Epiphany Readings: Psalm 72:1-14 and Revelation 11:15-17

Psalm 72:1-14 (CSB)
A Prayer for the King
Of Solomon.

72:1 God, give your justice to the king
and your righteousness to the king’s son.
2 He will judge your people with righteousness
and your afflicted ones with justice.
3 May the mountains bring well-being to the people
and the hills, righteousness.
4 May he vindicate the afflicted among the people,
help the poor,
and crush the oppressor.

5 May they fear you while the sun endures
and as long as the moon, throughout all generations.
6 May the king be like rain that falls on the cut grass,
like spring showers that water the earth.
7 May the righteous flourish in his days
and well-being abound
until the moon is no more.

8 May he rule from sea to sea
and from the Euphrates
to the ends of the earth.
9 May desert tribes kneel before him
and his enemies lick the dust.
10 May the kings of Tarshish
and the coasts and islands bring tribute,
the kings of Sheba and Seba offer gifts.
11 Let all kings bow in homage to him,
all nations serve him.

12 For he will rescue the poor who cry out
and the afflicted who have no helper.
13 He will have pity on the poor and helpless
and save the lives of the poor.
14 He will redeem them from oppression and violence,
for their lives are precious in his sight.

Revelation 11:15-17 (CSB)
The Seventh Trumpet

11:15 The seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven saying,

The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom
of our Lord and of his Christ,
and he will reign forever and ever.
16 The twenty-four elders, who were seated before God on their thrones, fell facedown and worshiped God, 17 saying,

We give you thanks, Lord God, the Almighty,
who is and who was,[Other mss add and who is to come]
because you have taken your great power
and have begun to reign.

Christmas Readings: Matthew 2:16-23

Matthew 2:16-23 (CSB)
The Massacre of the Innocents

2:16 Then Herod, when he realized that he had been outwitted by the wise men, flew into a rage. He gave orders to massacre all the boys in and around Bethlehem who were two years old and under, in keeping with the time he had learned from the wise men. 17 Then what was spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled:

18 A voice was heard in Ramah,

weeping, and great mourning,
Rachel weeping for her children;
and she refused to be consoled,
because they are no more.[Jr 31:15]

The Return to Nazareth

19 After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, 20 saying, “Get up, take the child and his mother, and go to the land of Israel, because those who intended to kill the child are dead.” 21 So he got up, took the child and his mother, and entered the land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus was ruling over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And being warned in a dream, he withdrew to the region of Galilee. 23 Then he went and settled in a town called Nazareth to fulfill what was spoken through the prophets, that he would be called a Nazarene.