Psalm 88

1O LORD, God of my salvation,

when, at night, I cry out in your presence,

2let my prayer come before you;

incline your ear to my cry.

3For my soul is full of troubles,

and my life draws near to Sheol.

4I am counted among those who go down to the Pit;

I am like those who have no help,

5like those forsaken among the dead,

like the slain that lie in the grave,

like those whom you remember no more,

for they are cut off from your hand.

6You have put me in the depths of the Pit,

in the regions dark and deep.

7Your wrath lies heavy upon me,

and you overwhelm me with all your waves. Selah

8You have caused my companions to shun me;

you have made me a thing of horror to them.

I am shut in so that I cannot escape;

9my eye grows dim through sorrow.

Every day I call on you, O LORD;

I spread out my hands to you.

10Do you work wonders for the dead?

Do the shades rise up to praise you? Selah

11Is your steadfast love declared in the grave,

or your faithfulness in Abaddon?

12Are your wonders known in the darkness,

or your saving help in the land of forgetfulness?

13But I, O LORD, cry out to you;

in the morning my prayer comes before you.

14O LORD, why do you cast me off?

Why do you hide your face from me?

15Wretched and close to death from my youth up,

I suffer your terrors; I am desperate.

16Your wrath has swept over me;

your dread assaults destroy me.

17They surround me like a flood all day long;

from all sides they close in on me.

18You have caused friend and neighbor to shun me;

my companions are in darkness.

Psalm 148

1Praise the Lord!

Praise the Lord from the heavens;

praise him in the heights!

2Praise him, all his angels;

praise him, all his host!

3Praise him, sun and moon;

praise him, all you shining stars!

4Praise him, you highest heavens,

and you waters above the heavens!

5Let them praise the name of the Lord,

for he commanded and they were created.

6He established them forever and ever;

he fixed their bounds, which cannot be passed.

7Praise the Lord from the earth,

you sea monsters and all deeps,

8fire and hail, snow and frost,

stormy wind fulfilling his command!

9Mountains and all hills,

fruit trees and all cedars!

10Wild animals and all cattle,

creeping things and flying birds!

11Kings of the earth and all peoples,

princes and all rulers of the earth!

12Young men and women alike,

old and young together!

13Let them praise the name of the Lord,

for his name alone is exalted;

his glory is above earth and heaven.

14He has raised up a horn for his people,

praise for all his faithful,

for the people of Israel who are close to him.

Praise the Lord!

26"Nevertheless they were disobedient and rebelled against you and cast your law behind their backs and killed your prophets, who had warned them in order to turn them back to you, and they committed great blasphemies. 27Therefore you gave them into the hands of their enemies, who made them suffer. Then in the time of their suffering they cried out to you and you heard them from heaven, and according to your great mercies you gave them saviors who saved them from the hands of their enemies. 28But after they had rest, they again did evil before you, and you abandoned them to the hands of their enemies, so that they had dominion over them; yet when they turned and cried to you, you heard from heaven, and many times you rescued them according to your mercies. 29And you warned them in order to turn them back to your law. Yet they acted presumptuously and did not obey your commandments, but sinned against your ordinances, by the observance of which a person shall live. They turned a stubborn shoulder and stiffened their neck and would not obey. 30Many years you were patient with them, and warned them by your spirit through your prophets; yet they would not listen. Therefore you handed them over to the peoples of the lands. 31Nevertheless, in your great mercies you did not make an end of them or forsake them, for you are a gracious and merciful God.

32"Now therefore, our God - the great and mighty and awesome God, keeping covenant and steadfast love - do not treat lightly all the hardship that has come upon us, upon our kings, our officials, our priests, our prophets, our ancestors, and all your people, since the time of the kings of Assyria until today. 33You have been just in all that has come upon us, for you have dealt faithfully and we have acted wickedly; 34our kings, our officials, our priests, and our ancestors have not kept your law or heeded the commandments and the warnings that you gave them. 35Even in their own kingdom, and in the great goodness you bestowed on them, and in the large and rich land that you set before them, they did not serve you and did not turn from their wicked works. 36Here we are, slaves to this day - slaves in the land that you gave to our ancestors to enjoy its fruit and its good gifts. 37Its rich yield goes to the kings whom you have set over us because of our sins; they have power also over our bodies and over our livestock at their pleasure, and we are in great distress."

38Because of all this we make a firm agreement in writing, and on that sealed document are inscribed the names of our officials, our Levites, and our priests.

The following non-canonical or apocryphal reading is provided in recognition of ecumenical partners who share this lectionary with the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).

1 Now Gorgias took five thousand infantry and one thousand picked cavalry, and this division moved out by night 2to fall upon the camp of the Jews and attack them suddenly. Men from the citadel were his guides. 3 But Judas heard of it, and he and his warriors moved out to attack the king's force in Emmaus 4while the division was still absent from the camp. 5 When Gorgias entered the camp of Judas by night, he found no one there, so he looked for them in the hills, because he said, "These men are running away from us."

6 At daybreak Judas appeared in the plain with three thousand men, but they did not have armour and swords such as they desired. 7 And they saw the camp of the Gentiles, strong and fortified, with cavalry all around it; and these men were trained in war. 8 But Judas said to those who were with him, "Do not fear their numbers or be afraid when they charge. 9 Remember how our ancestors were saved at the Red Sea, when Pharaoh with his forces pursued them. 10 And now, let us cry to Heaven, to see whether he will favor us and remember his covenant with our ancestors and crush this army before us today. 11 Then all the Gentiles will know that there is one who redeems and saves Israel."

12 When the foreigners looked up and saw them coming against them, 13 they went out from their camp to battle. Then the men with Judas blew their trumpets 14and engaged in battle. The Gentiles were crushed, and fled into the plain, 15and all those in the rear fell by the sword. They pursued them to Gazara, and to the plains of Idumea, and to Azotus and Jamnia; and three thousand of them fell. 16 Then Judas and his force turned back from pursuing them, 17 and he said to the people, "Do not be greedy for plunder, for there is a battle before us; 18Gorgias and his force are near us in the hills. But stand now against our enemies and fight them, and afterwards seize the plunder boldly."

19 Just as Judas was finishing this speech, a detachment appeared, coming out of the hills. 20 They saw that their army had been put to flight, and that the Jews were burning the camp, for the smoke that was seen showed what had happened. 21 When they perceived this, they were greatly frightened, and when they also saw the army of Judas drawn up in the plain for battle, 22 they all fled into the land of the Philistines. 23 Then Judas returned to plunder the camp, and they seized a great amount of gold and silver, and cloth dyed blue and sea purple, and great riches. 24 On their return they sang hymns and praises to Heaven-"For he is good, for his mercy endures for ever." 25 Thus Israel had a great deliverance that day.

6And he said to me, "These words are trustworthy and true, for the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent his angel to show his servants what must soon take place."

7"See, I am coming soon! Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book."

8I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I heard and saw them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed them to me; 9but he said to me, "You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your comrades the prophets, and with those who keep the words of this book. Worship God!"

10And he said to me, "Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near. 11Let the evildoer still do evil, and the filthy still be filthy, and the righteous still do right, and the holy still be holy."

12"See, I am coming soon; my reward is with me, to repay according to everyone's work. 13I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end."

10"Take care that you do not despise one of these little ones; for, I tell you, in heaven their angels continually see the face of my Father in heaven. 12What do you think? If a shepherd has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? 13And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. 14So it is not the will of your Father in heaven that one of these little ones should be lost.

15"If another member of the church sins against you, go and point out the fault when the two of you are alone. If the member listens to you, you have regained that one. 16But if you are not listened to, take one or two others along with you, so that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses. 17If the member refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if the offender refuses to listen even to the church, let such a one be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. 18Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. 19Again, truly I tell you, if two of you agree on earth about anything you ask, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. 20For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them."

Psalm 6

1O LORD, do not rebuke me in your anger,

or discipline me in your wrath.

2Be gracious to me, O LORD, for I am languishing;

O LORD, heal me, for my bones are shaking with terror.

3My soul also is struck with terror,

while you, O LORD — how long?

4Turn, O LORD, save my life;

deliver me for the sake of your steadfast love.

5For in death there is no remembrance of you;

in Sheol who can give you praise?

6I am weary with my moaning;

every night I flood my bed with tears;

I drench my couch with my weeping.

7My eyes waste away because of grief;

they grow weak because of all my foes.

8Depart from me, all you workers of evil,

for the LORD has heard the sound of my weeping.

9The LORD has heard my supplication;

the LORD accepts my prayer.

10All my enemies shall be ashamed and struck with terror;

they shall turn back, and in a moment be put to shame.

Psalm 20

1The LORD answer you in the day of trouble!

The name of the God of Jacob protect you!

2May he send you help from the sanctuary,

and give you support from Zion.

3May he remember all your offerings,

and regard with favor your burnt sacrifices. Selah

4May he grant your heart's desire

and fulfill all your plans.

5May we shout for joy over your victory,

and in the name of our God set up our banners.

May the LORD fulfill all your petitions.

6Now I know that the LORD will help his anointed;

he will answer him from his holy heaven

with mighty victories by his right hand.

7Some take pride in chariots, and some in horses,

but our pride is in the name of the LORD our God.

8They will collapse and fall,

but we shall rise and stand upright.

9Give victory to the king, O LORD;

answer us when we call.