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Psalm 68

1  Let God arise and let his enemies be scattered; ♦︎
   let those that hate him flee before him.
2  As the smoke vanishes, so may they vanish away; ♦︎
   as wax melts at the fire,
      so let the wicked perish at the presence of God.
3  But let the righteous be glad and rejoice before God; ♦︎
   let them make merry with gladness.
4  Sing to God, sing praises to his name;
      exalt him who rides on the clouds. ♦︎
   The Lord is his name; rejoice before him.
5  Father of the fatherless, defender of widows, ♦︎
   God in his holy habitation!
6  God gives the solitary a home
      and brings forth prisoners to songs of welcome, ♦︎
   but the rebellious inhabit a burning desert.
7  O God, when you went forth before your people, ♦︎
   when you marched through the wilderness,
8  The earth shook and the heavens dropped down rain,
      at the presence of God, the Lord of Sinai, ♦︎
   at the presence of God, the God of Israel.
9  You sent down a gracious rain, O God; ♦︎
   you refreshed your inheritance when it was weary.
10  Your people came to dwell there; ♦︎
   in your goodness, O God, you provide for the poor.
11  The Lord gave the word;
      great was the company of women who bore the tidings: ♦︎
   ‘Kings and their armies they flee, they flee!’
      and women at home are dividing the spoil.
12  Though you stayed among the sheepfolds, ♦︎
   see now a dove’s wings covered with silver
      and its feathers with green gold.
13  When the Almighty scattered the kings, ♦︎
   it was like snowflakes falling on Zalmon.
14  You mighty mountain, great mountain of Bashan! ♦︎
   You towering mountain, great mountain of Bashan!
15  Why look with envy, you towering mountains,
      at the mount which God has desired for his dwelling, ♦︎
   the place where the Lord will dwell for ever?
16  The chariots of God are twice ten thousand,
      even thousands upon thousands; ♦︎
   the Lord is among them, the Lord of Sinai in holy power.
17  You have gone up on high and led captivity captive; ♦︎
   you have received tribute,
      even from those who rebelled,
      that you may reign as Lord and God.
18  Blessed be the Lord who bears our burdens day by day, ♦︎
   for God is our salvation.
19  God is for us the God of our salvation; ♦︎
   God is the Lord who can deliver from death.

Psalm 68

Praise and Thanksgiving

To the leader. Of David. A Psalm. A Song.
¹ Let God rise up, let his enemies be scattered;
   let those who hate him flee before him.
² As smoke is driven away, so drive them away;
   as wax melts before the fire,
   let the wicked perish before God.
³ But let the righteous be joyful;
   let them exult before God;
   let them be jubilant with joy.

⁴ Sing to God, sing praises to his name;
   lift up a song to him who rides upon the clouds^*—
his name is the Lord—
   be exultant before him.

⁵ Father of orphans and protector of widows
   is God in his holy habitation.
⁶ God gives the desolate a home to live in;
   he leads out the prisoners to prosperity,
   but the rebellious live in a parched land.

⁷ O God, when you went out before your people,
   when you marched through the wilderness,
          Selah
⁸ the earth quaked, the heavens poured down rain
   at the presence of God, the God of Sinai,
   at the presence of God, the God of Israel.

The Coming Messenger

3See, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me, and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple. The messenger of the covenant in whom you delight—indeed, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. ²But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears?

For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap; ³he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the descendants of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, until they present offerings to the Lord in righteousness.^{* 4}Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord as in the days of old and as in former years. ⁴Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord as in the days of old and as in former years.

4 Rejoice^* in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.^{* 5}Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. ⁶Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. ⁷And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

The Death of John the Baptist

14At that time Herod the ruler^* heard reports about Jesus; ²and he said to his servants, ‘This is John the Baptist; he has been raised from the dead, and for this reason these powers are at work in him.’ ³For Herod had arrested John, bound him, and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife,^{* 4}because John had been telling him, ‘It is not lawful for you to have her.’ ⁵Though Herod^* wanted to put him to death, he feared the crowd, because they regarded him as a prophet. ⁶But when Herod’s birthday came, the daughter of Herodias danced before the company, and she pleased Herod ⁷so much that he promised on oath to grant her whatever she might ask. ⁸Prompted by her mother, she said, ‘Give me the head of John the Baptist here on a platter.’ ⁹The king was grieved, yet out of regard for his oaths and for the guests, he commanded it to be given; ¹⁰he sent and had John beheaded in the prison. ¹¹The head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, who brought it to her mother. ¹²His disciples came and took the body and buried it; then they went and told Jesus.