Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

Psalm 20

A Prayer for Victory for the King

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For the choir director. A psalm by David.

The People’s Prayer

The King’s Response

The People’s Prayer

The Cloud and the Dwelling

¹⁵ On the day that the Dwelling was set up, the cloud covered the Dwelling, that is, the Tent of the Testimony. The cloud over the Dwelling looked like fire from evening until morning. ¹⁶ It was always like this: The cloud would cover the Dwelling, and at night it looked like fire. ¹⁷ Whenever the cloud above the tent lifted up, the Israelites would set out. Wherever the cloud settled down, the Israelites would camp at that spot. ¹⁸ At the command of the Lord, the Israelites set out, and at the command of the Lord they set up camp. For the entire time that the cloud settled over the Dwelling, they would keep their camp at that place. ¹⁹ When the cloud stayed over the Dwelling for many days, the Israelites would keep the Lord’s order and would not set out. ²⁰ Sometimes the cloud would be over the Dwelling for only a few days. Then according to the command of the Lord the Israelites would remain camped at that place. Then at the command of the Lord they would set out again. ²¹ Sometimes the cloud was over the Dwelling only from evening until morning. So when the cloud lifted up in the morning, they set out. Whether by day or by night, when the cloud lifted up, they set out. ²² Whether it was two days, a month, or a year that the cloud stayed settled over the Dwelling, the Israelites remained camped at that place and did not set out. But when it lifted up, they set out. ²³ At the command of the Lord they camped, and at the command of the Lord they set out. They kept the Lord’s order, following the command of the Lord given through Moses.

John’s Vision of God

4 After these things I looked, and there was a door opened in heaven! And the first voice that I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must happen after these things.” ² Immediately I was in spirit. And look! A throne was standing in heaven, and someone was sitting on the throne. ³ The one who was sitting there looked like a jasper stone and a ruby.^[a] Around the throne there was a rainbow that looked like an emerald.

⁴ Also around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and sitting on those thrones were twenty-four elders dressed in white garments, with gold crowns on their heads. ⁵ Out of the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings, and crashes of thunder. In front of the throne seven flaming lamps were burning, which are the seven spirits of God. ⁶ Also in front of the throne was something resembling a glassy sea, which was like crystal.

In the middle, near the throne and around the throne, there were four living creatures, full of eyes in front and in back. ⁷ The first living creature was like a lion, the second living creature was like an ox, the third living creature had a face like a man, and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle. ⁸ Each one of the four living creatures had six wings, and the wings were full of eyes all around and underneath.^[b] Day and night, without pause, they keep saying: