Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
74 O God, why have You rejected us forever? Is Your wrath kindled against the sheep of Your pasture?
2 Think upon the congregation which You have possessed of old; and on the rod of Your inheritance which You have redeemed; and on this Mount Zion wherein You have dwelt.
3 Lift up Your feet to perpetual desolations. The enemy has broken everything in the Sanctuary.
4 Your adversaries roar in the midst of Your congregation and set up their banners for signs.
5 He who lifted the axes upon the thick trees was renowned as one who brought a thing to perfection.
6 But now they break down the carved work thereof with axes and hammers.
7 They have cast Your Sanctuary into the fire and razed it to the ground. They have defiled the dwelling place of Your Name.
8 They said in their hearts, “Let us destroy them altogether.” They have burnt all the synagogues of God in the land.
9 We do not see our signs. There has not been one Prophet, nor is there any with us who knows how long.
10 O God, how long shall the adversary reproach You? Shall the enemy blaspheme Your Name forever?
11 Why do You withdraw Your hand, even Your right hand? Draw it out of Your bosom and consume them!
12 For God is my King of old, working salvation in the midst of the Earth.
13 You divided the sea by Your power. You broke the heads of the dragons in the waters.
14 You broke the head of Leviathan in pieces and gave him to be food for the people in wilderness.
15 You broke up the fountain and river. You dry up mighty rivers.
16 The day is Yours and the night is Yours. You have prepared the light and the Sun.
17 You have set all the borders of the Earth. You have made Summer and Winter.
18 Remember this: the enemy has reproached the LORD and the foolish people have blasphemed Your Name.
19 Do not give the life of Your turtledove to the beast. Do not forget the Congregation of Your poor, forever.
20 Consider Your Covenant; for the dark places of the Earth are full of the habitations of the cruel.
21 O, do not let the oppressed return ashamed! Let the poor and needy praise Your Name.
22 Arise, O God! Maintain Your own cause! Remember Your daily reproach by the foolish man.
23 Do not forget the voice of Your enemies. The tumult of those who rise against You ascends continually. To him who excels: Do not destroy. A Psalm, or song, committed to Asaph
17 And when Ahab saw Elijah, Ahab said to him, “Are you he who troubles Israel?”
18 And he answered, “I have not troubled Israel, but rather you and your father’s House, in that you have forsaken the Commandments of the LORD, and you have followed Baal.
19 “Now, therefore, send and gather to me all Israel to Mount Carmel, and the four hundred fifty prophets of Baal, and the four hundred prophets of the groves who eat at Jezebel’s table.”
20 So, Ahab sent to all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together to Mount Carmel.
21 And Elijah came to all the people, and said, “How long will you hesitate between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him. But if Baal is, then go after him.” And the people did not answer him a word.
22 Then Elijah said to the people, “I only remain as a Prophet of the LORD! But Baal’s prophets are four hundred fifty men!
23 “Let them, therefore, give us two bulls! And let them choose one, and cut him in pieces, and lay him on the wood! But put no fire! And I will prepare the other bull, and lay him on the wood, and will put no fire!
24 “Then you call on the name of your god! And I will call on the Name of the LORD! And then the God Who answers by fire, let him be God!” And all the people answered, and said, “It is well spoken!”
25 And Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose a bull for yourselves, and prepare him first (for you are many) and call on the name of your gods. But put no fire.”
26 So, they took the one bull that was given to them. And they prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from morning to noon, saying, “O Baal! Hear us!” But there was no voice, nor anyone to answer. And they leapt upon the altar that was made.
27 And at noon, Elijah mocked them, and said, “Cry aloud. For he is a god. Either he talks or pursues or is on a journey. Or it may be that he sleeps, and must be awakened?”
28 And they cried loudly and cut themselves (as their manner was) with knives and lancers, until the blood gushed out upon them.
29 And when midday had passed, and they had prophesied until the offering of the sacrifice, there was neither voice nor one to answer nor any who paid attention.
30 And Elijah said to all the people, “Come to me!” And all the people came to him. And he repaired the Altar of the LORD that had broken down.
31 And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob (to whom the Word of the LORD came, saying, “Israel shall be your name”).
32 And with the stones he built an Altar in the Name of the LORD. And he made a ditch all around the Altar, as great as could contain two seahs of seed.
33 And he put the wood in order, and cut the bull in pieces, and laid him on the wood,
34 and said, “Fill four barrels with water and pour it upon the Burnt Offering and on the wood.” Again, he said, “Do so again.” And they did so a second time. And he said, “Do it a third time.” And they did it a third time.
35 And the water ran all around the Altar. And he filled the ditch with water also.
36 And when they were to offer the sacrifice, Elijah the Prophet came and said, “LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel! Let it be known this day, that You are the God of Israel, and that I am Your servant, and that I have done all these things at Your Commandment!
37 “Hear me, O LORD, hear me! And let this people know that You are the LORD God! And that You have turned their hearts back again!”
38 Then the fire of the LORD fell and consumed the Burnt Offering and the wood and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the ditch.
39 And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces, and said, “The LORD is God! The LORD is God!”
40 And Elijah said to them, “Take the prophets of Baal! Do not let a man of them escape!” And they took them. And Elijah brought them to the brook Kishon and killed them there.
7 And when the thousand years are over, Satan shall be let loose from his prison,
8 and shall go out to deceive the people who are in the four quarters of the Earth - even Gog and Magog - to gather them together to battle whose number is as the sand of the sea.
9 And they marched across the breadth of the Earth. And they surrounded the tents of the saints, and the beloved city. But fire came down from God, out of Heaven, and devoured them.
10 And the devil, who deceived them, was cast into a lake of fire and brimstone - where the beast and the false prophet are - and shall be tormented, day and night, for evermore.
11 And I saw a great white throne, and One who sat on it; from Whose face fled away both the Earth and Heaven, and their place was found no more.
12 And I saw the dead, both great and small, stand before God. And the books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged for those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
13 And the sea gave up the dead who were in her. And death and Hell delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one of them, according to their works.
14 And death and Hell were cast into the Lake of Fire. This is the second death.
15 And whoever was not found written in the Book of Life, was cast into the Lake of Fire.
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