Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Psalm 74
Prayer for Israel
A Maskil of Asaph.(A)
1 Why have you rejected us forever, God?
Why does your anger burn
against the sheep of your pasture?(B)
2 Remember your congregation,
which you purchased long ago
and redeemed as the tribe for your own possession.(C)
Remember Mount Zion where you dwell.(D)
3 Make your way[a] to the perpetual ruins,
to all that the enemy has destroyed in the sanctuary.(E)
4 Your adversaries roared in the meeting place
where you met with us.[b]
They set up their emblems as signs.(F)
5 It was like men in a thicket of trees,
wielding axes,(G)
6 then smashing all the carvings
with hatchets and picks.(H)
7 They set your sanctuary on fire;
they utterly[c] desecrated
the dwelling place of your name.(I)
8 They said in their hearts,
“Let’s oppress them relentlessly.”
They burned every place throughout the land
where God met with us.[d](J)
9 There are no signs for us to see.
There is no longer a prophet.
And none of us knows how long this will last.(K)
10 God, how long will the enemy mock?
Will the foe insult your name forever?(L)
11 Why do you hold back your hand?
Stretch out[e] your right hand and destroy them!(M)
12 God my King is from ancient times,
performing saving acts on the earth.(N)
13 You divided the sea with your strength;
you smashed the heads of the sea monsters in the water;(O)
14 you crushed the heads of Leviathan;
you fed him to the creatures of the desert. (P)
15 You opened up springs and streams;(Q)
you dried up ever-flowing rivers.(R)
16 The day is yours, also the night;
you established the moon and the sun.(S)
17 You set all the boundaries of the earth;
you made summer and winter.(T)
18 Remember this: the enemy has mocked the Lord,
and a foolish people has insulted your name.(U)
19 Do not give to beasts the life of your dove;[f]
do not forget the lives of your poor people forever.(V)
20 Consider the covenant,(W)
for the dark places of the land are full of violence.(X)
21 Do not let the oppressed turn away in shame;
let the poor and needy praise your name.(Y)
22 Rise up, God, champion your cause!(Z)
Remember the insults
that fools bring against you all day long.(AA)
23 Do not forget the clamor of your adversaries,
the tumult of your opponents that goes up constantly.(AB)
David in Saul’s Court
14 Now the Spirit of the Lord had left Saul,(A) and an evil spirit sent from the Lord began to torment him, 15 so Saul’s servants said to him, “You see that an evil spirit from God is tormenting you. 16 Let our lord command your servants here in your presence to look for someone who knows how to play the lyre. Whenever the evil spirit from God comes on you, that person can play the lyre, and you will feel better.”(B)
17 Then Saul commanded his servants, “Find me someone who plays well and bring him to me.”
18 One of the young men answered, “I have seen a son of Jesse of Bethlehem who knows how to play the lyre. He is also a valiant man,(C) a warrior, eloquent, handsome, and the Lord is with him.”(D)
19 Then Saul dispatched messengers to Jesse and said, “Send me your son David, who is with the sheep.” 20 So Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread, a wineskin, and one young goat and sent them by his son David to Saul.(E) 21 When David came to Saul(F) and entered his service, Saul loved him very much, and David became his armor-bearer. 22 Then Saul sent word to Jesse: “Let David remain in my service, for he has found favor with me.” 23 Whenever the spirit from God came on Saul,(G) David would pick up his lyre and play, and Saul would then be relieved, feel better, and the evil spirit would leave him.
Satan Bound
20 Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven holding the key to the abyss(A) and a great chain(B) in his hand. 2 He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent who is the devil and Satan,[a](C) and bound(D) him for a thousand years. 3 He threw him into the abyss, closed it, and put a seal on it(E) so that he would no longer deceive the nations(F) until the thousand years were completed. After that, he must be released for a short time.
The Saints Reign with Christ
4 Then I saw thrones, and people seated on them who were given authority to judge.(G) I also saw the souls of those(H) who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus(I) and because of the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and who had not accepted the mark on their foreheads or their hands.(J) They came to life(K) and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.(L) 5 The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were completed.
This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed(M) and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! The second death(N) has no power[b] over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.(O)
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