Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Psalm 28
My Strength
Of David.
1 Lord, I call to you;
my rock, do not be deaf to me.(A)
If you remain silent to me,
I will be like those going down to the Pit.(B)
2 Listen to the sound of my pleading
when I cry to you for help,
when I lift up my hands
toward your holy sanctuary.(C)
3 Do not drag me away with the wicked,
with the evildoers,
who speak in friendly ways with their neighbors
while malice is in their hearts.(D)
4 Repay them according to what they have done—
according to the evil of their deeds.
Repay them according to the work of their hands;
give them back what they deserve.(E)
5 Because they do not consider
what the Lord has done
or the work of his hands,
he will tear them down and not rebuild them.(F)
4 The Lord my God says this: “Shepherd the flock intended for slaughter. 5 Those who buy them slaughter them but are not punished.(A) Those who sell them say, ‘Blessed be the Lord because I have become rich!’ Even their own shepherds have no compassion for them. 6 Indeed, I will no longer have compassion on the inhabitants of the land”—this is the Lord’s declaration. “Instead, I will turn everyone over to his neighbor and his king. They will devastate the land, and I will not rescue it from their hand.”(B)
7 So I shepherded the flock intended for slaughter, the oppressed of the flock.[a] I took two staffs, calling one Favor(C) and the other Union, and I shepherded the flock. 8 In one month I got rid of three shepherds. I became impatient with them, and they also detested me. 9 Then I said, “I will no longer shepherd you. Let what is dying die, and let what is perishing perish; let the rest devour each other’s flesh.” 10 Next I took my staff called Favor and cut it in two, annulling the covenant I had made with all the peoples. 11 It was annulled on that day, and so the oppressed of the flock[b] who were watching me knew that it was the word of the Lord. 12 Then I said to them, “If it seems right to you, give me my wages; but if not, keep them.” So they weighed my wages, thirty pieces of silver.(D)
13 “Throw it to the potter,”[c] the Lord said to me—this magnificent price I was valued by them. So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw it into the house of the Lord, to the potter.[d](E) 14 Then I cut in two my second staff, Union, annulling the brotherhood between Judah and Israel.
15 The Lord also said to me, “Take the equipment of a foolish shepherd. 16 I am about to raise up a shepherd in the land who will not care for those who are perishing, and he will not seek the lost[e] or heal the broken. He will not sustain the healthy,[f] but he will devour the flesh of the fat sheep(F) and tear off their hooves.
Celebration in Heaven
19 After this I heard something like the loud voice of a vast multitude(A) in heaven, saying,
Hallelujah!(B)
Salvation, glory, and power belong to our God,(C)
2 because his judgments are true[a] and righteous,(D)
because he has judged the notorious prostitute(E)
who corrupted the earth with her sexual immorality;
and he has avenged the blood of his servants
that was on her hands.(F)
3 A second time they said,
Hallelujah!
Her smoke ascends forever and ever!(G)
4 Then the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God,(H) who is seated on the throne, saying,
Amen! Hallelujah!(I)
5 A voice came from the throne, saying,
Praise our God,
all his servants, and the ones who fear him,
both small and great!(J)
6 Then I heard something like the voice of a vast multitude, like the sound of cascading waters,(K) and like the rumbling of loud thunder, saying,
Hallelujah, because our Lord God, the Almighty,
reigns!(L)
7 Let us be glad, rejoice, and give him glory,(M)
because the marriage of the Lamb has come,
and his bride has prepared herself.(N)
8 She was given fine linen to wear, bright and pure.(O)
For the fine linen represents the righteous acts of the saints.(P)
9 Then he[b] said to me,(Q) “Write: Blessed are those invited to the marriage feast(R) of the Lamb!” He also said to me, “These words of God are true.”(S)
The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.