Thursday in Season after Pentecost

1Verse 1. At that time Hannah prayed: “My heart rejoices in the LORD; my horn is exalted in the LORD. My mouth speaks boldly against my enemies, for I rejoice in Your salvation. 2Verse 2. There is no one holy like the LORD. Indeed, there is no one besides You! And there is no Rock like our God. 3Verse 3. Do not boast so proudly, or let arrogance come from your mouth, for the LORD is a God who knows, and by Him actions are weighed. 4Verse 4. The bows of the mighty are broken, but the feeble are equipped with strength. 5Verse 5. The well-fed hire themselves out for food, but the starving hunger no more. The barren woman gives birth to seven, but she who has many sons pines away. 6Verse 6. The LORD brings death and gives life; He brings down to Sheol and raises up. 7Verse 7. The LORD sends poverty and wealth; He humbles and He exalts. 8Verse 8. He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap. He seats them among princes and bestows on them a throne of honor. For the foundations of the earth are the LORD’s, and upon them He has set the world. 9Verse 9. He guards the steps of His faithful ones, but the wicked perish in darkness; for by his own strength shall no man prevail. 10Verse 10. Those who oppose the LORD will be shattered. He will thunder from heaven against them. The LORD will judge the ends of the earth and will give power to His king. He will exalt the horn of His anointed.”

4Verse 4. I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at ease in my house and flourishing in my palace. 5Verse 5. I had a dream, and it frightened me; while I was in my bed, the images and visions in my mind alarmed me. 6Verse 6. So I issued a decree that all the wise men of Babylon be brought before me to interpret the dream for me. 7Verse 7. When the magicians, enchanters, astrologers, and diviners came in, I told them the dream, but they could not interpret it for me. 8Verse 8. But at last, into my presence came Daniel (whose name is Belteshazzar after the name of my god, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods). And I told him the dream: 9Verse 9. “O Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you and that no mystery baffles you. So explain to me the visions I saw in my dream, and their interpretation. 10Verse 10. In these visions of my mind as I was lying in bed, I saw this come to pass: There was a tree in the midst of the land, and its height was great. 11Verse 11. The tree grew large and strong; its top reached the sky, and it was visible to the ends of the earth. 12Verse 12. Its leaves were beautiful, its fruit was abundant, and upon it was food for all. Under it the beasts of the field found shelter, in its branches the birds of the air nested, and from it every creature was fed. 13Verse 13. As I lay on my bed, I also saw in the visions of my mind a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven. 14Verse 14. He called out in a loud voice: ‘Cut down the tree and chop off its branches; strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit. Let the beasts flee from under it, and the birds from its branches. 15Verse 15. But leave the stump with its roots in the ground, with a band of iron and bronze around it, in the tender grass of the field. Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven and graze with the beasts on the grass of the earth. 16Verse 16. Let his mind be changed from that of a man, and let him be given the mind of a beast till seven times pass him by. 17Verse 17. This decision is the decree of the watchers, the verdict declared by the holy ones, so that the living will know that the Most High rules over the kingdom of mankind and gives it to whom He wishes, setting over it the lowliest of men.’ 18Verse 18. This is the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, saw. Now, Belteshazzar, tell me the interpretation, because none of the wise men of my kingdom can interpret it for me. But you are able, because the spirit of the holy gods is in you.”