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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.
20  God will smite the head of his enemies, ♦︎
   the hairy scalp of those who walk in wickedness.
21  The Lord has said, ‘From the heights of Bashan, ♦︎
   from the depths of the sea will I bring them back,
22  ‘Till you dip your foot in blood ♦︎
   and the tongue of your dogs has a taste of your enemies.’
23  We see your solemn processions, O God, ♦︎
   your processions into the sanctuary, my God and my King.
24  The singers go before, the musicians follow after, ♦︎
   in the midst of maidens playing on timbrels.
25  In your companies, bless your God; ♦︎
   bless the Lord, you that are of the fount of Israel.
26  At the head there is Benjamin, least of the tribes,
      the princes of Judah in joyful company, ♦︎
   the princes of Zebulun and Naphtali.
27  Send forth your strength, O God; ♦︎
   establish, O God, what you have wrought in us.
28  For your temple’s sake in Jerusalem ♦︎
   kings shall bring their gifts to you.
29  Drive back with your word the wild beast of the reeds, ♦︎
   the herd of the bull-like, the brutish hordes.
30  Trample down those who lust after silver; ♦︎
   scatter the peoples that delight in war.
31  Vessels of bronze shall be brought from Egypt; ♦︎
   Ethiopia will stretch out her hands to God.
32  Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth; ♦︎
   make music in praise of the Lord;
33  He rides on the ancient heaven of heavens ♦︎
   and sends forth his voice, a mighty voice.
34  Ascribe power to God, whose splendour is over Israel, ♦︎
   whose power is above the clouds.
35  How terrible is God in his holy sanctuary, ♦︎
   the God of Israel, who gives power and strength to his people!
      Blessed be God.

Jesus Washes the Disciples’ Feet

13Now before the festival of the Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. ²The devil had already put it into the heart of Judas son of Simon Iscariot to betray him. And during supper ³Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going to God, ⁴got up from the table,^* took off his outer robe, and tied a towel around himself. ⁵Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was tied around him. ⁶He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, ‘Lord, are you going to wash my feet?’ ⁷Jesus answered, ‘You do not know now what I am doing, but later you will understand.’ ⁸Peter said to him, ‘You will never wash my feet.’ Jesus answered, ‘Unless I wash you, you have no share with me.’ ⁹Simon Peter said to him, ‘Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!’ ¹⁰Jesus said to him, ‘One who has bathed does not need to wash, except for the feet,^* but is entirely clean. And you^* are clean, though not all of you.’ ¹¹For he knew who was to betray him; for this reason he said, ‘Not all of you are clean.’

12 After he had washed their feet, had put on his robe, and had returned to the table, he said to them, ‘Do you know what I have done to you? ¹³You call me Teacher and Lord—and you are right, for that is what I am. ¹⁴So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. ¹⁵For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you. ¹⁶Very truly, I tell you, servants^* are not greater than their master, nor are messengers greater than the one who sent them. ¹⁷If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.