Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Psalm 113
Praise to the Merciful God
1 Hallelujah!
Give praise, servants of Yahweh;
praise the name of Yahweh.(A)
2 Let the name of Yahweh be praised
both now and forever.(B)
3 From the rising of the sun to its setting,
let the name of Yahweh be praised.(C)
4 Yahweh is exalted above all the nations,(D)
His glory above the heavens.(E)
5 Who is like Yahweh our God—
the One enthroned on high,(F)
6 who stoops down to look
on the heavens and the earth?(G)
7 He raises the poor from the dust
and lifts the needy from the garbage pile(H)
8 in order to seat them with nobles—
with the nobles of His people.(I)
9 He gives the childless woman a household,
making her the joyful mother of children.(J)
Hallelujah!
14 “I have kept silent from ages past;
I have been quiet and restrained Myself.(A)
But now, I will groan like a woman in labor,(B)
gasping breathlessly.
15 I will lay waste mountains and hills
and dry up all their vegetation.
I will turn rivers into islands
and dry up marshes.(C)
16 I will lead the blind by a way they did not know;(D)
I will guide them on paths they have not known.
I will turn darkness to light in front of them(E)
and rough places into level ground.(F)
This is what I will do for them,
and I will not forsake them.(G)
17 They will be turned back and utterly ashamed—
those who trust in idols
and say to metal-plated images:
You are our gods!(H)
Israel’s Blindness and Deafness
18 “Listen, you deaf!
Look, you blind, so that you may see.(I)
19 Who is blind but My servant,(J)
or deaf like My messenger I am sending?
Who is blind like My dedicated one,[a]
or blind like the servant of the Lord?
20 Though seeing many things,[b] you do not obey.
Though his ears are open, he does not listen.”(K)
21 The Lord was pleased, because of His righteousness,
to magnify His instruction and make it glorious.
Gabriel Predicts John’s Birth
5 In the days of King Herod(A) of Judea, there was a priest of Abijah’s division[a](B) named Zechariah. His wife was from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 6 Both were righteous in God’s sight,(C) living without blame(D) according to all the commands and requirements of the Lord. 7 But they had no children[b] because Elizabeth could not conceive,[c] and both of them were well along in years.[d]
8 When his division was on duty(E) and he was serving as priest before God, 9 it happened that he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and burn incense.(F) 10 At the hour of incense the whole assembly of the people was praying outside. 11 An angel of the Lord(G) appeared to him, standing to the right of the altar of incense. 12 When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and overcome with fear.[e] 13 But the angel said to him:
Do not be afraid,(H) Zechariah,
because your prayer has been heard.
Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son,
and you will name him John.(I)
14 There will be joy and delight for you,
and many will rejoice at his birth.
15 For he will be great in the sight of the Lord
and will never drink wine or beer.(J)
He will be filled with the Holy Spirit
while still in his mother’s womb.(K)
16 He will turn many of the sons of Israel
to the Lord their God.
17 And he will go before Him
in the spirit and power of Elijah,
to turn the hearts of fathers
to their children,(L)
and the disobedient
to the understanding of the righteous,
to make ready for the Lord a prepared people.(M)
18 “How can I know this?” Zechariah asked the angel. “For I am an old man, and my wife is well along in years.”[f]
19 The angel answered him, “I am Gabriel,(N) who stands in the presence of God,(O) and I was sent to speak to you and tell you this good news. 20 Now listen! You will become silent and unable to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their proper time.”
21 Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah, amazed that he stayed so long in the sanctuary. 22 When he did come out, he could not speak to them. Then they realized that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary. He kept making signs to them(P) and remained speechless. 23 When the days of his ministry were completed, he went back home.
24 After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived and kept herself in seclusion for five months. She said, 25 “The Lord has done this for me. He has looked with favor in these days to take away my disgrace(Q) among the people.”
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