November 5: Psalms 75–76; Psalm 23; Psalm 27; Ecclesiasticus 51:1-12; Revelation 18:1–14; Luke 14:1–11

Proper 26

First Psalm:

Psalms 75–76

Psalms 75–76 (Listen)
God Will Judge with Equity
To the choirmaster: according to Do Not Destroy. A Psalm of Asaph. A Song.

75   We give thanks to you, O God;
    we give thanks, for your name is near.
  We1 recount your wondrous deeds.

2   “At the set time that I appoint
    I will judge with equity.
3   When the earth totters, and all its inhabitants,
    it is I who keep steady its pillars. Selah
4   I say to the boastful, ‘Do not boast,’
    and to the wicked, ‘Do not lift up your horn;
5   do not lift up your horn on high,
    or speak with haughty neck.’”

6   For not from the east or from the west
    and not from the wilderness comes lifting up,
7   but it is God who executes judgment,
    putting down one and lifting up another.
8   For in the hand of the LORD there is a cup
    with foaming wine, well mixed,
  and he pours out from it,
    and all the wicked of the earth
    shall drain it down to the dregs.

9   But I will declare it forever;
    I will sing praises to the God of Jacob.
10   All the horns of the wicked I will cut off,
    but the horns of the righteous shall be lifted up.

Who Can Stand Before You?
To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments. A Psalm of Asaph. A Song.

76   In Judah God is known;
    his name is great in Israel.
2   His abode has been established in Salem,
    his dwelling place in Zion.
3   There he broke the flashing arrows,
    the shield, the sword, and the weapons of war. Selah

4   Glorious are you, more majestic
    than the mountains full of prey.
5   The stouthearted were stripped of their spoil;
    they sank into sleep;
  all the men of war
    were unable to use their hands.
6   At your rebuke, O God of Jacob,
    both rider and horse lay stunned.

7   But you, you are to be feared!
    Who can stand before you
    when once your anger is roused?
8   From the heavens you uttered judgment;
    the earth feared and was still,
9   when God arose to establish judgment,
    to save all the humble of the earth. Selah

10   Surely the wrath of man shall praise you;
    the remnant2 of wrath you will put on like a belt.
11   Make your vows to the LORD your God and perform them;
    let all around him bring gifts
    to him who is to be feared,
12   who cuts off the spirit of princes,
    who is to be feared by the kings of the earth.

Footnotes

[1] 75:1 Hebrew They


[2] 76:10 Or extremity

(ESV)

Second Psalm:

Psalm 23; Psalm 27

Psalm 23 (Listen)
The Lord Is My Shepherd
A Psalm of David.

23   The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2     He makes me lie down in green pastures.
  He leads me beside still waters.1
3     He restores my soul.
  He leads me in paths of righteousness2
    for his name’s sake.

4   Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,3
    I will fear no evil,
  for you are with me;
    your rod and your staff,
    they comfort me.

5   You prepare a table before me
    in the presence of my enemies;
  you anoint my head with oil;
    my cup overflows.
6   Surely4 goodness and mercy5 shall follow me
    all the days of my life,
  and I shall dwell6 in the house of the LORD
    forever.7

Footnotes

[1] 23:2 Hebrew beside waters of rest


[2] 23:3 Or in right paths


[3] 23:4 Or the valley of deep darkness


[4] 23:6 Or Only


[5] 23:6 Or steadfast love


[6] 23:6 Or shall return to dwell


[7] 23:6 Hebrew for length of days

(ESV)

Psalm 27 (Listen)
The Lord Is My Light and My Salvation
Of David.

27   The LORD is my light and my salvation;
    whom shall I fear?
  The LORD is the stronghold1 of my life;
    of whom shall I be afraid?

2   When evildoers assail me
    to eat up my flesh,
  my adversaries and foes,
    it is they who stumble and fall.

3   Though an army encamp against me,
    my heart shall not fear;
  though war arise against me,
    yet2 I will be confident.

4   One thing have I asked of the LORD,
    that will I seek after:
  that I may dwell in the house of the LORD
    all the days of my life,
  to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD
    and to inquire3 in his temple.

5   For he will hide me in his shelter
    in the day of trouble;
  he will conceal me under the cover of his tent;
    he will lift me high upon a rock.

6   And now my head shall be lifted up
    above my enemies all around me,
  and I will offer in his tent
    sacrifices with shouts of joy;
  I will sing and make melody to the LORD.

7   Hear, O LORD, when I cry aloud;
    be gracious to me and answer me!
8   You have said, “Seek4 my face.”
  My heart says to you,
    “Your face, LORD, do I seek.”5
9     Hide not your face from me.
  Turn not your servant away in anger,
    O you who have been my help.
  Cast me not off; forsake me not,
    O God of my salvation!
10   For my father and my mother have forsaken me,
    but the LORD will take me in.

11   Teach me your way, O LORD,
    and lead me on a level path
    because of my enemies.
12   Give me not up to the will of my adversaries;
    for false witnesses have risen against me,
    and they breathe out violence.

13   I believe that I shall look6 upon the goodness of the LORD
    in the land of the living!
14   Wait for the LORD;
    be strong, and let your heart take courage;
    wait for the LORD!

Footnotes

[1] 27:1 Or refuge


[2] 27:3 Or in this


[3] 27:4 Or meditate


[4] 27:8 The command (seek) is addressed to more than one person


[5] 27:8 The meaning of the Hebrew verse is uncertain


[6] 27:13 Other Hebrew manuscripts Oh! Had I not believed that I would look

(ESV)

Old Testament:

Ecclesiasticus 51:1-12

New Testament:

Revelation 18:1–14

Revelation 18:1–14 (Listen)
The Fall of Babylon

18 After this I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was made bright with his glory. 2 And he called out with a mighty voice,

  “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great!
    She has become a dwelling place for demons,
  a haunt for every unclean spirit,
    a haunt for every unclean bird,
    a haunt for every unclean and detestable beast.
3   For all nations have drunk1
    the wine of the passion of her sexual immorality,
  and the kings of the earth have committed immorality with her,
    and the merchants of the earth have grown rich from the power of her luxurious living.”

4 Then I heard another voice from heaven saying,

  “Come out of her, my people,
    lest you take part in her sins,
  lest you share in her plagues;
5   for her sins are heaped high as heaven,
    and God has remembered her iniquities.
6   Pay her back as she herself has paid back others,
    and repay her double for her deeds;
    mix a double portion for her in the cup she mixed.
7   As she glorified herself and lived in luxury,
    so give her a like measure of torment and mourning,
  since in her heart she says,
    ‘I sit as a queen,
  I am no widow,
    and mourning I shall never see.’
8   For this reason her plagues will come in a single day,
    death and mourning and famine,
  and she will be burned up with fire;
    for mighty is the Lord God who has judged her.”

9 And the kings of the earth, who committed sexual immorality and lived in luxury with her, will weep and wail over her when they see the smoke of her burning. 10 They will stand far off, in fear of her torment, and say,

  “Alas! Alas! You great city,
    you mighty city, Babylon!
  For in a single hour your judgment has come.”

11 And the merchants of the earth weep and mourn for her, since no one buys their cargo anymore, 12 cargo of gold, silver, jewels, pearls, fine linen, purple cloth, silk, scarlet cloth, all kinds of scented wood, all kinds of articles of ivory, all kinds of articles of costly wood, bronze, iron and marble, 13 cinnamon, spice, incense, myrrh, frankincense, wine, oil, fine flour, wheat, cattle and sheep, horses and chariots, and slaves, that is, human souls.2

14   “The fruit for which your soul longed
    has gone from you,
  and all your delicacies and your splendors
    are lost to you,
    never to be found again!”

Footnotes

[1] 18:3 Some manuscripts fallen by


[2] 18:13 Or and slaves, and human lives

(ESV)

Gospel:

Luke 14:1–11

Luke 14:1–11 (Listen)
Healing of a Man on the Sabbath

14 One Sabbath, when he went to dine at the house of a ruler of the Pharisees, they were watching him carefully. 2 And behold, there was a man before him who had dropsy. 3 And Jesus responded to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath, or not?” 4 But they remained silent. Then he took him and healed him and sent him away. 5 And he said to them, “Which of you, having a son1 or an ox that has fallen into a well on a Sabbath day, will not immediately pull him out?” 6 And they could not reply to these things.

The Parable of the Wedding Feast

7 Now he told a parable to those who were invited, when he noticed how they chose the places of honor, saying to them, 8 “When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in a place of honor, lest someone more distinguished than you be invited by him, 9 and he who invited you both will come and say to you, ‘Give your place to this person,’ and then you will begin with shame to take the lowest place. 10 But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at table with you. 11 For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Footnotes

[1] 14:5 Some manuscripts a donkey

(ESV)