Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
God Loves Jerusalem
A song. A psalm of the sons of Korah.
87 The Lord built Jerusalem on the holy mountain.
2 He loves its gates more than any other place in Israel.
3 City of God,
wonderful things are said about you. Selah
4 God says, “I will put Egypt and Babylonia
on the list of nations that know me.
People from Philistia, Tyre, and Cush
will be born there.”
5 They will say about Jerusalem,
“This one and that one were born there.
God Most High will strengthen her.”
6 The Lord will keep a list of the nations.
He will note, “This person was born there.” Selah
7 They will dance and sing,
“All good things come from Jerusalem.”
God Judges the Nations
9 Announce this among the nations:
Prepare for war!
Wake up the soldiers!
Let all the men of war come near and attack.
10 Make swords from your plows,
and make spears from your hooks for trimming trees.
Let even the weak person say,
“I am a soldier.”
11 All of you nations, hurry,
and come together in that place.
Lord, send your soldiers
to gather the nations.
12 “Wake up, nations,
and come to attack in the Valley Where the Lord Judges.
There I will sit to judge
all the nations on every side.
13 Swing the cutting tool,
because the harvest is ripe.
Come, walk on them as you would walk on grapes to get their juice,
because the winepress is full
and the barrels are spilling over,
because these people are so evil!”
14 There are huge numbers of people
in the Valley of Decision,[a]
because the Lord’s day of judging is near
in the Valley of Decision.
15 The sun and the moon will become dark,
and the stars will stop shining.
16 The Lord will roar like a lion from Jerusalem;
his loud voice will thunder from that city,
and the sky and the earth will shake.
But the Lord will be a safe place for his people,
a strong place of safety for the people of Israel.
The Flock of God
5 Now I have something to say to the elders in your group. I also am an elder. I have seen Christ’s sufferings, and I will share in the glory that will be shown to us. I beg you to 2 shepherd God’s flock, for whom you are responsible. Watch over them because you want to, not because you are forced. That is how God wants it. Do it because you are happy to serve, not because you want money. 3 Do not be like a ruler over people you are responsible for, but be good examples to them. 4 Then when Christ, the Chief Shepherd, comes, you will get a glorious crown that will never lose its beauty.
5 In the same way, younger people should be willing to be under older people. And all of you should be very humble with each other.
“God is against the proud,
but he gives grace to the humble.” Proverbs 3:34
6 Be humble under God’s powerful hand so he will lift you up when the right time comes. 7 Give all your worries to him, because he cares about you.
8 Control yourselves and be careful! The devil, your enemy, goes around like a roaring lion looking for someone to eat. 9 Refuse to give in to him, by standing strong in your faith. You know that your Christian family all over the world is having the same kinds of suffering.
10 And after you suffer for a short time, God, who gives all grace, will make everything right. He will make you strong and support you and keep you from falling. He called you to share in his glory in Christ, a glory that will continue forever. 11 All power is his forever and ever. Amen.
The Holy Bible, New Century Version®. Copyright © 2005 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.