Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
A Song About Rejoicing in God
149 Hallelujah!
Sing a new song to the Lord,
praising him where the godly gather together.
2 May Israel rejoice in its Maker,
and Zion’s descendants in their King!
3 May they praise his name with dancing,
chanting songs to him with tambourines and lyres.
4 For the Lord is pleased with his people;
he beautifies the afflicted with salvation.
5 May those he loves be exalted,
singing for joy on their couches.
6 Let high praises to God be heard[a] in their throats,
while they wield two-edged swords in their hands
7 as they bring retribution to nations
and punishment to peoples,
8 binding their kings with chains,
their officials with iron bands,
9 and executing the judgment written against them.
This is honor for all the ones he loves.
Hallelujah!
The Plague of Darkness
21 Then the Lord told Moses, “Stretch your hand toward the sky and there will be darkness over the land of Egypt, a darkness that one can feel.” 22 So Moses stretched his hand toward the sky, and there was thick darkness in all the land of Egypt for three days. 23 No one could see anyone else, nor could anyone get up from his place for three days. But there was light for all the Israelis in their dwellings.
24 Pharaoh called Moses and said, “Go serve[a] the Lord, but your flocks and your cattle are to remain. Even your little ones can go with you!”
25 Moses said, “You must let us have[b] sacrifices and burnt offerings to offer to the Lord our God. 26 And even our livestock must go with us. Not a hoof will be left behind because we will use[c] some of them to serve the Lord our God, and until we get there we won’t know what we need to serve[d] the Lord.”
27 The Lord made Pharaoh’s heart stubborn,[e] and he did not want to let them go. 28 Then Pharaoh told him, “Get away from me! Watch out that you never see my face again, because on the day you see my face, you will die!”
29 Moses said, “Just as you have said, I won’t see your face again!”
15 And how can people[a] preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are[b] those who bring the good news!”[c] 16 But not everyone has obeyed the gospel, for Isaiah asks, “Lord, who has believed our message?”[d] 17 Consequently, faith results from listening, and listening results through the word of the Messiah.[e]
18 But I ask, “Didn’t they hear?” Certainly they did! In fact,
“Their voice has gone out into the whole world,
and their words to the ends of the earth.”[f]
19 Again I ask, “Did Israel not understand?” Moses was the first to say,
“I will make you jealous
by those who are not a nation;
I will make you angry
by a nation that doesn’t understand.”[g]
20 And Isaiah boldly says,
“I was found by those who were not looking for me;
I was revealed to those who were not asking for me.”[h]
21 But about Israel he says,
“All day long I have held out my hands
to a disobedient and rebellious people.”[i]
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