Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Psalm 104
1 Bless the Lord, O my soul!
O Lord my God, You are very great!
You are clothed with honor and majesty,
2 covering Yourself with light as a garment,
who stretches out the heavens like a tent curtain,
3 who lays the upper beams of His chambers on the waters above,
who makes the clouds His chariot,
who rides upon the wings of the wind,
4 who makes His angels as winds,
His ministers a flaming fire.
5 You laid the earth on its foundations,
so that it should never be moved.
6 You covered it with the deep as a garment;
the waters stood above the mountains.
7 At Your rebuke they fled;
at the sound of Your thunder they departed away.
8 The mountains rose up;
the valleys went down
to the place that You appointed them.
9 You set a boundary that they may not pass over,
that they may not again cover the earth.
24 O Lord, how manifold are Your works!
With wisdom You have made them all;
the earth is full of Your creatures—
35 Let sinners be consumed from the earth,
and let the wicked be no more.
Bless the Lord, O my soul!
Praise the Lord!
37 “At this also my heart trembles
and moves out of its place.
2 Hear attentively the thunder of His voice,
and the sound that goes out of His mouth.
3 He lets it loose under the whole heaven,
and His lightning unto the ends of the earth.
4 After it a voice roars; He thunders with His majestic voice,
and He does not restrain them when His voice is heard.
5 God thunders marvelously with His voice;
He does great things that we cannot comprehend.
6 For He says to the snow, ‘Come on the earth,’
likewise to the gentle rain and to the heavy rain of His strength.
7 He seals up the hand of every man,
that all men may know His work.
8 Then the beasts go into dens
and remain in their places.
9 Out of the south comes the whirlwind,
and cold out of the north.
10 By the breath of God frost is given,
and the broad waters are frozen.
11 Also He loads the thick clouds with moisture;
He scatters His bright clouds,
12 and they are turned about by His guidance,
that they may do whatever He commands them
upon the face of the inhabited earth.
13 He causes it to come, whether for correction,
or for His land or for mercy.
14 “Listen to this, Job; stand still
and consider the wondrous works of God.
15 Do you know when God dispatches them
and causes the light of His cloud to shine?
16 Do you know how the clouds are balanced,
the wondrous works of Him who is perfect in knowledge?
17 How your garments are warm,
when He quiets the earth by the south wind?
18 Have you, with Him, spread out the sky,
which is strong and is like a molded mirror?
19 “Teach us what we will say to Him,
for we cannot prepare our speech because of the darkness.
20 Will it be told Him that I speak?
If a man speaks, surely he will be swallowed up.
21 Now men do not see the bright light
which is in the clouds,
but the wind passes and cleanses them.
22 Fair weather comes out of the north;
with God is terrible majesty.
23 Concerning the Almighty, we cannot find Him out;
He is excellent in power, and in judgment,
and in much righteousness He will not oppress.
24 Men therefore fear Him;
He shows no partiality to those who are wise in heart.”
The Great Harlot and the Beast
17 One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and talked with me, saying to me, “Come, I will show you the judgment of the great prostitute who sits on many waters, 2 with whom the kings of the earth committed adultery, and the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her sexual immorality.”
3 Then he carried me away in the Spirit into the wilderness. I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast which was full of blasphemous names, having seven heads and ten horns. 4 The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the filth of her sexual immorality. 5 On her forehead a name was written:
MYSTERY,
BABYLON THE GREAT,
THE MOTHER OF PROSTITUTES
AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
6 I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus.
When I saw her, I marveled greatly. 7 Then the angel said to me, “Why do you marvel? I will tell you the mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her, which has the seven heads and the ten horns. 8 The beast, which you saw, was, and is not, and is to ascend out of the bottomless pit and go to destruction. Those who dwell on the earth whose names are not written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world will marvel when they see the beast that was, and is not, and is to come.
9 “Here is the mind which has wisdom: The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits. 10 They are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come; and when he comes, he must remain a little while. 11 Concerning the beast who was, and is not, he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and is going to destruction.
12 “The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have received no kingdom yet, but they will receive authority as kings for one hour with the beast. 13 These are of one mind and will give their power and authority to the beast. 14 These will wage war with the Lamb, but the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings. Those who are with Him are called and chosen and faithful.”
15 Then he said to me, “The waters which you saw, where the prostitute sits, are peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues. 16 These ten horns and the beast which you saw will hate the prostitute; they will make her desolate and naked, and devour her flesh, and burn her with fire. 17 For God has put in their hearts to fulfill His will, and to be of one mind, and to give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled. 18 The woman whom you saw is that great city, which reigns over the kings of the earth.”
The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.