Palm Sunday (Ps) April 13th

Psalm 135:1-21

Praise the Lord!

       Praise the name of the Lord,

give praise, O servants of the Lord,

²    who stand in the house of the Lord,

in the courts of the house of our God!

³    Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good;

sing to his name, for it is pleasant!

⁴    For the Lord has chosen Jacob for himself,

Israel as his own possession.

⁵    For I know that the Lord is great,

and that our Lord is above all gods.

⁶    Whatever the Lord pleases, he does,

in heaven and on earth,

in the seas and all deeps.

⁷    He it is who makes the clouds rise at the end of the earth,

who makes lightnings for the rain

and brings forth the wind from his storehouses.

⁸    He it was who struck down the firstborn of Egypt,

both of man and of beast;

⁹    who in your midst, O Egypt,

sent signs and wonders

against Pharaoh and all his servants;

¹⁰    who struck down many nations

and killed mighty kings,

¹¹    Sihon, king of the Amorites,

and Og, king of Bashan,

and all the kingdoms of Canaan,

¹²    and gave their land as a heritage,

a heritage to his people Israel.

¹³    Your name, O Lord, endures forever,

your renown, O Lord, throughout all ages.

¹⁴    For the Lord will vindicate his people

and have compassion on his servants.

¹⁵    The idols of the nations are silver and gold,

the work of human hands.

¹⁶    They have mouths, but do not speak;

they have eyes, but do not see;

¹⁷    they have ears, but do not hear,

nor is there any breath in their mouths.

¹⁸    Those who make them become like them,

so do all who trust in them.

¹⁹    O house of Israel, bless the Lord!

O house of Aaron, bless the Lord!

²⁰    O house of Levi, bless the Lord!

You who fear the Lord, bless the Lord!

²¹    Blessed be the Lord from Zion,

he who dwells in Jerusalem!

       Praise the Lord!

The Second Article: Redemption

And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended into hell. The third day He rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty. From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead.

What does this mean?

I believe that Jesus Christ, true God, begotten of the Father from eternity, and also true man, born of the Virgin Mary, is my Lord. Who has redeemed me, a lost and condemned person, purchased and won me from all sins, from death, and from the power of the devil; not with gold or silver, but with His holy, precious blood and with His innocent suffering and death, that I may be His own and live under Him in His kingdom and serve Him in everlasting righteousness, innocence, and blessedness, just as He is risen from the dead, lives and reigns to all eternity. This is most certainly true.

O Lord God, heavenly Father, who by the blessed light of Your divine Word has led us to the knowledge of Your Son, we most heartily request You replenish us with the grace of Your Holy Spirit that we may ever walk in the light of Your truth and, rejoicing with sure confidence in the end be brought to everlasting salvation; through Jesus Christ Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.