Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
A psalm of thanksgiving.
100 Shout happily to the Lord, all the earth.
2 Serve the Lord cheerfully.
Come into his presence with a joyful song.
3 Realize that the Lord alone is God.
He made us, and we are his.[a]
We are his people and the sheep in his care.
4 Enter his gates with a song of thanksgiving.
Come into his courtyards with a song of praise.
Give thanks to him; praise his name.
5 The Lord is good.
His mercy endures forever.
His faithfulness endures throughout every generation.
Comfort My People
40 “Comfort my people! Comfort them!” says your God.
2 “Speak tenderly to Jerusalem and announce to it
that its time of hard labor is over
and its wrongs have been paid for.
It has received from the Lord double for all its sins.”
3 A voice cries out in the desert:
“Clear a way for the Lord.
Make a straight highway in the wilderness for our God.
4 Every valley will be raised.
Every mountain and hill will be lowered.
Steep places will be made level.
Rough places will be made smooth.
5 Then the Lord’s glory will be revealed
and all people will see it together.
The Lord has spoken.”
6 A voice called, “Call out!”
I asked, “What should I call out?”
“Call out: All people are like grass,
and all their beauty is like a flower in the field.
7 Grass dries up,
and flowers wither when the Lord’s breath blows on them.
Yes, people are like grass.
8 Grass dries up,
and flowers wither,
but our God’s word will last forever.”
9 Go up a high mountain, Zion.
Tell the good news!
Call out with a loud voice, Jerusalem.
Tell the good news!
Raise your voice without fear.
Tell the cities of Judah:
“Here is your God!”
10 The Almighty Lord is coming with power
to rule with authority.
His reward is with him,
and the people he has won arrive ahead of him.
11 Like a shepherd he takes care of his flock.
He gathers the lambs in his arms.
He carries them in his arms.
He gently helps the sheep and their lambs.
22 The angel showed me a river filled with the water of life, as clear as crystal. It was flowing from the throne of God and the lamb. 2 Between the street of the city and the river there was a tree of life visible from both sides. It produced 12 kinds of fruit. Each month had its own fruit. The leaves of the tree will heal the nations. 3 There will no longer be any curse. The throne of God and the lamb will be in the city. His servants will worship him 4 and see his face. His name will be on their foreheads. 5 There will be no more night, and they will not need any light from lamps or the sun because the Lord God will shine on them. They will rule as kings forever and ever.
Jesus Says: I’m Coming Soon
6 He said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true. The Lord God of the spirits of the prophets has sent his angel to show his servants the things that must happen soon. 7 I’m coming soon! Blessed is the one who follows the words of the prophecy in this book.”
8 I, John, heard and saw these things. When I had heard and seen them, I bowed to worship at the feet of the angel who had been showing me these things. 9 He told me, “Don’t do that! I am your coworker. I work with other Christians, the prophets, and those who follow the words in this book. Worship God!”
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