Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
BOOK IV (Psalms 90-106)
A prayer by Moses, the godly man
Life is Short
90 Lord, you’ve been our refuge[a]
from generation to generation.
2 Before the mountains were formed
or the earth and the world were brought forth,
you are God from eternity to eternity.
3 You return people to dust
merely by[b] saying, “Return, you mortals!”
4 One thousand years in your sight are but a single day
that passes by, just like a night watch.
5 You will sweep them away while they are asleep—
by morning they are like growing grass.
6 In the morning it blossoms and is renewed,
but toward evening, it fades and withers.
7 Indeed, we are consumed[c] by your anger
and terrified by your wrath.
8 You have set our iniquities before you,
what we have concealed in the light of your presence.
9 All our days pass[a] away in your wrath;
our years fade away[b] and end like a sigh.
10 We live for 70 years,
or 80 years if we’re healthy,[c]
yet even in the prime years[d] there are troubles and sorrow.
They pass by quickly and we fly away.
11 Who can know the intensity of your anger?
Because our fear of you matches your wrath,
12 teach us to keep account of our days
so we may develop inner wisdom.
The End has Come
7 This message from the Lord arrived for me: 2 “Son of Man, this is what Lord God says to the land of Israel: ‘It’s over! All four corners of the land are out of time! 3 Your time is up! I’m sending my anger against you to judge you according to how you live your lives,[a] and I’m going to pay you back with the consequences of all your detestable practices. 4 I won’t be showing pity on you and I won’t be showing compassion. I’m going to turn your own lifestyles against you while your detestable practices remain among you. Then you’ll learn[b] that I am the Lord.’”
One Bad Thing after Another
5 “This is what the Lord God says: ‘It’s one evil event after another!
“‘Look out! It’s coming!
6 “‘The end is coming!
“‘The end is here!
“‘And it’s looking in your direction![c]
“‘Look out! It’s arrived!
7 “‘Your doom has come to you, you who live in the land. The time has arrived, and the day of confusion is near. There will be no shouts of joy on the mountains. 8 Very soon now, I’ll pour out my burning anger on you. I’ll complete expressing my anger at you, judge you according to your behavior, and repay you for all your detestable practices. 9 I won’t be showing pity or compassion. I’ll repay you according to your behavior while your detestable practices remain among you. And you’ll know that I, the Lord, have been attacking you.’”[d]
8 The fourth angel poured his bowl on the sun, which then was allowed to burn people with fire, 9 and they were burned by the fierce heat. They cursed the name of God, who has the authority over these plagues. They did not repent and give him glory.
10 The fifth angel poured his bowl on the throne of the beast. Its kingdom was plunged into darkness. People[a] gnawed on their tongues in anguish 11 and cursed the God of heaven because of their pain-filled sores. But they did not repent of their behavior.
12 The sixth angel poured his bowl on the great Euphrates River. Its water was dried up to prepare the way for the kings from the east. 13 Then I saw three disgusting spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. 14 They are demonic spirits that perform signs. They go to the kings of the whole earth and gather them for the war of the great Day of God Almighty.
15 “See, I am coming like a thief.
How blessed is the person who remains alert
and keeps his clothes on!
He won’t have to go naked
and let others see his shame.”
16 The spirits[b] gathered the kings[c] to the place that is called Armageddon in Hebrew.
17 The seventh angel threw the contents of[d] his bowl across the sky. A loud voice came from the throne in the Temple and said, “It has happened!” 18 There were flashes of lightning, noises, peals of thunder, and a powerful earthquake. There has never been such a powerful earthquake since people have been on the earth. 19 The great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. God remembered to give Babylon the Great the cup of wine filled with the fury of his wrath. 20 Every island vanished,[e] and the mountains could no longer be found. 21 Huge hailstones, each weighing about a talent,[f] fell from the sky on people, who cursed God because the plague of hail was so terrible.
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