Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Psalm 66[a]
For the music director, a song, a psalm.
66 Shout out praise to God, all the earth!
2 Sing praises about the majesty of his reputation.[b]
Give him the honor he deserves![c]
3 Say to God:
“How awesome are your deeds!
Because of your great power your enemies cower in fear[d] before you.
4 All the earth worships[e] you
and sings praises to you.
They sing praises to your name.” (Selah)
5 Come and witness[f] God’s exploits![g]
His acts on behalf of people are awesome.[h]
6 He turned the sea into dry land;[i]
they passed through the river on foot.[j]
Let us rejoice in him there.[k]
7 He rules[l] by his power forever;
he watches[m] the nations.
Stubborn rebels should not exalt[n] themselves. (Selah)
8 Praise[o] our God, you nations.
Loudly proclaim his praise.[p]
9 He preserves our lives[q]
and does not allow our feet to slip.
47 “So the time will certainly come[a]
when I will punish the idols of Babylon.
Her whole land will be put to shame.
All her mortally wounded will collapse in her midst.[b]
48 Then heaven and earth and all that is in them
will sing for joy over Babylon.
For destroyers from the north will attack it,”
says the Lord.[c]
49 “Babylon must fall[d]
because of the Israelites she has killed,[e]
just as the earth’s mortally wounded fell
because of Babylon.[f]
50 You who have escaped the sword,[g]
go, do not delay.[h]
Remember the Lord in a faraway land.
Think about Jerusalem.[i]
51 ‘We[j] are ashamed because we have been insulted.[k]
Our faces show our disgrace.[l]
For foreigners have invaded
the holy rooms[m] in the Lord’s temple.’
52 Yes, but the time will certainly come,”[n] says the Lord,[o]
“when I will punish her idols.
Throughout her land the mortally wounded will groan.
53 Even if Babylon climbs high into the sky[p]
and fortifies her elevated stronghold,[q]
I will send destroyers against her,”[r]
says the Lord.[s]
54 Cries of anguish will come from Babylon,
the sound of great destruction from the land of the Babylonians.
55 For the Lord is ready to destroy Babylon,
and put an end to her loud noise.
Their waves[t] will roar like turbulent[u] waters.
They will make a deafening noise.[v]
56 For a destroyer is attacking Babylon.[w]
Her warriors will be captured;
their bows will be broken.[x]
For the Lord is a God who punishes;[y]
he pays back in full.[z]
57 “I will make her officials and wise men drunk,
along with her governors, leaders,[aa] and warriors.
They will fall asleep forever and never wake up,”[ab]
says the King whose name is the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.[ac]
58 This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies[ad] says,
Completing the Collection for the Saints
8 Now we make known to you, brothers and sisters,[a] the grace of God given to the churches of Macedonia, 2 that during a severe ordeal of suffering, their abundant joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in the wealth[b] of their generosity. 3 For I testify, they gave according to their means and beyond their means. They did so voluntarily,[c] 4 begging us with great earnestness for the blessing and fellowship of helping[d] the saints. 5 And they did this not just as we had hoped, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and to us by the will of God. 6 Thus[e] we urged[f] Titus that, just as he had previously begun this work,[g] so also he should complete this act of kindness[h] for you. 7 But as you excel[i] in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, and in all eagerness and in the love from us that is in you[j]—make sure that you excel[k] in this act of kindness[l] too.
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