Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Psalm 66
For the worship leader. A song.
1 Shout out to God, all the earth.
Erupt with joy to the one True God!
2 Sing of the glory due His name!
Offer Him the most magnificent praises!
3 Say to God, “All You have done is wondrous and causes fear!
Your power is mighty, and Your enemies pretend to submit to You.
4 The entire earth will bow down to worship You
and will sing glory-songs to You;
they will sing praises to Your name!
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5 Come and witness the True God’s endless works.
His miraculous deeds done on behalf of humanity inspire fear.
6 He transformed the sea into dry land;
our people passed through the river on foot!
Rejoice in Him; celebrate what He did there!
7 By His great might, He rules forever;
His eyes watch over all the nations,
so no one should go up against Him.
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8 Everyone, bless our True God!
Let praise-filled voices be heard near and far—at home and on foreign soil!
9 Praise the One who gives us life and keeps us safe,
who does not allow us to stumble in the darkness.
10 For You have put us to the test, O God;
You have refined us as silver is refined.
11 You trapped us with a snare;
You have laid upon our backs a heavy burden.
12 You allowed us to be conquered and let our enemies run over us.
We journeyed through dangers, through fire and flood,
But You led us finally to a safe place, a land rich and abundant.
25 The word of God concerning all of Judah again came to Jeremiah when Jehoiakim (son of Josiah), king of Judah, had reigned for four years. Meanwhile, the dreaded Nebuchadnezzar was in his first year as king of Babylon. 2 During these ominous days the prophet Jeremiah spoke to the citizens of Jerusalem and the people of Judah.
Jeremiah: 3 I have been warning you since the word of the Eternal started coming to me in the 13th year of King Josiah (son of Amon), ruler of Judah. For these last 23 years, I have been telling you again and again what was coming, but you never listened. 4 It wasn’t just me whom the Eternal sent. He sent you His servants, the prophets, again and again, but you never paid attention to them. You never listened as 5 they said, “Turn back from your evil ways and actions so you can live forever in this land the Eternal gave to you and your ancestors. 6 I will not harm you if you do not chase after other gods to serve and worship them or provoke Me to anger with the little idols your hands have made.”
Eternal One: 7 But you did not listen to Me or My prophets! Now I, the Eternal One, declare that you have stirred up My anger with the little idols your hands have made, and you have brought this harm upon yourselves. 8 Therefore, I, the Eternal, Commander of heavenly armies, declare that since you have not heard or obeyed My words, 9 I am about to summon the clans of the north along with King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon who serves Me. I will use them to punish this land and those of you who live in it. I will also use them against all the surrounding nations of Judah. I will destroy them completely, making them a place of horror, an object of scorn, a land of everlasting ruin. 10 I will silence any hint of laughter and joy, the sweet words of the bride and bridegroom at a wedding, the milling of grain and the lighting of a lamp. 11 It will all end, and this place will be a horrific wasteland. And these nations will serve the king of Babylon for 70 years.
The judgment of God is drawing near. Although Babylon is His instrument of judgment, this empire is not immune to His justice; she, too, will answer to God for her brutal treatment of God’s people. And so the focus of the prophecy shifts from Judah’s pain to the destruction of this now-emerging world power.
Eternal One (to Babylon): 12 When the 70 years of servitude are complete, I will then punish the king of Babylon, his people, and the land of Chaldea for their guilt. I, the Eternal, will make it a land of everlasting ruin. 13 All that I warned would happen to that land—all that Jeremiah prophesied against all the nations and is now written in this book—I will do. 14 For the mighty Babylonians will be turned into slaves for many nations and powerful kings; I will repay them according to what they have done and how they have treated My people.
13 Remember the words that you heard from me. Retain them as the model for healthy and sound teaching in the faith and love that are available in Jesus the Anointed. 14 As for the precious thing entrusted to you, protect it with the help of the Holy Spirit who dwells within us.
Paul singles out several individuals in this letter, some for praise, others for harsh criticism. Timothy is an example of one who stayed true to Jesus and His emissary, the imprisoned Paul. Later Paul mentions Hymenaeus and Philetus as victims of a cancer within the church who have turned from the truth. Demas, too, is drawn into the attractions of the world, while Alexander the coppersmith opposes their message. With so many who have abandoned and opposed Paul, it’s refreshing to hear of Onesiphorus, who—against all odds—has stayed true to Paul and often visits him in prison to keep up his spirits. Clearly the message is that many may fall away, but a few will continue to be strong for the Lord.
15 You may know by now that all those in Asia have turned their backs on me, including Phygelus and Hermogenes. 16-17 But Onesiphorus was not ashamed of my chains. So when he arrived in Rome, he searched for me and found me. May the Lord show mercy to his house because he has often stopped by to refresh my weary soul. 18 And may the Lord shower him with divine mercy on the last day. You are well aware of all he did to serve me in Ephesus.
The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.