Saturday, February 13, 2016

Psalm 68







Psalm 68 (New International Version)

Psalm 68

For the director of music. Of David. A psalm. A song.

1 May God arise, may his enemies be scattered; may his foes flee before him.
2 As smoke is blown away by the wind, may you blow them away; as wax melts before the fire, may the wicked perish before God.

3 But may the righteous be glad and rejoice before God; may they be happy and joyful.

4 Sing to God, sing praise to his name, extol him who rides on the clouds [a]— his name is the LORD— and rejoice before him.

5 A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling.

6 God sets the lonely in families, [b] he leads forth the prisoners with singing; but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.

7 When you went out before your people, O God, when you marched through the wasteland, Selah

8 the earth shook, the heavens poured down rain, before God, the One of Sinai, before God, the God of Israel.

9 You gave abundant showers, O God; you refreshed your weary inheritance.

10 Your people settled in it, and from your bounty, O God, you provided for the poor.

11 The Lord announced the word, and great was the company of those who proclaimed it:

12 "Kings and armies flee in haste; in the camps men divide the plunder.

13 Even while you sleep among the campfires, [c] the wings of my dove are sheathed with silver, its feathers with shining gold."

14 When the Almighty [d] scattered the kings in the land, it was like snow fallen on Zalmon.

15 The mountains of Bashan are majestic mountains; rugged are the mountains of Bashan.

16 Why gaze in envy, O rugged mountains, at the mountain where God chooses to reign, where the LORD himself will dwell forever?

17 The chariots of God are tens of thousands and thousands of thousands; the Lord has come from Sinai into his sanctuary.

18 When you ascended on high, you led captives in your train; you received gifts from men, even from [e] the rebellious— that you, [f] O LORD God, might dwell there.

19 Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens. Selah

20 Our God is a God who saves; from the Sovereign LORD comes escape from death.

21 Surely God will crush the heads of his enemies, the hairy crowns of those who go on in their sins.

22 The Lord says, "I will bring them from Bashan; I will bring them from the depths of the sea,

23 that you may plunge your feet in the blood of your foes, while the tongues of your dogs have their share."

24 Your procession has come into view, O God, the procession of my God and King into the sanctuary.

25 In front are the singers, after them the musicians; with them are the maidens playing tambourines.

26 Praise God in the great congregation; praise the LORD in the assembly of Israel.

27 There is the little tribe of Benjamin, leading them, there the great throng of Judah's princes, and there the princes of Zebulun and of Naphtali.

28 Summon your power, O God [g] ; show us your strength, O God, as you have done before.

29 Because of your temple at Jerusalem kings will bring you gifts.

30 Rebuke the beast among the reeds, the herd of bulls among the calves of the nations. Humbled, may it bring bars of silver. Scatter the nations who delight in war.

31 Envoys will come from Egypt; Cush [h] will submit herself to God.

32 Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth, sing praise to the Lord, Selah

33 to him who rides the ancient skies above, who thunders with mighty voice.

34 Proclaim the power of God, whose majesty is over Israel, whose power is in the skies.

35 You are awesome, O God, in your sanctuary; the God of Israel gives power and strength to his people. Praise be to God!

Revelation 22



Revelation 22 (New International Version, ©2010)

Revelation 22

Eden Restored

1 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. 3 No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. 4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5 There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.
John and the Angel

6 The angel said to me, "These words are trustworthy and true. The Lord, the God who inspires the prophets, sent his angel to show his servants the things that must soon take place."
7 "Look, I am coming soon! Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy written in this scroll."

8 I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I had heard and seen them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who had been showing them to me. 9 But he said to me, "Don't do that! I am a fellow servant with you and with your fellow prophets and with all who keep the words of this scroll. Worship God!"

10 Then he told me, "Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this scroll, because the time is near. 11 Let the one who does wrong continue to do wrong; let the vile person continue to be vile; let the one who does right continue to do right; and let the holy person continue to be holy."

Epilogue: Invitation and Warning 12 "Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.
14 "Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city. 15 Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood. 16 "I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you[a] this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star."

17 The Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let the one who hears say, "Come!" Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.

18 I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this scroll: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to that person the plagues described in this scroll. 19 And if anyone takes words away from this scroll of prophecy, God will take away from that person any share in the tree of life and in the Holy City, which are described in this scroll.

20 He who testifies to these things says, "Yes, I am coming soon." Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.

21 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God's people. Amen.