Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Psalm 97
The Majestic King
1 The Lord reigns! Let the earth rejoice;
let the many coasts and islands be glad.(A)
2 Clouds and thick darkness surround Him;
righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne.(B)
3 Fire goes before Him
and burns up His foes on every side.(C)
4 His lightning lights up the world;
the earth sees and trembles.(D)
5 The mountains melt like wax
at the presence of the Lord—
at the presence of the Lord of all the earth.(E)
7 All who serve carved images,
those who boast in idols, will be put to shame.(H)
All the gods[a] must worship Him.(I)
The Tent Outside the Camp
33 The Lord spoke to Moses: “Go, leave here, you and the people you brought up from the land of Egypt, to the land I promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying: I will give it to your offspring.(A) 2 I will send an angel ahead of you and will drive out the Canaanites, Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites,[a] Hivites, and Jebusites.(B) 3 Go up to a land flowing with milk and honey. But I will not go with you because you are a stiff-necked people; otherwise, I might destroy you on the way.”(C) 4 When the people heard this bad news, they mourned and didn’t put on their jewelry.(D)
5 For the Lord said to Moses: “Tell the Israelites: You are a stiff-necked people. If I went with you for a single moment, I would destroy you. Now take off your jewelry, and I will decide what to do with you.” 6 So the Israelites remained stripped of their jewelry from Mount Horeb onward.
13 Brothers, I do not[a] consider myself to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind(A) and reaching forward to what is ahead, 14 I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God’s heavenly[b] call in Christ Jesus.(B) 15 Therefore, all who are mature should think this way. And if you think differently about anything, God will reveal(C) this also to you. 16 In any case, we should live up to whatever truth we have attained. 17 Join in imitating me, brothers, and observe those who live according to the example you have in us. 18 For I have often told you, and now say again with tears, that many live as enemies of the cross(D) of Christ. 19 Their end is destruction; their god is their stomach; their glory(E) is in their shame. They are focused on earthly things, 20 but our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. 21 He will transform the body of our humble condition into the likeness of His glorious(F) body,(G) by the power that enables Him to subject everything to Himself.
Practical Counsel
4 So then, my brothers, you are dearly loved and longed for—my joy and crown.(H) In this manner stand firm(I) in the Lord, dear friends.
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