language. 10 This decree was written in the name of King Ahasuerus, sealed with the king’s ring, and sent on horseback by couriers who rode on the king’s horses specially bred for their speed.
11 The king granted the right for Jews in every city to assemble themselves and to protect themselves—to destroy, kill and annihilate any army of any people or province that might attack them and their women and children, and to plunder their possessions. 12 The day appointed for this in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus was the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month Adar. 13 A copy of the written edict was distributed to every province and made known to the peoples of every nationality so that the Jews would be ready on that day to avenge themselves on their enemies.
14 The couriers that rode royal horses raced out, pressed on by the king’s command. The decree was also given out at the palace at Shushan.
15 Then Mordecai went out from the king’s presence in blue and white royal robes, with a large gold crown, and also a purple robe of fine linen. The city of Shushan shouted and rejoiced. 16 For the Jews there was light and gladness, joy and honor. 17 Throughout every province and throughout every city, wherever the king’s edict and his law went, the Jews had gladness and joy, banquets and holidays. Many peoples of the land became Jews, because the fear of the Jews had overcome them.
Victory Songs in Heaven
19 After these things, I heard something like the loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, shouting:
“Halleluyah![a]
Salvation and glory and power belong to our God.
2 For His judgments are true and just.[b]
For He has judged the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her whoring,
and has avenged the blood of His servants caused by her hand.”[c]
3 And a second time they shouted,
“Halleluyah!
The smoke from her goes up forever and ever!”[d]
4 Then the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who is seated on the throne, saying, “Amen! Halleluyah!”[e]
5 Then a voice came from the throne, saying:
“Praise our God,
all you His servants and
all who fear Him,
both the small and the great!”[f]
Wedding of the Lamb
6 Then I heard something like the voice of a great multitude—like the roar of rushing waters[g] or like the rumbling of powerful thunder—saying,
“Halleluyah!
For Adonai Elohei-Tzva’ot reigns!
7 Let us rejoice and be glad
and give the glory to Him!
For the wedding of the Lamb has come,
and His bride has made herself ready,[h]
8 She was given fine linen to wear, bright and clean!
For the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the kedoshim.”
9 Then the angel tells me, “Write: How fortunate are those who have been invited to the wedding banquet of the Lamb!” He also tells me, “These are the true words of God.”
Tree of Life (TLV) Translation of the Bible. Copyright © 2015 by The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society.