Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

Joy in the Fellowship of God

A Psalm of David ^(A)when he was in the wilderness of Judah.

The Cloud and the Glory^(A)

^34 (B)Then the ^(C)cloud covered the tabernacle of meeting, and the ^(D)glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. ³⁵ And Moses ^(E)was not able to enter the tabernacle of meeting, because the cloud rested above it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. ^36 (F)Whenever the cloud was taken up from above the tabernacle, the children of Israel would ^[a]go onward in all their journeys. ³⁷ But ^(G)if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not journey till the day that it was taken up. ³⁸ For ^(H)the cloud of the Lord was above the tabernacle by day, and fire was over it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel, throughout all their journeys.

The Fall of Babylon the Great

18 After^(A) these things I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, ^(B)and the earth was illuminated with his glory. ² And he cried ^[a]mightily with a loud voice, saying, ^(C)“Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and ^(D)has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and ^(E)a cage for every unclean and hated bird! ³ For all the nations ^(F)have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, ^(G)and the merchants of the earth have become rich through the ^[b]abundance of her luxury.”

⁴ And I heard another voice from heaven saying, ^(H)“Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues. ^5 (I)For her sins ^[c]have reached to heaven, and ^(J)God has remembered her iniquities. ^6 (K)Render to her just as she rendered ^[d]to you, and repay her double according to her works; ^(L)in the cup which she has mixed, ^(M)mix double for her. ^7 (N)In the measure that she glorified herself and lived ^[e]luxuriously, in the same measure give her torment and sorrow; for she says in her heart, ‘I sit as ^(O)queen, and am no widow, and will not see sorrow.’ ⁸ Therefore her plagues will come ^(P)in one day—death and mourning and famine. And ^(Q)she will be utterly burned with fire, ^(R)for strong is the Lord God who ^[f]judges her.

The World Mourns Babylon’s Fall

^9 (S)“The kings of the earth who committed fornication and lived luxuriously with her ^(T)will weep and lament for her, ^(U)when they see the smoke of her burning, ¹⁰ standing at a distance for fear of her torment, saying, ^(V)‘Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! ^(W)For in one hour your judgment has come.’

^19 (A)“They threw dust on their heads and cried out, weeping and wailing, and saying, ‘Alas, alas, that great city, in which all who had ships on the sea became rich by her wealth! ^(B)For in one hour she ^[a]is made desolate.’

^20 (C)“Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you ^[b]holy apostles and prophets, for ^(D)God has avenged you on her!”