The Daily Readings for FRIDAY, December 23

First Reading

Isaiah 33:17-22
Your eyes will see the king in his beauty; they will behold a land that stretches far away. Your mind will muse on the terror: "Where is the one who counted? Where is the one who weighed the tribute? Where is the one who counted the towers?" No longer will you see the insolent people, the people of an obscure speech that you cannot comprehend, stammering in a language that you cannot understand. Look on Zion, the city of our appointed festivals! Your eyes will see Jerusalem, a quiet habitation, an immovable tent, whose stakes will never be pulled up, and none of whose ropes will be broken. But there the LORD in majesty will be for us a place of broad rivers and streams, where no galley with oars can go, nor stately ship can pass. For the LORD is our judge, the LORD is our ruler, the LORD is our king; he will save us.

Second Reading

Revelation 22:6-11, 22:18-20
And he said to me, "These words are trustworthy and true, for the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent his angel to show his servants what must soon take place." "See, I am coming soon! Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book." I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I heard and saw them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed them to me; but he said to me, "You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your comrades the prophets, and with those who keep the words of this book. Worship God!" And he said to me, "Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near. Let the evildoer still do evil, and the filthy still be filthy, and the righteous still do right, and the holy still be holy." I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to that person the plagues described in this book; if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away that person's share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book. The one who testifies to these things says, "Surely I am coming soon." Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!

The Holy Gospel

Luke 1:57-66
Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son. Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown his great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her. On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him Zechariah after his father. But his mother said, "No; he is to be called John." They said to her, "None of your relatives has this name." Then they began motioning to his father to find out what name he wanted to give him. He asked for a writing tablet and wrote, "His name is John." And all of them were amazed. Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue freed, and he began to speak, praising God. Fear came over all their neighbors, and all these things were talked about throughout the entire hill country of Judea. All who heard them pondered them and said, "What then will this child become?" For, indeed, the hand of the Lord was with him.

Morning Psalms

Psalm 93 Dominus regnavit
1   The LORD is King; he has put on splendid apparel; the LORD has put on his apparel and girded himself with strength.
2   He has made the whole world so sure that it cannot be moved;
3   Ever since the world began, your throne has been established; you are from everlasting.
4   The waters have lifted up, O LORD, the waters have lifted up their voice; the waters have lifted up their pounding waves.
5   Mightier than the sound of many waters, mightier than the breakers of the sea, mightier is the LORD who dwells on high.
6   Your testimonies are very sure, and holiness adorns your house, O LORD, for ever and for evermore.

Psalm 96 Cantate Domino
1   Sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the whole earth.
2   Sing to the LORD and bless his Name; proclaim the good news of his salvation from day to day.
3   Declare his glory among the nations and his wonders among all peoples.
4   For great is the LORD and greatly to be praised; he is more to be feared than all gods.
5   As for all the gods of the nations, they are but idols; but it is the LORD who made the heavens.
6   Oh, the majesty and magnificence of his presence! Oh, the power and the splendor of his sanctuary!
7   Ascribe to the LORD, you families of the peoples; ascribe to the LORD honor and power.
8   Ascribe to the LORD the honor due his Name; bring offerings and come into his courts.
9   Worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness; let the whole earth tremble before him.
10   Tell it out among the nations: "The LORD is King! he has made the world so firm that it cannot be moved; he will judge the peoples with equity."
11   Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; let the sea thunder and all that is in it; let the field be joyful and all that is therein.
12   Then shall all the trees of the wood shout for joy before the LORD when he comes, when he comes to judge the earth.
13   He will judge the world with righteousness and the peoples with his truth.

Evening Psalms

Psalm 148 Laudate Dominum
1   Hallelujah! Praise the LORD from the heavens; praise him in the heights.
2   Praise him, all you angels of his; praise him, all his host.
3   Praise him, sun and moon; praise him, all you shining stars.
4   Praise him, heaven of heavens, and you waters above the heavens.
5   Let them praise the Name of the LORD; for he commanded, and they were created.
6   He made them stand fast for ever and ever; he gave them a law which shall not pass away.
7   Praise the LORD from the earth, you sea-monsters and all deeps;
8   Fire and hail, snow and fog, tempestuous wind, doing his will;
9   Mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars;
10   Wild beasts and all cattle, creeping things and wingèd birds;
11   Kings of the earth and all peoples, princes and all rulers of the world;
12   Young men and maidens, old and young together.
13   Let them praise the Name of the LORD, for his Name only is exalted, his splendor is over earth and heaven.
14   He has raised up strength for his people and praise for all his loyal servants, the children of Israel, a people who are near him. Hallelujah!

Psalm 150 Laudate Dominum
1   Hallelujah! Praise God in his holy temple; praise him in the firmament of his power.
2   Praise him for his mighty acts; praise him for his excellent greatness.
3   Praise him with the blast of the ram's-horn; Praise him with lyre and harp.
4   Praise him with timbrel and dance; praise him with strings and pipe.
5   Praise him with resounding cymbals; praise him with loud-clanging cymbals.
6   Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Hallelujah!

New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The New Revised Standard Version Bible may be quoted and/or reprinted up to and inclusive of five hundred (500) verses without express written permission of the publisher, provided the verses quoted do not amount to a complete book of the Bible or account for fifty percent (50%) of the total work in which they are quoted.