Malachi 1–2; Psalm 46

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Malachi 1–2

The oracle of the word of the Lord to Israel by Malachi.1

The Lord’s Love for Israel

aI have loved you, says the Lord. bBut you say, How have you loved us? Is not Esau cJacob’s brother? declares the Lord. Yet dI have loved Jacob but Esau I have hated. eI have laid waste his hill country and left his heritage to jackals of the desert. If Edom says, We are shattered but we will rebuild the ruins, the Lord of hosts says, They may build, but I will tear down, and they will be called the wicked country, and the people with whom the Lord is angry forever. fYour own eyes shall see this, and you shall say, Great is the Lord beyond the border of Israel!

The Priests’ Polluted Offerings

gA son honors his father, and a servant his master. If then I am ha father, where is my honor? And if I am ia master, where is my fear? says the Lord of hosts to you, O priests, who despise my name. bBut you say, How have we despised your name? jBy offering polluted food upon my altar. bBut you say, How have we polluted you? By saying that kthe Lord’s table may be despised. lWhen you offer blind animals in sacrifice, is that not evil? And when you offer those that are lame or sick, is that not evil? Present that to your governor; will he accept you or show you favor? says the Lord of hosts. And now mentreat the favor of God, that he may be gracious to us. With such a gift from your hand, nwill he show favor to any of you? says the Lord of hosts. 10 oOh that there were one among you who would shut the doors, that you might not kindle fire on my altar in vain! I have no pleasure in you, says the Lord of hosts, pand I will not accept an offering from your hand. 11 For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name qwill be2 great among the nations, and in every place incense will be offered to my name, and a pure offering. For my name qwill be great among the nations, says the Lord of hosts. 12 But you profane it when you say that rthe Lord’s table is polluted, and its fruit, that is, its food may be despised. 13 But you say, sWhat a weariness this is, and you snort at it, says the Lord of hosts. tYou bring what has been taken by violence or is lame or sick, and this you bring as your offering! Shall I accept that from your hand? says the Lord. 14 Cursed be the cheat who has ua male in his flock, and vvows it, and yet sacrifices to the Lord what is blemished. For wI am a great King, says the Lord of hosts, and my name xwill be feared among the nations.

The Lord Rebukes the Priests

And now, yO priests, zthis command is for you. aIf you will not listen, if you will not take it to heart to give honor to my name, says the Lord of hosts, then I will send bthe curse upon you and I will curse cyour blessings. Indeed, I have already cursed them, because you do not lay it to heart. Behold, dI will rebuke your offspring,3 and espread dung on your faces, the fdung of your offerings, and you shall be taken away with it.4 So shall you know that I have sent gthis command to you, that hmy covenant with Levi may stand, says the Lord of hosts. My covenant with him was one of life and ipeace, and I gave them to him. jIt was a covenant of fear, and he feared me. He stood in awe of my name. kTrue instruction5 was in his mouth, and no wrong was found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and he lturned many from iniquity. For mthe lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and people6 should seek instruction from his mouth, for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts. But you have turned aside from the way. nYou have caused many to stumble by your instruction. You have corrupted othe covenant of Levi, says the Lord of hosts, and so pI make you despised and abased before all the people, inasmuch as you do not keep my ways but qshow partiality in your instruction.

Judah Profaned the Covenant

10 Have we not all rone Father? Has not sone God created us? Why then are we tfaithless to one another, profaning the covenant of our fathers? 11 Judah has been tfaithless, and abomination has been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem. For uJudah has profaned the sanctuary of the Lord, which he loves, and has married the daughter of a foreign god. 12 May the Lord cut off from the tents of Jacob any descendant7 of the man who does this, who vbrings an offering to the Lord of hosts!

13 And this second thing you do. wYou cover the Lord’s altar with tears, with weeping and groaning because he no longer regards the offering or accepts it with favor from your hand. 14 xBut you say, Why does he not? Because the Lord ywas witness between you and the wife of your youth, zto whom tyou have been faithless, though she is your companion and your wife by covenant. 15 aDid he not make them one, with a portion of the Spirit in their union?8 And what was the one God9 seeking?10 bGodly offspring. So guard yourselves11 in your spirit, and let none of you be tfaithless to the wife of your youth. 16 For cthe man who does not love his wife but divorces her,12 says the Lord, the God of Israel, covers13 his garment with violence, says the Lord of hosts. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and tdo not be faithless.

The Messenger of the Lord

17 dYou have wearied the Lord with your words. xBut you say, How have we wearied him? eBy saying, Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the Lord, and he delights in them. Or by asking, fWhere is the God of justice?


Psalm 46

God Is Our Fortress

To the choirmaster. Of athe Sons of Korah. According to bAlamoth.1 A Song.

God is our crefuge and strength,

a very dpresent2 help in etrouble.

Therefore we will not fear fthough the earth gives way,

though the mountains be moved into gthe heart of the sea,

though hits waters roar and foam,

though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah

There is ia river whose streams make glad jthe city of God,

the holy khabitation of the Most High.

lGod is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved;

God will help her when morning dawns.

mThe nations rage, the kingdoms totter;

he nutters his voice, the earth omelts.

pThe Lord of hosts is with us;

the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah

qCome, behold the works of the Lord,

how he has brought desolations on the earth.

rHe makes wars cease to the end of the earth;

he sbreaks the bow and shatters the spear;

the burns the chariots with fire.

10  uBe still, and know that I am God.

vI will be exalted among the nations,

I will be exalted in the earth!

11  pThe Lord of hosts is with us;

the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah