Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Psalm 93
God’s Eternal Reign
1 The Lord reigns! He is robed in majesty;
the Lord is robed, enveloped in strength.
The world is firmly established;
it cannot be shaken.(A)
2 Your throne has been established
from the beginning;[a]
you are from eternity.(B)
3 The floods have lifted up, Lord,
the floods have lifted up their voice;
the floods lift up their pounding waves.(C)
4 Greater than the roar of a huge torrent—
the mighty breakers of the sea—
the Lord on high is majestic.(D)
Daniel’s Vision of the Four Beasts
7 In the first year of King Belshazzar of Babylon, Daniel had a dream with visions in his mind(A) as he was lying in his bed. He wrote down the dream,(B) and here is the summary[a] of his account. 2 Daniel said, “In my vision at night I was watching, and suddenly the four winds of heaven(C) stirred up the great sea. 3 Four huge beasts(D) came up from the sea,(E) each different from the other.
4 “The first was like a lion(F) but had eagle’s wings. I continued watching until its wings were torn off. It was lifted up from the ground, set on its feet like a man, and given a human mind.
5 “Suddenly, another beast appeared, a second one, that looked like a bear.(G) It was raised up on one side, with three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. It was told, ‘Get up! Gorge yourself on flesh.’
6 “After this, while I was watching, suddenly another beast appeared. It was like a leopard(H) with four wings of a bird on its back. It had four heads,(I) and it was given dominion.
7 “After this, while I was watching in the night visions, suddenly a fourth beast(J) appeared, frightening and dreadful, and incredibly strong, with large iron teeth. It devoured and crushed, and it trampled with its feet whatever was left. It was different from all the beasts before it, and it had ten horns.(K)
8 “While I was considering the horns, suddenly another horn,(L) a little one, came up among them, and three of the first horns were uprooted before it. And suddenly in this horn there were eyes like the eyes of a human and a mouth that was speaking arrogantly.(M)
Interpretation of the Vision
15 “As for me, Daniel, my spirit was deeply distressed within me,[a] and the visions in my mind terrified me.(A) 16 I approached one of those who were standing by and asked him(B) to clarify all this. So he let me know the interpretation of these things:(C) 17 ‘These huge beasts, four in number, are four kings who will rise from the earth. 18 But the holy ones of the Most High will receive the kingdom and possess it forever, yes, forever and ever.’(D)
The One from Heaven
31 The one who comes from above(A) is above all. The one who is from the earth is earthly and speaks in earthly terms.[a] The one who comes from heaven is above all.(B) 32 He testifies(C) to what he has seen and heard, and yet no one accepts his testimony. 33 The one who has accepted his testimony has affirmed that God is true.(D) 34 For the one whom God sent speaks God’s words, since he[b] gives the Spirit(E) without measure. 35 The Father loves the Son(F) and has given all things into his hands.(G) 36 The one who believes in the Son has eternal life, but the one who rejects the Son[c] will not see life; instead, the wrath of God remains on him.(H)
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