Thursday of the 4th week of Advent

1When the king lived in his house, and the LORD had given him rest from all his enemies all around, 2the king said to Nathan the prophet, “See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but God’s ark dwells within curtains.” 3Nathan said to the king, “Go, do all that is in your heart, for the LORD is with you.” 4That same night, the LORD’s word came to Nathan, saying, 5“Go and tell my servant David, ‘The LORD says, “Should you build me a house for me to dwell in?

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8Now therefore tell my servant David this: ‘The LORD of Armies says, “I took you from the sheep pen, from following the sheep, to be prince over my people, over Israel. 9I have been with you wherever you went, and have cut off all your enemies from before you. I will make you a great name, like the name of the great ones who are on the earth. 10I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in their own place and be moved no more. The children of wickedness will not afflict them any more, as at the first, 11and as from the day that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel. I will cause you to rest from all your enemies. Moreover the LORD tells you that the LORD will make you a house. 12When your days are fulfilled and you sleep with your fathers, I will set up your offspring after you, who will proceed out of your body, and I will establish his kingdom.

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14I will be his father, and he will be my son. If he commits iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men and with the stripes of the children of men;

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16Your house and your kingdom will be made sure forever before you. Your throne will be established forever.”’”

1I will sing of the loving kindness of the LORD forever.

With my mouth, I will make known your faithfulness to all generations.

2I indeed declare, “Love stands firm forever.

You established the heavens.

Your faithfulness is in them.”

3“I have made a covenant with my chosen one,

I have sworn to David, my servant,

4‘I will establish your offspring forever,

and build up your throne to all generations.’” Selah.

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26He will call to me, ‘You are my Father,

my God, and the rock of my salvation!’

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28I will keep my loving kindness for him forever more.

My covenant will stand firm with him.

67His father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying,

68“Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,

for he has visited and redeemed his people;

69and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David

70(as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets who have been from of old),

71salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us;

72to show mercy toward our fathers,

to remember his holy covenant,

73the oath which he swore to Abraham our father,

74to grant to us that we, being delivered out of the hand of our enemies,

should serve him without fear,

75in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our life.

76And you, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High;

for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways,

77to give knowledge of salvation to his people by the remission of their sins,

78because of the tender mercy of our God,

by which the dawn from on high will visit us,

79to shine on those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death;

to guide our feet into the way of peace.”