Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Psalm 65[a]
For the director of music. A psalm of David. A song.
1 Praise awaits[b] you, our God, in Zion;(A)
to you our vows will be fulfilled.(B)
2 You who answer prayer,
to you all people will come.(C)
3 When we were overwhelmed by sins,(D)
you forgave[c] our transgressions.(E)
4 Blessed are those you choose(F)
and bring near(G) to live in your courts!
We are filled with the good things of your house,(H)
of your holy temple.
5 You answer us with awesome and righteous deeds,(I)
God our Savior,(J)
the hope of all the ends of the earth(K)
and of the farthest seas,(L)
6 who formed the mountains(M) by your power,
having armed yourself with strength,(N)
7 who stilled the roaring of the seas,(O)
the roaring of their waves,
and the turmoil of the nations.(P)
8 The whole earth is filled with awe at your wonders;
where morning dawns, where evening fades,
you call forth songs of joy.(Q)
9 You care for the land and water it;(R)
you enrich it abundantly.(S)
The streams of God are filled with water
to provide the people with grain,(T)
for so you have ordained it.[d]
10 You drench its furrows and level its ridges;
you soften it with showers(U) and bless its crops.
11 You crown the year with your bounty,(V)
and your carts overflow with abundance.(W)
12 The grasslands of the wilderness overflow;(X)
the hills are clothed with gladness.(Y)
13 The meadows are covered with flocks(Z)
and the valleys are mantled with grain;(AA)
they shout for joy and sing.(AB)
An Army of Locusts
Let all who live in the land tremble,
for the day of the Lord(D) is coming.
It is close at hand(E)—
2 a day of darkness(F) and gloom,(G)
a day of clouds(H) and blackness.(I)
Like dawn spreading across the mountains
a large and mighty army(J) comes,
such as never was in ancient times(K)
nor ever will be in ages to come.
3 Before them fire(L) devours,
behind them a flame blazes.
Before them the land is like the garden of Eden,(M)
behind them, a desert waste(N)—
nothing escapes them.
4 They have the appearance of horses;(O)
they gallop along like cavalry.
5 With a noise like that of chariots(P)
they leap over the mountaintops,
like a crackling fire(Q) consuming stubble,
like a mighty army drawn up for battle.
6 At the sight of them, nations are in anguish;(R)
every face turns pale.(S)
7 They charge like warriors;(T)
they scale walls like soldiers.
They all march in line,(U)
not swerving(V) from their course.
8 They do not jostle each other;
each marches straight ahead.
They plunge through defenses
without breaking ranks.
9 They rush upon the city;
they run along the wall.
They climb into the houses;(W)
like thieves they enter through the windows.(X)
10 Before them the earth shakes,(Y)
the heavens tremble,(Z)
the sun and moon are darkened,(AA)
and the stars no longer shine.(AB)
11 The Lord(AC) thunders(AD)
at the head of his army;(AE)
his forces are beyond number,
and mighty is the army that obeys his command.
The day of the Lord is great;(AF)
it is dreadful.
Who can endure it?(AG)
A Final Charge to Timothy
10 You, however, know all about my teaching,(A) my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, 11 persecutions, sufferings—what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch,(B) Iconium(C) and Lystra,(D) the persecutions I endured.(E) Yet the Lord rescued(F) me from all of them.(G) 12 In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,(H) 13 while evildoers and impostors will go from bad to worse,(I) deceiving and being deceived.(J) 14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it,(K) 15 and how from infancy(L) you have known the Holy Scriptures,(M) which are able to make you wise(N) for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.