Open Word

FIRST READING

Habakkuk 3:2-13

Verse 2. O LORD, I have heard the report of You; I stand in awe, O LORD, of Your deeds. Revive them in these years; make them known in these years. In Your wrath, remember mercy! Verse 3. God came from Teman, and the Holy One from Mount Paran. His glory covered the heavens, and His praise filled the earth. Verse 4. His radiance was like the sunlight; rays flashed from His hand, where His power is hidden. Verse 5. Plague went before Him, and fever followed in His steps. Verse 6. He stood and measured the earth; He looked and startled the nations; the ancient mountains crumbled; the perpetual hills collapsed. His ways are everlasting. Verse 7. I saw the tents of Cushan in distress; the curtains of Midian were trembling. Verse 8. Were You angry at the rivers, O LORD? Was Your wrath against the streams? Did You rage against the sea when You rode on Your horses, on Your chariots of salvation? Verse 9. You brandished Your bow; You called for many arrows. You split the earth with rivers. Verse 10. The mountains saw You and quaked; torrents of water swept by. The deep roared with its voice and lifted its hands on high. Verse 11. Sun and moon stood still in their places at the flash of Your flying arrows, at the brightness of Your shining spear. Verse 12. You marched across the earth with fury; You threshed the nations in wrath. Verse 13. You went forth for the salvation of Your people, to save Your anointed. You crushed the head of the house of the wicked and stripped him from head to toe.

PSALM

Psalm 51:1-12

For the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. When Nathan the prophet came to him after his adultery with Bathsheba. Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your loving devotion; according to Your great compassion, blot out my transgressions.

Wash me clean of my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.

For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.

Against You, You only, have I sinned and done what is evil in Your sight, so that You may be proved right when You speak and blameless when You judge.

Surely I was brought forth in iniquity; I was sinful when my mother conceived me.

Surely You desire truth in the inmost being; You teach me wisdom in the inmost place.

Purify me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones You have crushed rejoice.

Hide Your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquities.

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.

Cast me not away from Your presence; take not Your Holy Spirit from me.

Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and sustain me with a willing spirit.

SECOND READING

John 12:1-11

Verse 1. Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, the hometown of Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead. Verse 2. So they hosted a dinner for Jesus there. Martha served, and Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with Him. Verse 3. Then Mary took about a pint of expensive perfume, made of pure nard, and she anointed Jesus’ feet and wiped them with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. Verse 4. But one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was going to betray Him, asked, Verse 5. “Why wasn’t this perfume sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?” Verse 6. Judas did not say this because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief. As keeper of the money bag, he used to take from what was put into it. Verse 7. “Leave her alone,” Jesus replied. “She has kept this perfume in preparation for the day of My burial. Verse 8. The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have Me.” Verse 9. Meanwhile a large crowd of Jews learned that Jesus was there. And they came not only because of Him, but also to see Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead. Verse 10. So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus as well, Verse 11. for on account of him many of the Jews were deserting them and believing in Jesus.