Nativity of the Lord - Proper II

6Verse 6. On your walls, O Jerusalem, I have posted watchmen; they will never be silent day or night. You who call on the LORD shall take no rest for yourselves, 7Verse 7. nor give Him any rest until He establishes Jerusalem and makes her the praise of the earth. 8Verse 8. The LORD has sworn by His right hand and by His mighty arm: “Never again will I give your grain to your enemies for food, nor will foreigners drink the new wine for which you have toiled. 9Verse 9. For those who harvest grain will eat it and praise the LORD, and those who gather grapes will drink the wine in My holy courts.” 10Verse 10. Go out, go out through the gates; prepare the way for the people! Build it up, build up the highway; clear away the stones; raise a banner for the nations! 11Verse 11. Behold, the LORD has proclaimed to the ends of the earth, “Say to Daughter Zion: See, your Savior comes! Look, His reward is with Him, and His recompense goes before Him.” 12Verse 12. And they will be called the Holy People, the Redeemed of The LORD; and you will be called Sought Out, A City Not Forsaken.

4Verse 4. But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, 5Verse 5. He saved us, not by the righteous deeds we had done, but according to His mercy, through the washing of new birth and renewal by the Holy Spirit. 6Verse 6. This is the Spirit He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7Verse 7. so that, having been justified by His grace, we would become heirs with the hope of eternal life.

8Verse 8. And there were shepherds residing in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks by night. 9Verse 9. Just then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10Verse 10. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid! For behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people: 11Verse 11. Today in the city of David a Savior has been born to you. He is Christ the Lord! 12Verse 12. And this will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” 13Verse 13. And suddenly there appeared with the angel a great multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying: 14Verse 14. “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom His favor rests!” 15Verse 15. When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16Verse 16. So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph and the Baby, who was lying in the manger. 17Verse 17. After they had seen the Child, they spread the message they had received about Him. 18Verse 18. And all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19Verse 19. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20Verse 20. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, which was just as the angel had told them.