Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Psalm 108[a]
A song; a psalm by David.
1 My heart is confident, O Elohim.
I want to sing and make music even with my soul.[b]
2 Wake up, harp and lyre!
I want to wake up at dawn.
3 I want to give thanks to you among the people, O Yahweh.
I want to make music to praise you among the nations
4 because your mercy is higher than the heavens.
Your truth reaches the skies.
5 May you be honored above the heavens, O Elohim.
Let your glory extend over the whole earth.
6 Save us with your powerful hand, and answer us
so that those who are dear to you may be rescued.
7 Elohim has promised the following through his holiness:
“I will triumph!
I will divide Shechem.
I will measure the valley of Succoth.
8 Gilead is mine.
Manasseh is mine.
Ephraim is the helmet on my head.
Judah is my scepter.
9 Moab is my washtub.
I will throw my shoe over Edom.
I will shout in triumph over Philistia.”
10 Who will bring me into the fortified city?
Who will lead me to Edom?
11 Isn’t it you, O Elohim, who rejected us?
Isn’t it you, O Elohim, who refused to accompany our armies?
12 Give us help against the enemy
because human assistance is worthless.
13 With Elohim we will display great strength.
He will trample our enemies.
3 Samuel told the entire nation of Israel, “If you are returning to Yahweh wholeheartedly, get rid of the foreign gods you have, including the statues of the goddess Astarte. Make a commitment to Yahweh, and serve only him. Then he will rescue you from the Philistines.”
4 So the Israelites got rid of the statues of Baal and Astarte and served only Yahweh.
5 Then Samuel said, “Gather all the Israelites together at Mizpah, and I will pray to Yahweh for you.” 6 So the Israelites gathered together at Mizpah. They drew some water, poured it out in front of Yahweh, and fasted that day. They confessed, “We have sinned against Yahweh.” So Samuel judged Israel in Mizpah.
The Philistines Defeated
7 When the Philistines heard that the Israelites had gathered at Mizpah, the Philistine rulers came to attack Israel. The Israelites heard about the Philistine plan and were afraid of them. 8 The Israelites said to Samuel, “Don’t turn a deaf ear to us! Don’t stop crying to Yahweh our Elohim for us! Ask him to save us from the Philistines!”
9 Then Samuel took a lamb, one still feeding on milk, and sacrificed it as a burnt offering to Yahweh. Samuel cried to Yahweh on behalf of Israel, and Yahweh answered him. 10 While Samuel was sacrificing the burnt offering, the Philistines came to fight against Israel. On that day Yahweh thundered loudly at the Philistines and threw them into such confusion that they were defeated by Israel. 11 Israel’s soldiers left Mizpah, pursued the Philistines, and killed them as far as Beth Car.
12 Then Samuel took a rock and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer [Rock of Help] and said, “Until now Yahweh has helped us.”
13 The power of the Philistines was crushed, so they didn’t come into Israel’s territory again. Yahweh restrained the Philistines as long as Samuel lived. 14 The cities between Ekron and Gath which the Philistines took from Israel were returned to Israel. And Israel recovered the territory controlled by these cities from the Philistines. There was also peace between Israel and the Amorites.
15 Samuel judged Israel as long as he lived.
An Angel Overpowers the Devil
20 I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding the key to the bottomless pit and a large chain in his hand. 2 He overpowered the serpent, that ancient snake, named Devil and Satan. The angel chained up the serpent for 1,000 years. 3 He threw it into the bottomless pit. The angel shut and sealed the pit over the serpent to keep it from deceiving the nations anymore until the 1,000 years were over. After that it must be set free for a little while.
4 I saw thrones, and those who sat on them were allowed to judge. Then I saw the souls of those whose heads had been cut off because of their testimony about Yeshua and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or its statue and were not branded on their foreheads or hands. They lived and ruled with Christ for 1,000 years. 5 The rest of the dead did not live until the 1,000 years ended.
This is the first time that people come back to life. 6 Blessed and holy are those who are included the first time that people come back to life. The second death has no power over them. They will continue to be priests of God and Christ. They will rule with him for 1,000 years.
The Names of God Bible (without notes) © 2011 by Baker Publishing Group.