Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
A psalm
Sing Praise to the King
98 Sing to the Lord a new song,
for he has done awesome deeds!
His right hand and powerful[a] arm[b]
have brought him victory.
2 The Lord has made his deliverance known;
he has disclosed his justice before the nations.
3 He has remembered his gracious love;
his faithfulness toward the house of Israel;
all the ends of the earth saw our God’s deliverance.
4 Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth!
Break forth into joyful songs of praise!
5 Sing praises to the Lord with a lyre—
with a lyre and a melodious song!
6 With trumpets and the sound of a ram’s horn
shout in the presence of the Lord, the king!
7 Let the sea and everything in it shout,[c]
along with the world and its inhabitants;
8 let the rivers clap their hands in unison;
and let the mountains sing for joy
9 in the Lord’s presence, who comes to judge the earth;
He’ll judge the world righteously;
and its people fairly.
God’s Promise to His Sinful People
10 On the twenty-fourth day[a] of the ninth month[b] of the second year of the reign of[c] King Darius, this message from the Lord came to Haggai the prophet: 11 “This is what the Lord of the Heavenly Armies says: ‘Ask the priests about what the Law says: 12 “If a man carries consecrated meat in the folds of his garment, and if his garment touches bread, stew, wine, oil, or any other edible thing,[d] will these things become consecrated?”’”[e]
The priests answered, “No.”
13 So Haggai responded, “If someone who is unclean[f] because of contact with a dead body were to touch any of these things, would they become unclean?”[g]
The priests responded, “They would be unclean.”[h]
14 Then Haggai answered, “‘That’s how I look at this people and this nation,’ declares the Lord. ‘And that’s how it is with everything they undertake[i] and with what they offer there—it is unclean.[j] 15 Pay attention[k] from now on to how things used to be before one stone had been laid upon another in the Temple of the Lord. 16 When someone came to a pile of grain to get 20 measures,[l] there were only ten. Or when someone approached the wine press to siphon out 50 measures, there were only 20. 17 I punished you and everything that you undertook[m]—with scorching wind, with mildew, and with hail, and you still did not return[n] to me,’ declares the Lord. 18 ‘Pay attention from now on, from this twenty-fourth day of the ninth month,[o] when the foundation of the Lord’s Temple was laid. Pay attention! 19 Is there seed left in the granary? Up until now, neither the vine, the fig tree, the pomegranate, nor the olive tree has borne fruit, but from this very day I will bless you.’”[p]
Pay Attention to God’s Word
16 When we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus, the Messiah,[a] we did not follow any clever myths. Rather, we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 For he received honor and glory from God the Father when these words from the Majestic Glory were spoken about him: “This is my Son, whom I love. I am pleased with him.” 18 We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the holy mountain. 19 Therefore we regard the message of the prophets as confirmed beyond doubt, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a lamp that is shining in a gloomy place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. 20 First of all, you must understand this: No prophecy in Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, 21 because no prophecy ever originated through a human decision. Instead, men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
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