Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
12 How blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord,
the people he chose to be his possession.
13 From heaven the Lord observes.
He sees all the children of Adam.
14 From his throne room he looks at all the inhabitants of earth.
15 He alone is the one who shapes all their hearts.
He understands all their deeds.
16 No king is saved by the great size of his army.
No hero is rescued by his great strength.
17 You cannot rely on a horse to save you.
Its great strength will not deliver you.
18 Look, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him,
on those who wait for his mercy.
19 He will deliver their souls from death.
He keeps them alive in famine.
Concluding Prayer
20 Our souls wait for the Lord.
He is our help and our shield.
21 Yes, in him our heart rejoices,
because we trust in his holy name.
22 May your mercy, O Lord, be on us,
even as we wait confidently for you.
Israel at Sinai
19 In the third month after the Israelites had left the land of Egypt, on that same day of the month, they came to the Wilderness of Sinai. 2 After they set out from Rephidim and came to the Wilderness of Sinai, they camped in the wilderness. Israel camped there in front of the mountain.
3 Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain, “This is what you are to say to the house of Jacob and to tell the people of Israel: 4 ‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. 5 Now if you will carefully listen to my voice and keep my covenant, then you will be my special treasure out of all the nations, although the entire earth is mine. 6 You will be my kingdom of priests and my holy nation.’ These are the words that you are to speak to the Israelites.”
7 Moses went and summoned the elders of the people, and he set before them all these words that the Lord had commanded him. 8 All the people answered together, “Everything that the Lord has said, we will do.”
Moses brought back the people’s words to the Lord. 9 The Lord said to Moses, “Look, I will come to you in a dense cloud so that the people will hear when I speak with you, and then they will always believe you.” Moses told the people’s words to the Lord.
The Holy Spirit Comes on Pentecost
2 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the rushing of a violent wind came from heaven, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw divided tongues that were like fire resting on each one of them. 4 They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, since the Spirit was giving them the ability to speak fluently.
5 Now there were godly Jewish men from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. 6 When this sound was heard, a crowd came together and was confused, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. 7 They were completely baffled and said to each other,[a] “Look, are not all these men who are speaking Galileans? 8 Then how is it that each of us hears them speaking in his own native language? 9 Parthians, Medes, and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, and of Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt, and the parts of Libya around Cyrene; visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes; 11 Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring in our own languages the wonderful works of God.”
The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved.