Israel's majestic God does not lie or change his mind. He is not a human being---he does not change his mind."

O Lord, you have always been our home.

Before you created the hills or brought the world into being, you were eternally God, and will be God forever.

O God, do not take me away now before I grow old. O LORD, you live forever;

A child is born to us! A son is given to us! And he will be our ruler. He will be called, "Wonderful Counselor," "Mighty God," "Eternal Father," "Prince of Peace."

The poor and the helpless have fled to you and have been safe in times of trouble. You give them shelter from storms and shade from the burning heat. Cruel enemies attack like a winter storm,

"I am the high and holy God, who lives forever. I live in a high and holy place, but I also live with people who are humble and repentant, so that I can restore their confidence and hope.

But you, LORD, are the true God, you are the living God and the eternal king. When you are angry, the world trembles; the nations cannot endure your anger.

The LORD says, "Bethlehem Ephrathah, you are one of the smallest towns in Judah, but out of you I will bring a ruler for Israel, whose family line goes back to ancient times."

To the eternal King, immortal and invisible, the only God---to him be honor and glory forever and ever! Amen.

Since this is true, how much more is accomplished by the blood of Christ! Through the eternal Spirit he offered himself as a perfect sacrifice to God. His blood will purify our consciences from useless rituals, so that we may serve the living God.

The LORD is my protector; he is my strong fortress. My God is my protection, and with him I am safe. He protects me like a shield; he defends me and keeps me safe.

In times of trouble he will shelter me; he will keep me safe in his Temple and make me secure on a high rock.

How precious, O God, is your constant love! We find protection under the shadow of your wings.

God is our shelter and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble.

The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.

The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.

God has shown that there is safety with him inside the fortresses of the city.

Whoever goes to the LORD for safety, whoever remains under the protection of the Almighty,

can say to him, "You are my defender and protector. You are my God; in you I trust."

You have made the LORD your defender, the Most High your protector,

When they call to me, I will answer them; when they are in trouble, I will be with them. I will rescue them and honor them.

The LORD is like a strong tower, where the righteous can go and be safe.

Each of them will be like a shelter from the wind and a place to hide from storms. They will be like streams flowing in a desert, like the shadow of a giant rock in a barren land.

"Jerusalem, Jerusalem! You kill the prophets, you stone the messengers God has sent you! How many times I wanted to put my arms around all your people, just as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you would not let me!

and be completely united with him. I no longer have a righteousness of my own, the kind that is gained by obeying the Law. I now have the righteousness that is given through faith in Christ, the righteousness that comes from God and is based on faith.

But his bow remains steady, And his arms are made strong By the power of the Mighty God of Jacob, By the Shepherd, the Protector of Israel.

Storms come, and the wicked are blown away, but honest people are always safe.

His left hand is under my head, and his right hand caresses me.

Trust in the LORD forever; he will always protect us.

They are for you, who through faith are kept safe by God's power for the salvation which is ready to be revealed at the end of time.

To him who is able to keep you from falling and to bring you faultless and joyful before his glorious presence---

But now you will see for yourselves that the LORD your God will go ahead of you like a raging fire. He will defeat them as you advance, so that you will drive them out and destroy them quickly, as he promised.

It is not because you are good and do what is right that the LORD is letting you take their land. He will drive them out because they are wicked and because he intends to keep the promise that he made to your ancestors, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

I give them eternal life, and they shall never die. No one can snatch them away from me.

What my Father has given me is greater than everything, and no one can snatch them away from the Father's care.

For the law of the Spirit, which brings us life in union with Christ Jesus, has set me free from the law of sin and death.

And God, our source of peace, will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.

He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent---that is, the Devil, or Satan---and chained him up for a thousand years.

The angel threw him into the abyss, locked it, and sealed it, so that he could not deceive the nations any more until the thousand years were over. After that he must be set loose for a little while.

Then the Devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had already been thrown; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.