Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
For the director of music. A psalm of David to the tune of “The Death of the Son.”
9 Lord, I will give thanks to you with all my heart.
I will tell about all the wonderful things you have done.
2 I will be glad and full of joy because of you.
Most High God, I will sing the praises of your name.
3 My enemies turn back.
They fall down and die right in front of you.
4 You have proved that I haven’t done anything wrong.
You have sat on your throne and judged fairly.
5 You have punished the nations. You have destroyed evil people.
You have erased their names from your book for ever and ever.
6 My enemies have been destroyed forever.
You have leveled their cities to the ground.
Even the memory of them is gone.
7 The Lord rules forever.
He has set up his throne so that he can judge people.
8 He rules the world in keeping with what is right.
He judges all its people fairly.
9 The Lord is a place of safety for those who have been treated badly.
He keeps them safe in times of trouble.
10 Lord, those who know you will trust in you.
You have never deserted those who look to you.
11 Sing the praises of the Lord. He rules from his throne in Zion.
Tell among the nations what he has done.
12 The God who pays back murderers remembers.
He doesn’t forget the cries of those who are hurting.
13 Lord, see how badly my enemies treat me!
Help me! Don’t let me go down to the gates of death!
14 Then I can give praise to you
at the gates of the city of Zion.
There I will be full of joy
because you have saved me.
A Vision of a Man Holding a Measuring Line
2 Then I looked up and saw a man. He was holding a measuring line. 2 “Where are you going?” I asked.
“To measure Jerusalem,” he answered. “I want to find out how wide and how long it is.”
3 The angel who was talking with me was leaving. At that time, another angel came over to him. 4 He said to him, “Run! Tell that young man Zechariah, ‘Jerusalem will be a city that does not have any walls around it. It will have huge numbers of people and animals in it. 5 And I myself will be like a wall of fire around it,’ announces the Lord. ‘I will be the city’s glory.’
A Vision of a Flying Scroll
5 I looked up again and saw a flying scroll.
2 “What do you see?” the angel asked me.
“A scroll flying in the air,” I replied. “It’s 30 feet long and 15 feet wide.”
3 He said to me, “A curse sent by the Lord is written on it. It is going out over the whole land. Every thief will be driven out of the land. That is what it says on one side of the scroll. Everyone who lies when promising to tell the truth will also be driven out. That is what it says on the other side. 4 The Lord who rules over all announces, ‘I will send the curse out. It will enter the house of the thief. It will also enter the house of anyone who lies when making a promise in my name. It will remain in that house and destroy it completely. It will pull down its beams and stones.’ ”
Final Teachings
12 Brothers and sisters, we ask you to accept the godly leaders who work hard among you. They care for you in the Lord. They correct you. 13 Have a lot of respect for them. Love them because of what they do. Live in peace with one another. 14 Brothers and sisters, we are asking you to warn certain people. These people don’t want to work. Instead, they make trouble. We are also asking you to encourage those who have lost hope. Help those who are weak. Be patient with everyone. 15 Make sure that no one pays back one wrong act with another. Instead, always try to do what is good for each other and for everyone else.
16 Always be joyful. 17 Never stop praying. 18 Give thanks no matter what happens. God wants you to thank him because you believe in Christ Jesus.
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