Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Psalm 149
Praise Him, All His People
Praise Him, All His People
1 Praise the Lord.[a]
The Church Triumphant
Sing to the Lord a new song.
Sing his praise in the congregation of his favored ones.
2 Let Israel rejoice in its Maker.
Let the people of Zion celebrate for their King.
3 Let them praise his name with dancing.
With hand drum and lyre let them make music to him.
4 For the Lord is pleased with his people.
He adorns the humble with salvation.
5 Let those he favors rejoice in honor.
Let them shout for joy on their beds.
The Church Militant
6 May high praise of God be in their throats,
and a two-edged sword in their hands,
7 to inflict vengeance on the nations
and punishments on the peoples,
8 to bind their kings with chains
and their nobles with iron shackles,
9 to carry out the judgment written against them.
This is the glory of all his favored people.
Praise the Lord.
The Fifth Plague: Death of Livestock
9 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh and say to him, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of the Hebrews, says: Let my people go so that they may serve me. 2 But if you refuse to let them go and keep holding them back, 3 watch out, because the hand of the Lord will bring a very severe disease on your livestock which is in the field. It will be on the horses, donkeys, camels, herds, and flocks. 4 But the Lord will make a distinction between the livestock of Israel and the livestock of the Egyptians so that not one of the Israelites’ livestock will die.’” 5 The Lord appointed a set time by saying, “Tomorrow the Lord will do this in the land.” 6 So the next day, that is what the Lord did, and all the livestock of the Egyptians died, but none of the livestock of the Israelites died. 7 Pharaoh checked and found out that not even one of the livestock of the Israelites had died. But Pharaoh’s heart was unyielding, and he did not let the people go.
Not a Burden
11 I have become a fool. You forced me. After all, I ought to be commended by you, because I was not inferior to the “super-apostles” in any way, even if I am nothing. 12 The signs of an apostle—signs and wonders and miracles—were performed among you with all perseverance. 13 For how were you treated worse than the other churches, except that I myself was not a burden to you? Forgive me for this wrong.
14 See, this is the third time I am ready to come to you, and I will not be a burden to you, because I do not seek your possessions, but you. After all, the children should not have to save up for their parents, but the parents for their children. 15 But I will very gladly spend and be completely spent on behalf of your souls. If I love you all the more, am I to be loved that much less? 16 But be that as it may, I did not burden you. Oh, but I was just being crafty and using deceit to exploit you, wasn’t I! 17 Did I ever take advantage of you through any one of the men I sent to you? 18 I urged Titus to go and sent our brother with him. Surely Titus did not take any advantage of you, did he? Did we not walk in the same spirit—in the very same footprints?
Paul’s Visit
19 Are you thinking that we are trying to defend ourselves to you all this time?[a] We are speaking in the sight of God in Christ. Dear friends, all these words are for your strengthening. 20 For I am afraid that when I arrive, I may not find you as I want you to be, and that you might not find me as you want me to be. I fear that there may be quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfishness, slander, gossip, pride, and disorder. 21 I fear that, when I arrive again, my God will humble me in regard to you, and I will have to grieve for many who sinned earlier and have not repented of the uncleanness, the sexual immorality, and the lewd sins they committed.
The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved.