Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
God Reigns
93 The Lord reigns! He is clothed in majesty;
the Lord is clothed,
and he is girded[a] with strength.
Indeed, the world is well established,
and cannot be shaken.
2 Your throne has been established since time immemorial;
you are king from eternity.
3 The rivers have flooded, Lord;
the rivers have spoken aloud,
the rivers have lifted up their crushing waves.
4 More than the sound of surging waters—
the majestic waves of the sea—
the Lord on high is majestic.
5 Your decrees are very trustworthy,
and holiness always befits your house, Lord.
20 He issued these orders to Hilkiah, Shaphan’s son Ahikam, Micah’s son Abdon, Shaphan the scribe, and the king’s personal assistant Asaiah: 21 “Go ask the Lord for me and for those who survive in Israel and in Judah about the words that we’ve read in this book that we found, because the wrath of the Lord that we deserve to have poured out on us is very great, since our ancestors haven’t obeyed the command from[a] the Lord that required us to do everything that is written in this book.”
Hilkiah Consults with Huldah, the Woman Prophet
22 So Hilkiah and the others who had received orders from the king went to visit Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Tokhath’s son Shallum, grandson of Hasrah. She was the king’s wardrobe supervisor, and she lived in Jerusalem’s Second Quarter. They asked her about what had happened. 23 In response, she replied:
“This is what the Lord God of Israel says: ‘Tell the man who sent you to me, 24 “This is what the Lord says: ‘Pay attention! I’m bringing evil to visit this place and its inhabitants—every single curse written in the book that they’ve been reading to the King of Judah. 25 Because they abandoned me and have burned incense to other gods, provoking me to become angry at everything they’re doing,[b] therefore my wrath is about to be poured out on this place, and it won’t be quenched.’”’
26 “Now tell the king of Judah who sent you to ask the Lord about this: ‘This is what the Lord God of Israel says about what you’ve heard: 27 “Because your heart was sensitive, and you humbled yourself before God when you heard what he had to say about this place and its inhabitants—indeed, because you humbled yourself before me, tore your clothes, and cried out to me, I have heard you,” declares the Lord. 28 “Look! I’m going to take you to your ancestors, and you will be buried in your grave in peace so that you won’t have to see all the evil that I’m going to bring to this place and to its inhabitants.”’”
So they all brought back this message to the king.
The Covenant is Renewed(A)
29 The king sent word to gather all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem. 30 Then the king went up to the Lord’s Temple, accompanied by the men of Judah, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the priests and descendants of Levi, and everyone else from the most important to the least important, and he read out loud[c] all the words of the book of the covenant that had been found in the Lord’s Temple. 31 While standing in his appointed place, the king made a public covenant with the Lord to follow the Lord, to keep his commandments, his testimonies, and his statutes, and to do so with all of his heart and soul, and to carry out what was written in the covenant contained in the book. 32 He also made everyone who was present in Jerusalem and Benjamin to stand in agreement with him. As a result, the inhabitants of Jerusalem reconfirmed the covenant of God, the God of their ancestors. 33 Josiah also removed all the detestable things from the territories that belonged to the people of Israel, and made everyone who lived in Israel to serve the Lord their God. For the rest of his life, they didn’t abandon their quest to follow the Lord God of their ancestors.
25 Now a man named Simeon was in Jerusalem. This man was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the one who would comfort Israel,[a] and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die[b] until he had seen the Lord’s Messiah.[c]
27 Led[d] by the Spirit, he went into the Temple. When the parents brought the child Jesus to do for him what was customary under the Law, 28 Simeon[e] took the infant[f] in his arms and praised God, saying,
29 “Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace
according to your promise,
30 because my eyes have seen your salvation,
31 which you prepared for all people to see—
32 a light that will reveal salvation[g] to unbelievers[h]
and bring glory to your people Israel.”
33 Jesus’[i] father and mother kept wondering at the things being said about him. 34 Then Simeon[j] blessed them and told Mary, his mother, “This infant is destined to cause many in Israel to fall and rise. Also, he will be a sign that will be opposed. 35 Indeed, a sword will pierce your own soul, too, so that the inner thoughts of many people might be revealed.”
36 Now Anna, a prophetess, was also there. She was a descendant of Phanuel from the tribe of Asher. She was very old, having lived with her husband for seven years after her marriage, 37 and then as a widow for 84 years. She never left the Temple, but continued to worship there night and day with times of fasting and prayer. 38 Just then she came forward and began to thank God and to speak about Jesus[k] to everyone who was waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.
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