Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

(A psalm by David for the music leader. To the tune “The Death of the Son.”)

Sing Praises to the Lord

First Vision: Horses and Riders

^7-8 (A) On the twenty-fourth day of Shebat,^[a] which was the eleventh month of that same year,^[b] the Lord spoke to me in a vision during the night: In a valley among myrtle trees,^[c] I saw someone on a red horse, with riders on red, brown, and white horses behind him. ⁹ An angel was there to explain things to me, and I asked, “Sir, who are these riders?”

“I'll tell you,” the angel answered.

¹⁰ At once, the man standing among the myrtle trees said, “These are the ones the Lord has sent to find out what's happening on earth.”

¹¹ Then the riders spoke to the Lord's angel, who was standing among the myrtle trees, and they said, “We have gone everywhere and have discovered that the whole world is at peace.”

¹² At this, the angel said, “Lord All-Powerful, for 70 years you have been angry with Jerusalem and the towns of Judah. When are you ever going to have mercy on them?”

¹³ The Lord's answer was kind and comforting. ¹⁴ So the angel told me to announce:

I, the Lord All-Powerful, am very protective of Jerusalem. ¹⁵ For a while I was angry at the nations, but now I am furious, because they have made things worse for Jerusalem and are not the least bit concerned. ¹⁶ And so, I will have pity on Jerusalem. The city will be completely rebuilt, and my temple will stand again. ¹⁷ I also promise that my towns will prosper—Jerusalem will once again be my chosen city, and I will comfort the people of Zion.

God's Judgment Is Fair

2 ^(A) Some of you accuse others of doing wrong. But there is no excuse for what you do. When you judge others, you condemn yourselves, because you are guilty of doing the very same things. ² We know that God is right to judge everyone who behaves in this way. ³ Do you really think God won't punish you, when you behave exactly like the people you accuse? ^4 (B) You surely don't think much of God's wonderful goodness or of his patience and willingness to put up with you. Don't you know that the reason God is good to you is because he wants you to turn to him?

⁵ But you are stubborn and refuse to turn to God. So you are making things even worse for yourselves on that day when he will show how angry he is and will judge the world with fairness. ^6 (C) God will reward each of us for what we have done. ⁷ He will give eternal life to everyone who has patiently done what is good in the hope of receiving glory, honor, and life that lasts forever. ⁸ But he will show how angry and furious he can be with every selfish person who rejects the truth and wants to do evil. ⁹ All who are wicked will be punished with trouble and suffering. It doesn't matter if they are Jews or Gentiles. ¹⁰ But all who do right will be rewarded with glory, honor, and peace, whether they are Jews or Gentiles. ^11 (D) God doesn't have any favorites!