Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Psalm 79
A psalm by Asaph.
1 O Elohim, the nations have invaded the land that belongs to you.
They have dishonored your holy temple.
They have left Jerusalem in ruins.
2 They have given the dead bodies of your servants
to the birds for food.
They have given the flesh of your godly ones
to the animals.
3 They have shed the blood of your people around Jerusalem
as though it were water.
There is no one to bury your people.
4 We have become a disgrace to our neighbors,
an object of ridicule and contempt to those around us.
5 How long, O Yahweh?
Will you remain angry forever?
Will your fury continue to burn like fire?
6 Pour your fury on the nations that do not know you,
on the kingdoms that have not called you.
7 They have devoured Jacob.
They have destroyed his home.
8 Do not hold the crimes of our ancestors against us.
Reach out to us soon with your compassion,
because we are helpless.
9 Help us, O Elohim, our savior, for the glory of your name.
Rescue us, and forgive our sins for the honor of your name.
10 Why should the nations be allowed to say,
“Where is their Elohim?”
Let us watch as the nations learn
that there is punishment for shedding the blood of your servants.
11 Let the groans of prisoners come into your presence.
With your powerful arm rescue those who are condemned to death.
12 Pay each one of our neighbors back
with seven times the number of insults they used to insult you, O Adonay.
13 Then we, your people, the flock in your pasture,
will give thanks to you forever.
We will praise you throughout every generation.
The Lord Will Teach the Nations(A)
4 In the last days the mountain of Yahweh’s house
will be established as the highest of the mountains
and raised above the hills.
People will stream to it.
2 Then many nations will come and say,
“Let’s go to the mountain of Yahweh,
to the house of the Elohim of Jacob.
He will teach us his ways so that we may live by them.”
The teachings will go out from Zion.
The word of Yahweh will go out from Jerusalem.
3 Then he will judge disputes between many people
and settle arguments between many nations far and wide.
They will hammer their swords into plowblades
and their spears into pruning shears.
Nations will never fight against each other,
and they will never train for war again.
4 They will sit under their grapevines and their fig trees,
and no one will make them afraid.
Yahweh Tsebaoth has spoken.
5 All the nations live by the names of their gods,
but we will live by the name of Yahweh our Elohim forever.
Seven Angels with Seven Plagues
15 I saw another sign in heaven. It was spectacular and amazing. There were seven angels with the last seven plagues which are the final expression of God’s anger.
2 Then I saw what looked like a sea of glass mixed with fire. Those who had won the victory over the beast, its statue, and the number of its name were standing on the glassy sea. They were holding God’s harps 3 and singing the song of God’s servant Moses and the song of the lamb. They sang,
“The things you do are spectacular and amazing, Lord God Almighty.
The way you do them is fair and true, King of the Nations.
4 Lord, who won’t fear and praise your name?
You are the only holy one,
and all the nations will come to worship you
because they know about your fair judgments.”
5 After these things I looked, and I saw that the temple of the tent containing the words of God’s promise was open in heaven. 6 The seven angels with the seven plagues came out of the temple wearing clean, shining linen with gold belts around their waists. 7 One of the four living creatures gave seven gold bowls full of the anger of God, who lives forever and ever, to the seven angels. 8 The temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and his power. No one could enter the temple until the seven plagues of the seven angels came to an end.
The Names of God Bible (without notes) © 2011 by Baker Publishing Group.