Psalm 89:1-8

New International Version

Psalm 89^[a]

A maskil^[b] of Ethan the Ezrahite.

¹I will sing^(A) of the Lord’s great love forever;
    with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known^(B)
    through all generations.
²I will declare that your love stands firm forever,
    that you have established your faithfulness in heaven itself.^(C)
³You said, “I have made a covenant with my chosen one,
    I have sworn to David my servant,
⁴‘I will establish your line forever
    and make your throne firm through all generations.’”^[c]^(D)

⁵The heavens^(E) praise your wonders, Lord,
    your faithfulness too, in the assembly^(F) of the holy ones.
⁶For who in the skies above can compare with the Lord?
    Who is like the Lord among the heavenly beings?^(G)
⁷In the council^(H) of the holy ones^(I) God is greatly feared;
    he is more awesome than all who surround him.^(J)
⁸Who is like you,^(K) Lord God Almighty?^(L)
    You, Lord, are mighty, and your faithfulness surrounds you.

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Footnotes

Psalm 89:1 In Hebrew texts 89:1-52 is numbered 89:2-53.
Psalm 89:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
Psalm 89:4 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verses 37, 45 and 48.

2 Samuel 7:1-16

New International Version

God’s Promise to David^(A)

7 After the king was settled in his palace^(B) and the Lord had given him rest from all his enemies^(C) around him,^(D) ²he said to Nathan^(E) the prophet, “Here I am, living in a house^(F) of cedar, while the ark of God remains in a tent.”^(G)

³Nathan replied to the king, “Whatever you have in mind,^(H) go ahead and do it, for the Lord is with you.”

⁴But that night the word of the Lord came to Nathan, saying:

⁵“Go and tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord says: Are you^(I) the one to build me a house to dwell in?^(J) ⁶I have not dwelt in a house from the day I brought the Israelites up out of Egypt to this day.^(K) I have been moving from place to place with a tent^(L) as my dwelling.^(M) ⁷Wherever I have moved with all the Israelites,^(N) did I ever say to any of their rulers whom I commanded to shepherd^(O) my people Israel, “Why have you not built me a house^(P) of cedar?^(Q)”’

⁸“Now then, tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty says: I took you from the pasture, from tending the flock,^(R) and appointed you ruler^(S) over my people Israel.^(T) ⁹I have been with you wherever you have gone,^(U) and I have cut off all your enemies from before you.^(V) Now I will make your name great, like the names of the greatest men on earth.^(W) ¹⁰And I will provide a place for my people Israel and will plant^(X) them so that they can have a home of their own and no longer be disturbed.^(Y) Wicked^(Z) people will not oppress them anymore,^(AA) as they did at the beginning ¹¹and have done ever since the time I appointed leaders^[a]^(AB) over my people Israel. I will also give you rest from all your enemies.^(AC)

“‘The Lord declares^(AD) to you that the Lord himself will establish^(AE) a house^(AF) for you: ¹²When your days are over and you rest^(AG) with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood,^(AH) and I will establish his kingdom.^(AI) ¹³He is the one who will build a house^(AJ) for my Name,^(AK) and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.^(AL) ¹⁴I will be his father, and he will be my son.^(AM) When he does wrong, I will punish him^(AN) with a rod^(AO) wielded by men, with floggings inflicted by human hands. ¹⁵But my love will never be taken away from him,^(AP) as I took it away from Saul,^(AQ) whom I removed from before you. ¹⁶Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me^[b]; your throne^(AR) will be established^(AS) forever.^(AT)’”

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Footnotes

2 Samuel 7:11 Traditionally judges
2 Samuel 7:16 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Septuagint; most Hebrew manuscripts you

Luke 1:21-33

New International Version

²¹Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he stayed so long in the temple. ²²When he came out, he could not speak to them. They realized he had seen a vision in the temple, for he kept making signs^(A) to them but remained unable to speak.

²³When his time of service was completed, he returned home. ²⁴After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion. ²⁵“The Lord has done this for me,” she said. “In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace^(B) among the people.”

The Birth of Jesus Foretold

²⁶In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel^(C) to Nazareth,^(D) a town in Galilee, ²⁷to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph,^(E) a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. ²⁸The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”

²⁹Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. ³⁰But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid,^(F) Mary; you have found favor with God.^(G) ³¹You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus.^(H) ³²He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High.^(I) The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David,^(J) ³³and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom^(K) will never end.”^(L)