Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Worship in the Splendour of Holiness
96 (A)Oh sing to the Lord (B)a new song;
sing to the Lord, all the earth!
2 Sing to the Lord, bless his name;
(C)tell of his salvation from day to day.
3 Declare his glory among the nations,
his marvellous works among all the peoples!
4 For (D)great is the Lord, and (E)greatly to be praised;
he is to be feared above (F)all gods.
5 For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols,
but the Lord (G)made the heavens.
6 Splendour and majesty are before him;
(H)strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.
7 Ascribe to the Lord, O (I)families of the peoples,
(J)ascribe to the Lord glory and strength!
8 Ascribe to the Lord (K)the glory due his name;
bring (L)an offering, and (M)come into his courts!
9 Worship the Lord in (N)the splendour of holiness;[a]
(O)tremble before him, all the earth!
10 Say among the nations, (A)“The Lord reigns!
Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved;
he will (B)judge the peoples with equity.”
11 Let (C)the heavens be glad, and let (D)the earth rejoice;
let (E)the sea roar, and all that fills it;
12 let (F)the field exult, and everything in it!
Then shall all (G)the trees of the forest sing for joy
13 before the Lord, for he comes,
for he comes (H)to judge the earth.
He will judge the world in righteousness,
and the peoples in his faithfulness.
Israel's Remnant Taunts Babylon
3 When the Lord has given you rest from your pain and turmoil and the hard service with which you were made to serve, 4 you will take up this (A)taunt against the king of Babylon:
“How the oppressor has ceased,
(B)the insolent fury[a] ceased!
5 The Lord has broken the (C)staff of the wicked,
the (D)sceptre of rulers,
6 (E)that struck the peoples in wrath
with unceasing blows,
that ruled the nations in anger
with unrelenting persecution.
7 The whole earth is at rest and quiet;
(F)they break forth into singing.
8 (G)(H)The cypresses rejoice at you,
(I)the cedars of Lebanon, saying,
‘Since you were laid low,
no woodcutter comes up against us.’
9 Sheol beneath is stirred up
to meet you when you come;
it rouses the shades to greet you,
all who were leaders of the earth;
it raises from their thrones
all who were kings of the nations.
10 (J)All of them will answer
and say to you:
‘You too have become as weak as we!
You have become like us!’
11 Your pomp is brought down to Sheol,
the sound of your harps;
maggots are laid as a bed beneath you,
and worms are your covers.
The Death of John the Baptist
14 (A)At that time (B)Herod the tetrarch heard about the fame of Jesus, 2 and he said to his servants, (C)“This is John the Baptist. He has been raised from the dead; that is why these miraculous powers are at work in him.” 3 For (D)Herod had seized John and bound him and (E)put him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife,[a] 4 because John had been saying to him, (F)“It is not lawful for you to have her.” 5 And though he wanted to put him to death, (G)he feared the people, because they held him to be (H)a prophet. 6 But when Herod's (I)birthday came, the daughter of Herodias danced before the company and pleased Herod, 7 so that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she might ask. 8 Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me the head of John the Baptist here on a platter.” 9 And the king was sorry, but because of his oaths and his guests he commanded it to be given. 10 He sent and had John beheaded in the prison, 11 and his head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother. 12 And (J)his disciples came and took the body and buried it, and they went and told Jesus.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.