Laboring and Prospering with the Lord

A Song of Ascents. Of Solomon.

First Seal: The Conqueror

6 Now ^(A)I saw when the Lamb opened one of the ^[a]seals; and I heard ^(B)one of the four living creatures saying with a voice like thunder, “Come and see.” ² And I looked, and behold, ^(C)a white horse. ^(D)He who sat on it had a bow; ^(E)and a crown was given to him, and he went out ^(F)conquering and to conquer.

Second Seal: Conflict on Earth

³ When He opened the second seal, ^(G)I heard the second living creature saying, “Come ^[b]and see.” ^4 (H)Another horse, fiery red, went out. And it was granted to the one who sat on it to ^(I)take peace from the earth, and that people should kill one another; and there was given to him a great sword.

Third Seal: Scarcity on Earth

⁵ When He opened the third seal, ^(J)I heard the third living creature say, “Come and see.” So I looked, and behold, ^(K)a black horse, and he who sat on it had a pair of ^(L)scales^[c] in his hand. ⁶ And I heard a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, “A ^[d]quart of wheat for a ^[e]denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and ^(M)do not harm the oil and the wine.”

Fourth Seal: Widespread Death on Earth

⁷ When He opened the fourth seal, ^(N)I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, “Come and see.” ^8 (O)So I looked, and behold, a pale horse. And the name of him who sat on it was Death, and Hades followed with him. And ^[f]power was given to them over a fourth of the earth, ^(P)to kill with sword, with hunger, with death, ^(Q)and by the beasts of the earth.

Fifth Seal: The Cry of the Martyrs

⁹ When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under ^(R)the altar ^(S)the souls of those who had been slain ^(T)for the word of God and for ^(U)the testimony which they held. ¹⁰ And they cried with a loud voice, saying, ^(V)“How long, O Lord, ^(W)holy and true, ^(X)until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” ¹¹ Then a ^(Y)white robe was given to each of them; and it was said to them ^(Z)that they should rest a little while longer, until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was completed.

Sixth Seal: Cosmic Disturbances

¹² I looked when He opened the sixth seal, ^(AA)and ^[g]behold, there was a great earthquake; and ^(AB)the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the ^[h]moon became like blood. ^13 (AC)And the stars of heaven fell to the earth, as a fig tree drops its late figs when it is shaken by a mighty wind. ^14 (AD)Then the sky ^[i]receded as a scroll when it is rolled up, and ^(AE)every mountain and island was moved out of its place. ¹⁵ And the ^(AF)kings of the earth, the great men, ^[j]the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, ^(AG)hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains, ^16 (AH)and said to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who ^(AI)sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! ¹⁷ For the great day of His wrath has come, ^(AJ)and who is able to stand?”