Is. 9:1–7

9:1 (8:23) The gloom will be dispelled for those who were anxious.

In earlier times he humiliated

the land of Zebulun,

and the land of Naphtali;

but now he brings honor

to the way of the sea,

the region beyond the Jordan,

and Galilee of the nations.

2(9:1) The people walking in darkness

see a bright light;

light shines

on those who live in a land of deep darkness.

3You have enlarged the nation;

you give them great joy.

They rejoice in your presence

as harvesters rejoice;

as warriors celebrate when they divide up the plunder.

4For their oppressive yoke

and the club that strikes their shoulders,

the cudgel the oppressor uses on them,

you have shattered, as in the day of Midian’s defeat.

5Indeed every boot that marches and shakes the earth

and every garment dragged through blood

is used as fuel for the fire.

6For a child has been born to us,

a son has been given to us.

He shoulders responsibility

and is called

Wonderful Adviser,

Mighty God,

Everlasting Father,

Prince of Peace.

7His dominion will be vast,

and he will bring immeasurable prosperity.

He will rule on David’s throne

and over David’s kingdom,

establishing it and strengthening it

by promoting justice and fairness,

from this time forward and forevermore.

The zeal of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will accomplish this.

Ps. 132

132:1 A song of ascents.

O Lord, for David’s sake remember

all his strenuous effort

2and how he made a vow to the Lord,

and swore an oath to the Powerful One of Jacob.

3He said, “I will not enter my own home,

or get into my bed.

4I will not allow my eyes to sleep

or my eyelids to slumber,

5until I find a place for the Lord,

a fine dwelling place for the Powerful One of Jacob.”

6Look, we heard about it in Ephrathah;

we found it in the territory of Jaar.

7Let us go to his dwelling place.

Let us worship before his footstool.

8Ascend, O Lord, to your resting place,

you and the ark of your strength.

9May your priests be clothed with integrity.

May your loyal followers shout for joy.

10For the sake of David, your servant,

do not reject your chosen king.

11The Lord made a reliable promise to David;

he will not go back on his word.

He said, “I will place one of your descendants on your throne.

12If your sons keep my covenant

and the rules I teach them,

their sons will also sit on your throne forever.”

13Certainly the Lord has chosen Zion;

he decided to make it his home.

14He said, “This will be my resting place forever;

I will live here, for I have chosen it.

15I will abundantly supply what she needs;

I will give her poor all the food they need.

16I will protect her priests,

and her godly people will shout exuberantly.

17There I will make David strong;

I have determined that my chosen king’s dynasty will continue.

18I will humiliate his enemies,

and his crown will shine.”

2 Cor. 1:12–22

1:12 For our reason for confidence is this: The testimony of our conscience, that with pure motives and sincerity which are from God—not by human wisdom but by the grace of God—we conducted ourselves in the world, and all the more toward you. 13For we do not write you anything other than what you can read and also understand. But I hope that you will understand completely 14just as also you have partly understood us, that we are your source of pride just as you also are ours in the day of the Lord Jesus. 15And with this confidence I intended to come to you first so that you would get a second opportunity to see us, 16and through your help to go on into Macedonia and then from Macedonia to come back to you and be helped on our way into Judea by you. 17Therefore when I was planning to do this, I did not do so without thinking about what I was doing, did I? Or do I make my plans according to mere human standards so that I would be saying both “Yes, yes” and “No, no” at the same time? 18But as God is faithful, our message to you is not “Yes” and “No.” 19For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, the one who was proclaimed among you by us—by me and Silvanus and Timothy—was not “Yes” and “No,” but it has always been “Yes” in him. 20For every one of God’s promises are “Yes” in him; therefore also through him the “Amen” is spoken, to the glory we give to God. 21But it is God who establishes us together with you in Christ and who anointed us, 22who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a down payment.