Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

145 I will exalt you, my God, O king,
and I will bless^[b] your name forever and ever.
² Every day I will bless you
and praise your name forever and ever.
³ Great is Yahweh, and very worthy of praise,
and his greatness is unsearchable.
⁴ One generation will laud your works to another,
and will declare your mighty deeds.
⁵ On the splendor of the glory of your majesty,
and on your wonderful deeds, I will meditate.
⁶ And they will speak of the power of your awesome deeds,^[c]
and I will tell of your greatness.^[d]
7 They will utter ^[e] the renown of your abundant goodness,
and they will proclaim with joy your righteousness.
⁸ Yahweh is gracious and compassionate,
slow to anger^[f] and great in loyal love.

³ The shields of his warriors are dyed red;
    The powerful men are dressed in scarlet.
The metal of the chariots^[a] shines like fire on the day of battle,^[b]
    and their spears quiver.
⁴ The chariots^[c] race madly through the streets;
    they rush back and forth in the public squares.
Their appearance like lightning bolts,
    they dart about like flashes of lightning.
⁵ He calls his officers;
    they stumble as they march;
they rush to her wall;
    they set the covering^[d] in place.
⁶ The gates of the river are opened;
    the palace trembles.
⁷ Her goddess is taken out and taken into exile;^[e]
    her maidservants moan like doves;
        they beat on their breasts.
⁸ Nineveh is like a pool of water without its water.^[f]
    As they flee,^[g] she cries, “Stop! Stop!”
        But there is no one who turns back.
⁹ Plunder the silver! Plunder the gold!
    There is no end to the spoils,^[h]
        an abundance of everything one could want!^[i]
10 Emptiness and plundering and devastation!
    Their hearts faint and their knees tremble,^[j]
        All their loins shake^[k] and all their faces turn^[l] pale.

¹¹ Where now is the den of the lions
    and the cave of the fierce lions?
There the lioness, the cub, and the lion once prowled,^[m]
    and no one disturbed them.^[n]
12 The lion tore apart enough prey for his cubs,
    he strangled prey for his lioness;
he filled his lair^[o] with prey
    and his den with mangled carcass.
¹³ “Look! I am against you!” declares^[p] Yahweh of hosts.
    “I will burn her chariots with fire;^[q]
        the sword will devour fierce lions.
    I will cut off your prey from the earth;
        the voice of your messengers will no longer be heard.”