December 16, 2024 PORTALS OF PRAYER READINGS

 

Isaiah 32

A King Will Reign in Righteousness

32 Behold, a king will reign in righteousness,
    and princes will rule in justice.
² Each will be like a hiding place from the wind,
    a shelter from the storm,
like streams of water in a dry place,
    like the shade of a great rock in a weary land.
³ Then the eyes of those who see will not be closed,
    and the ears of those who hear will give attention.
⁴ The heart of the hasty will understand and know,
    and the tongue of the stammerers will hasten to speak distinctly.
⁵ The fool will no more be called noble,
    nor the scoundrel said to be honorable.
⁶ For the fool speaks folly,
    and his heart is busy with iniquity,
to practice ungodliness,
    to utter error concerning the Lord,
to leave the craving of the hungry unsatisfied,
    and to deprive the thirsty of drink.
⁷ As for the scoundrel—his devices are evil;
    he plans wicked schemes
to ruin the poor with lying words,
    even when the plea of the needy is right.
⁸ But he who is noble plans noble things,
    and on noble things he stands.

Complacent Women Warned of Disaster

⁹ Rise up, you women who are at ease, hear my voice;
    you complacent daughters, give ear to my speech.
¹⁰ In little more than a year
    you will shudder, you complacent women;
for the grape harvest fails,
    the fruit harvest will not come.
¹¹ Tremble, you women who are at ease,
    shudder, you complacent ones;
strip, and make yourselves bare,
    and tie sackcloth around your waist.
¹² Beat your breasts for the pleasant fields,
    for the fruitful vine,
¹³ for the soil of my people
    growing up in thorns and briers,
yes, for all the joyous houses
    in the exultant city.
¹⁴ For the palace is forsaken,
    the populous city deserted;
the hill and the watchtower
    will become dens forever,
a joy of wild donkeys,
    a pasture of flocks;
¹⁵ until the Spirit is poured upon us from on high,
    and the wilderness becomes a fruitful field,
    and the fruitful field is deemed a forest.
¹⁶ Then justice will dwell in the wilderness,
    and righteousness abide in the fruitful field.
¹⁷ And the effect of righteousness will be peace,
    and the result of righteousness, quietness and trust^[a] forever.
¹⁸ My people will abide in a peaceful habitation,
    in secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places.
¹⁹ And it will hail when the forest falls down,
    and the city will be utterly laid low.
²⁰ Happy are you who sow beside all waters,
    who let the feet of the ox and the donkey range free.

Footnotes

1. Isaiah 32:17 Or security

Psalm 149

Sing to the Lord a New Song

149 Praise the Lord!
Sing to the Lord a new song,
    his praise in the assembly of the godly!
² Let Israel be glad in his Maker;
    let the children of Zion rejoice in their King!
³ Let them praise his name with dancing,
    making melody to him with tambourine and lyre!
⁴ For the Lord takes pleasure in his people;
    he adorns the humble with salvation.
⁵ Let the godly exult in glory;
    let them sing for joy on their beds.
⁶ Let the high praises of God be in their throats
    and two-edged swords in their hands,
⁷ to execute vengeance on the nations
    and punishments on the peoples,
⁸ to bind their kings with chains
    and their nobles with fetters of iron,
⁹ to execute on them the judgment written!
    This is honor for all his godly ones.
Praise the Lord!

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