Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Psalm 76
The God of Victory
Heading
For the choir director. With stringed instruments. A psalm by Asaph. A song.
God’s Fame
1 God is known in Judah. In Israel his name is great.
2 His shelter is in Salem. His dwelling place is in Zion.
God’s Victory
3 There he broke the flaming arrows, Interlude
the shield and the sword, and the weapons for battle.
4 You shine brightly as the Mighty One from the mountains full of prey.
5 The strong-hearted are plundered.
They have fallen into their final sleep.
Not one of the strong men can lift his hands.
6 At your rebuke,[a] O God of Jacob, both chariot and horses sleep.
7 You are to be feared, yes, you.
Who can stand before you at the time of your wrath?
8 From heaven you announced judgment.
The earth feared and was quiet
9 when you rose up to judge, O God, Interlude
and to save all the afflicted of the earth.
God’s Fame
10 Even the wrath of mankind[b] will bring you praise.
You wear what remains of your wrath like a belt.
11 Make vows to the Lord your God and fulfill them.
Let all who are around him bring tribute to the one who is fearsome.
12 He restrains the spirit of nobles.
He is fearsome against the kings of the earth.
19 Then I wanted to be certain about that fourth beast that was different from all the others. It was very frightening. Its teeth were iron, and its claws were bronze. It devoured and crushed, and whatever was left it trampled with its feet. 20 I also wanted to be certain about the ten horns on its head, about the other horn that came up, and about the three horns that fell to make room for it. What is more, that horn had eyes and a mouth that was speaking boastful things. Its appearance was greater than that of the other horns that were with it. 21 I kept watching, and that horn made war against the saints and prevailed over them, 22 until the Ancient of Days came, and judgment was rendered in favor of the saints of the Most High. Then the time came, and the saints took possession of the kingdom.
23 So this is what he said to me:
The fourth beast is the fourth kingdom that will come on the earth. It will be different from all the kingdoms. It will devour the entire earth, trample it, and smash it. 24 As for the ten horns—ten kings will arise from that kingdom, and another king will arise after them. He will be different from the previous ones, and he will humble three kings. 25 He will speak words against the Most High so that he will wear down the saints of the Most High. Moreover, he has plans to change times and the law. So the saints will be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time.
The Establishment of the Kingdom of God
26 Then the court will be seated, and the horn’s dominion will be taken away in order to destroy it and wipe it out forever. 27 But the kingdom and the dominion and the greatness of the kingdoms under all the heavens will be given to the people, to the saints of the Most High. His kingdom is an eternal kingdom, and all dominions will worship and obey him.
The Two Witnesses
11 Then a measuring rod like a staff was given to me. He said,[a] “Stand up and measure the incense altar and the temple of God and those who worship in it. 2 Exclude the outer court of the temple and do not measure it, because it has been given to the heathen. They will trample the holy city for forty-two months. 3 I will commission my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.”
4 These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that are standing before the Lord of the earth. 5 If anyone wants to harm them, fire is going to come out of their mouths and consume their enemies. If anyone should want to harm them, it is necessary that he be killed in this way.
6 These two have the authority to shut the sky so that no rain falls during the days when they are prophesying. They also have authority over the waters, to turn them into blood, and the authority to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they want.
The Beast That Kills the Two Witnesses
7 When they finish their testimony, the beast that comes up from the abyss will fight against them, conquer them, and kill them. 8 Their dead bodies will lie on the street of the great city, which spiritually[b] is called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified.
9 Some from the peoples, tribes, languages, and nations will look at their dead bodies for three and a half days and will not permit them to be placed in a tomb. 10 Those who dwell on the earth will also rejoice over them and celebrate by sending gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth.
11 After three and a half days the breath of life from God came into them. They stood on their feet, and a great fear fell on those who saw them. 12 And I[c] heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” They went up into heaven in a cloud, as their enemies watched them. 13 At that moment there was also a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city collapsed. Seven thousand people were killed by the earthquake, and the survivors were terrified and gave praise to the God of heaven.
14 The second woe is past. See, the third woe is coming soon.
The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved.