Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Psalm 28
By David.
1 O Yahweh, I call to you.
O my rock, do not turn a deaf ear to me.
If you remain silent,
I will be like those who go into the pit.
2 Hear my prayer for mercy when I call to you for help,
when I lift my hands toward your most holy place.
3 Do not drag me away with wicked people,
with troublemakers who speak of peace with their neighbors
but have evil in their hearts.
4 Pay them back for what they have done,
for their evil deeds.
Pay them back for what their hands have done,
and give them what they deserve.
5 Yahweh will tear them down and never build them up again,
because they never consider what he has done
or what his hands have made.
6 Thank Yahweh!
He has heard my prayer for mercy!
7 Yahweh is my strength and my Magen.
My heart trusted him, so I received help.
My heart is triumphant; I give thanks to him with my song.
8 Yahweh is the strength of his people
and a fortress for the victory of his Messiah.[a]
9 Save your people, and bless those who belong to you.
Be their Roeh, and carry them forever.
4 This is what Yahweh my Elohim says: Take care of the sheep that are about to be slaughtered. 5 Those who buy them will kill them and go unpunished. Those who sell them will say, “Praise Yahweh! I’ve become rich!” Even their own shepherds will have no pity on them.
6 Yahweh declares, “I will no longer have pity on those who live in the land. I am going to hand the people over to their neighbors and their king, who will crush the land. And I won’t rescue any of them from their power.”
7 So I became the shepherd of the sheep that were to be slaughtered and also of the oppressed sheep. I took two shepherd staffs and named one Favor and the other Unity. And I took care of the sheep. 8 I got rid of three shepherds in one month. I became impatient with the sheep, and they also became disgusted with me. 9 So I said, “I won’t be your shepherd. Let those that are dying die. Let those that are missing stay missing. And let those that are left devour each other.”
10 Then I took my staff called Favor and broke it in pieces, to break the promise[a] that I had made to all the nations. 11 So it was broken on that day, and the oppressed among the sheep who were watching me realized that it was the word of Yahweh.
12 Then I said to them, “If it’s alright with you, pay me my wages. But if it’s not, don’t.” And they paid me my wages—30 pieces of silver.
13 Yahweh told me, “Give it to the potter.” So I took the 30 pieces of silver. Such a magnificent price was set by them! I gave the pieces of silver to the potter at the house of Yahweh.
14 Then I broke my second staff, called Unity, in pieces, to break off the brotherhood between Judah and Israel.
15 Then Yahweh said to me, “Use the equipment of a foolish shepherd again. 16 I’m about to place a shepherd in the land. He will not take care of those that are dying. He will not search for the young. He will not heal those that have broken their legs or support those that can still stand. But he will eat the meat of the fat animals and tear off their hoofs.
17 “How horrible it will be for the foolish shepherd who abandoned the sheep.
A sword will strike his arm and his right eye.
His arm will be completely withered.
His right eye will be completely blind.”
The Lamb’s Wedding
19 After these things I heard what sounded like the loud noise from a large crowd in heaven, saying,
“Hallelujah!
Salvation, glory, and power belong to our God.
2 His judgments are true and fair.
He has condemned the notorious prostitute
who corrupted the world with her sexual sins.
He has taken revenge on her for the blood of his servants.”
3 A second time they said, “Hallelujah! The smoke goes up from her forever and ever.” 4 The 24 leaders and the 4 living creatures bowed and worshiped God, who was sitting on the throne. They said, “Amen! Hallelujah!” 5 A voice came from the throne. It said, “Praise our God, all who serve and fear him, no matter who you are.”
6 I heard what sounded like the noise from a large crowd, like the noise of raging waters, like the noise of loud thunder, saying,
“Hallelujah! The Lord our God, the Almighty, has become king.
7 Let us rejoice, be happy, and give him glory
because it’s time for the marriage of the lamb.
His bride has made herself ready.
8 She has been given the privilege of wearing
dazzling, pure linen.”
This fine linen represents the things that God’s holy people do that have his approval.
9 Then the angel said to me, “Write this: ‘Blessed are those who are invited to the lamb’s wedding banquet.’” He also told me, “These are the true words of God.”
The Names of God Bible (without notes) © 2011 by Baker Publishing Group.