Advent - Week 2 - Psalm 33 and 1 Thessalonians 5:12–28

PSALM 33

¹   Rejoice in the LORD, O you righteous.
          Praise befits the upright. 
²   Praise the LORD with the lyre; 
          make melody to him with the harp of ten strings. 
³   Sing to him a new song; 
          play skillfully on the strings, with loud shouts.

⁴   For the word of the LORD is upright, 
          and all his work is done in faithfulness. 
⁵   He loves righteousness and justice; 
          the earth is full of the steadfast love of the LORD.

⁶   By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, 
          and all their host by the breath of his mouth. 
⁷   He gathered the waters of the sea as in a bottle; 
          he put the deeps in storehouses.

⁸   Let all the earth fear the LORD; 
          let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him. 
⁹   For he spoke, and it came to be; 
          he commanded, and it stood firm.

¹⁰  The LORD brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; 
          he frustrates the plans of the peoples. 
¹¹  The counsel of the LORD stands forever, 
          the thoughts of his heart to all generations. 
¹²   Happy is the nation whose God is the LORD, 
          the people whom he has chosen as his heritage.

¹³  The LORD looks down from heaven; 
          he sees all humankind. 
¹⁴  From where he sits enthroned he watches 
          all the inhabitants of the earth — 
¹⁵  he who fashions the hearts of them all, 
          and observes all their deeds. 
¹⁶  A king is not saved by his great army;
          a warrior is not delivered by his great strength. 
¹⁷  The war horse is a vain hope for victory, 
          and by its great might it cannot save.

¹⁸  Truly the eye of the LORD is on those who fear him, 
          on those who hope in his steadfast love, 
¹⁹  to deliver their soul from death, 
          and to keep them alive in famine.

²⁰  Our soul waits for the LORD; 
          he is our help and shield. 
²¹  Our heart is glad in him, 
          because we trust in his holy name.
²²  Let your steadfast love, O LORD, be upon us, 
          even as we hope in you.

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I THESSALONIANS 5:12–28

¹²But we appeal to you, brothers and sisters, to respect those who labor among you, and have charge of you in the Lord and admonish you; ¹³esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves.¹⁴And we urge you, beloved, to admonish the idlers, encourage the faint hearted, help the weak, be patient with all of them. ¹⁵See that none of you repays evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to all. ¹⁶Rejoice always, ¹⁷pray without ceasing, ¹⁸give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. ¹⁹Do not quench the Spirit. ²⁰Do not despise the words of prophets, ²¹but test everything; hold fast to what is good;²²abstain from every form of evil.

 

²³May the God of peace himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.²⁴The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do this.

 

²⁵Beloved, pray for us.

 

²⁶Greet all the brothers and sisters with a holy kiss. ²⁷I solemnly command you by the Lord that this letter be read to all of them.

 

²⁸The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.