Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

Psalm 108

A Plea for Victory

A song. A psalm of David.

³ Samuel told them, “If you^(A) are returning to the Lord^(B) with all your heart,^(C) get rid of the foreign gods^(D) and the Ashtoreths that are among you, set your hearts on the Lord, and worship only him.^(E) Then he will rescue you from the Philistines.” ⁴ So the Israelites removed the Baals and the Ashtoreths^(F) and only worshiped the Lord.

⁵ Samuel said, “Gather all Israel at Mizpah,^(G) and I will pray to the Lord on your behalf.”^{(H) 6} When they gathered at Mizpah, they drew water and poured it out in the Lord’s presence.^(I) They fasted that day,^(J) and there they confessed, “We have sinned against the Lord.”^(K) And Samuel judged the Israelites at Mizpah.

⁷ When the Philistines heard that the Israelites had gathered at Mizpah, their rulers marched up toward Israel. When the Israelites heard about it, they were afraid because of the Philistines. ⁸ The Israelites said to Samuel, “Don’t stop crying out to the Lord our God for us, so that he will save us from the Philistines.”

⁹ Then Samuel took a young lamb^(L) and offered it as a whole burnt offering to the Lord. He cried out to the Lord on behalf of Israel, and the Lord answered him.^{(M) 10} Samuel was offering the burnt offering as the Philistines approached to fight against Israel. The Lord thundered loudly^(N) against the Philistines that day and threw them into such confusion that they were defeated by Israel.^{(O) 11} Then the men of Israel charged out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines striking them down all the way to a place below Beth-car.

¹² Afterward, Samuel took a stone and set it upright^(P) between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer,^[a] explaining, “The Lord has helped us to this point.” ¹³ So the Philistines were subdued^(Q) and^[b] did not invade Israel’s territory again.^(R) The Lord’s hand was against the Philistines all of Samuel’s life. ¹⁴ The cities from Ekron to Gath, which they had taken from Israel, were restored; Israel even rescued their surrounding territories from Philistine control. There was also peace between Israel and the Amorites.

¹⁵ Samuel judged Israel throughout his life.^(S)

Satan Bound

20 Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven holding the key to the abyss^(A) and a great chain^(B) in his hand. ² He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent who is the devil and Satan,^[a](C) and bound^(D) him for a thousand years. ³ He threw him into the abyss, closed it, and put a seal on it^(E) so that he would no longer deceive the nations^(F) until the thousand years were completed. After that, he must be released for a short time.

The Saints Reign with Christ

⁴ Then I saw thrones, and people seated on them who were given authority to judge.^(G) I also saw the souls of those^(H) who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus^(I) and because of the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and who had not accepted the mark on their foreheads or their hands.^(J) They came to life^(K) and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.^{(L) 5} The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were completed.

This is the first resurrection. ⁶ Blessed^(M) and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! The second death^(N) has no power^[b] over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.^(O)