Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Psalm 24
The King of Glory
Heading
By David. A psalm.
The King of Glory Owns the Whole World
1 The earth is the Lord’s
and everything that fills it,
the world and all who live in it,
2 because he founded it on the seas,
and he established it on the rivers.[a]
The King of Glory Is Served by a Holy People
3 Who may go up to the mountain of the Lord?
Who may stand in his holy place?
4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
whose soul is not set on what is false,
who does not swear deceitfully.
5 He will receive blessing from the Lord
and righteousness from the God who saves him.
6 Such are the people of Jacob who look for the Lord,
who seek your face.[b] Interlude
The King of Glory Comes
7 Lift up your heads, you gates.
Lift yourselves up, you ancient doors,
and the King of Glory will come in.
8 Who is this King of Glory?
The Lord strong and mighty,
the Lord mighty in battle.
9 Lift up your heads, you gates.
Lift up, you ancient doors,
and the King of Glory will come in.
10 Who is he, this King of Glory?
The Lord of Armies—he is the King of Glory. Interlude[c]
The Israelites Leave Sinai
11 On the twentieth day of the second month, in the second year, the cloud lifted up above the Dwelling of the Testimony. 12 The Israelites set out on their journey from the Wilderness of Sinai. The cloud settled in the Wilderness of Paran. 13 For the first time, they set out according to the command of the Lord through Moses.
14 First, the standard for the camp of Judah’s descendants set out according to their military units. Nahshon son of Amminadab was over Judah’s unit. 15 Nethanel son of Zuar was over the unit for the tribe of Issachar’s descendants. 16 Eliab son of Helon was over the unit for the tribe of Zebulun’s descendants.
17 The Dwelling was then taken down. The sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari set out, carrying the Dwelling.
18 The standard for the camp of Reuben set out according to their military units. Elizur son of Shedeur was over Reuben’s unit. 19 Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai was over the unit for the tribe of Simeon’s descendants. 20 Eliasaph son of Deuel was over the unit for the tribe of Gad’s descendants.
21 The Kohathites then set out, carrying the holy things. The others would set up the Dwelling before they arrived.
22 The standard for the camp of Ephraim’s descendants set out according to their military units. Elishama son of Ammihud was over Ephraim’s unit. 23 Gamaliel son of Pedahzur was over the unit for the tribe of Manasseh’s descendants. 24 Abidan son of Gideoni was over the unit for the tribe of Benjamin’s descendants.
25 The standard for the camp of Dan’s descendants, serving as the rear guard for the entire camp, set out according to their military units. Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai was over Dan’s unit. 26 Pagiel son of Ochran was over the unit for the tribe of Asher’s descendants. 27 Ahira son of Enan was over the unit for the tribe of Naphtali’s descendants.
28 This was the marching order for the Israelites, according to their military units. This is how they set out.
29 Moses said to Hobab, the son of Reuel the Midianite, Moses’ father-in-law, “We are setting out to the place about which the Lord promised, ‘I will give it to you.’ Come with us, and we will treat you well, for the Lord has promised good concerning Israel.”
30 Hobab said to him, “I will not go, but I will go to my own land and to my own relatives.”
31 Moses said, “Please do not leave us, because you know where we should camp in the wilderness. You can be our eyes. 32 If you will go with us, whatever good the Lord does for us, we will do for you.”
33 They set out from the mountain of the Lord on a three-day journey. The Ark of the Lord’s Covenant set out before them for that three-day journey to find a resting place for them. 34 The cloud of the Lord was over them by day, when they set out from the camp.
35 Whenever the ark set out, Moses would say, “Rise up, O Lord, and may your enemies be scattered! May those who hate you flee before you!” 36 When it came to rest, he would say, “Return, O Lord, to the countless thousands of Israel!”
John the Baptist Is Born
57 When the time came for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son. 58 Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they were rejoicing with her. 59 On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child. They wanted to call him Zechariah after the name of the father. 60 But his mother answered, “No. He will be called John.”
61 They said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who is called by this name.” 62 They made signs to his father, to see what he wanted to name him.
63 He asked for a writing tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” And they were all amazed.
64 Immediately Zechariah’s mouth was opened, his tongue was loosed, and he began to speak, praising God. 65 Fear came on all who lived around them. In the entire hill country of Judea people were talking about all these things. 66 And everyone who heard this took it to heart, saying, “What then will this child be?” Clearly, the hand of the Lord was with him.
Zechariah’s Song
67 His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied:
68 Blessed is the Lord, the God of Israel,
because he has visited us and prepared redemption for his people.
69 He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David,
70 just as he said long ago through the mouth of his holy prophets.
71 He raised up salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us,
72 in order to show mercy to our fathers by remembering his holy covenant,
73 the oath which he swore to Abraham our father,
74 to grant deliverance to us from the hand of our enemies,
so that we are able to serve him without fear,
75 in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.
76 And you, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High,
because you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,
77 to give his people the knowledge of salvation by the forgiveness of their sins,
78 because of God’s tender mercies,
by which the Rising Sun from on high will visit us,
79 to shine on those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the way of peace.
80 The child continued to grow and became strong in spirit. He lived in the wilderness until the day of his public appearance to Israel.
The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved.