Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Psalm 63[a]
Thirst for God
1 A psalm of David. When he was in the wilderness of Judah.[b]
2 O God, you are my God,
for whom I have been searching earnestly.[c]
My soul yearns for you
and my body thirsts for you,
like the earth when it is parched,
arid and without water.
3 I have gazed upon you in the sanctuary
so that I may behold your power[d] and your glory.
4 Your kindness[e] is a greater joy than life itself;
thus my lips will speak your praise.
5 I will bless you all my life;
with uplifted hands[f] I will call on your name.
6 My soul[g] will be satisfied as at a banquet
and with rejoicing lips my mouth will praise you.
7 I think of you while I lie upon my bed,[h]
and I meditate on you during the watches of the night.
8 For you are my help,
and in the shadow of your wings I rejoice.[i]
19 This reply so infuriated Nebuchadnezzar against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego that his countenance became distorted. He ordered that the furnace was to be heated seven times more than customary, 20 and he commanded some of the strongest soldiers in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and hurl them into the fiery furnace.
21 The three young men were then bound while still wearing their cloaks, their trousers, their head coverings, and their other garments and thrown into the fiery furnace. 22 Because the king’s command was so urgent and the heat of the furnace was so intense, the raging flames killed the men who were carrying Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. 23 However, the three young men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell, bound, into the fiery furnace.
Two Inspired Additions of Prayer Texts
24 The Prayer of Azariah.[a] They walked amidst the flames, all the while singing hymns to God and blessing the Lord. 25 Azariah then stood up, surrounded by flames, and said this prayer:
26 “Blessed are you and deserving of all praise,
O Lord, the God of our fathers,
and glorious is your name forever.
27 For you have shown justice in all you have done for us;
all your deeds are true, all your ways are right,
and all your judgments are correct.
28 You have made proper judgments
in all that you have brought upon us
and upon Jerusalem, the holy city of our ancestors.
By a judgment, you have done all this
because of our sins.
29 “For we have sinned and broken your law
in our rebellion against you;
we have fallen short in every way.
30 We have neglected to obey your commandments
and have failed to do what you commanded for our own good.
To Smyrna.[a] 8 “To the angel of the Church in Smyrna,[b] write:
“ ‘These are the words of the First and the Last, who was dead and came to life again:
9 “ ‘ “I know of your hardships and your poverty, but in reality you are rich. I am aware of the slander of those who claim to be Jews but are actually members of the synagogue of Satan. 10 Do not be frightened when thinking about the sufferings that you will have to endure. The devil will throw some of you into prison so that you may be tested, and you will endure affliction for ten days. Remain faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.
11 “ ‘ “Whoever has ears should listen to what the Spirit says to the Churches. Anyone who is victorious will not be harmed by the second death.” ’
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