88.4 Praise The Goodness of the Lord

(Psalm 115)

To you alone, O Lord, to you alone, and not to us, must glory be given because of your constant love and faithfulness.

Why should the nations ask us, "Where is your God?"
Our God is in heaven; he does whatever he wishes.
Their gods are made of silver and gold, formed by human hands.
They have mouths, but cannot speak, and eyes, but cannot see.
They have ears, but cannot hear, and noses, but cannot smell.
They have hands, but cannot feel, and feet, but cannot walk; they cannot make a sound.
May all who made them and who trust in them become like the idols they have made. 

Trust in the Lord, you people of Israel. He helps you and protects you.

Trust in the Lord, you priests of God. He helps you and protects you.

Trust in the Lord, all you that worship him. He helps you and protects you.

The Lord remembers us and will bless us; he will bless the people of Israel and all the priests of God.

He will bless everyone who honors him, the great and the small alike.

May the Lord give you children- you and your descendants!

May you be blessed by the Lord, who made heaven and earth!

Heaven belongs to the Lord alone, but he gave the earth to man.

The Lord is not praised by the dead, by any who go down to the land of silence.

But we, the living, will give thanks to him now and forever.

Praise the Lord!

88.3 Jesus Is Great; He Will Judge

(Luke 3:15-19)

People's hopes began to rise, and they began to wonder whether John perhaps might be the Messiah. So John said to all of them, "I baptize you with water, but someone is coming who is much greater than I am. I am not good enough even to untie his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. He has his winnowing shovel with him, to thresh out all the grain and gather the wheat into his barn; but he will burn the chaff in a fire that never goes out."

In many different ways John preached the Good News to the people and urged them to change their ways. But John reprimanded Governor Herod, because he had married Herodias, his brother's wife, and had done many other evil things.

88.2 The Liberator Comes

(Isaiah 49:8-16)

The Lord says to his people, "When the time comes to save you, I will show you favor and answer your cries for help. I will guard and protect you and through you make a covenant with all peoples.  I will let you settle once again in your land that is now laid waste. I will say to the prisoners, 'Go free!' and to those who are in darkness, 'Come out to the light!' They will be like sheep that graze on the hills; they will never be hungry or thirsty. Sun and desert heat will not hurt them, for they will be lead by one who loves them. He will lead them to springs of water.

"I will make a highway across the mountains and prepare a road for my people to travel. My people will come from far away, from the north and the west, and from Aswan in the south."

Sing heavens! Shout for joy, earth! Let the mountains burst into song! The Lord will comfort his people; he will have pity on his suffering people.

But the people of Jerusalem said, "The Lord has abandoned us! He has forgotten us." So the Lord answers, "Can a woman forget her own baby and not love the child she bore? Even if a mother should forget her child, I will never forget you. Jerusalem, I can never forget you. I have written your name on the palms of my hands.

88.1 Prepare The Coming Of The Lord

(Isaiah 40:1-11)

"Comfort my people, "says our God. "Comfort them! Encourage the people of Jerusalem. Tell them they have suffered long enough and their sins are now forgiven.  I have punished them in full for all their sins."

A voice cries out, "Prepare in the wilderness a road for the Lord! Clear the way in the desert for our God! Fill every valley; level every mountain. The hills will become a plain, and the rough country will be made smooth. Then the glory of Lord will be revealed, and all mankind will see it. The Lord himself. has promised this."

A voice cries out, "Proclaim a message!" "What message shall I proclaim?" I ask. "Proclaim that all mankind are like grass: they last no longer than wild flowers. Grass withers and flowers fade when the Lord sends the wind blowing over them. People are no more enduring than grass. Yes, grass withers and flowers fade, but the word of our God endures forever."

Jerusalem, go up on a high mountain and proclaim the good news! Call out with a loud voice, Zion: announce the good news! Speak out and do not be afraid. Tell the towns of Judah that their God is coming!

The Sovereign Lord is coming to rule with power, bringing with him the people he has rescued. He will take care of his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs together and carry them in his arms; he will gently lead their mothers.