Isaiah
Chapter 40

1 Comfort, give comfort to my people, says your God.

2 Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her service is at an end, her guilt is expiated; Indeed, she has received from the hand of the LORD double for all her sins.

3 A voice cries out: In the desert prepare the way of the LORD! Make straight in the wasteland a highway for our God!

4 Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill shall be made low; The rugged land shall be made a plain, the rough country, a broad valley.

5 Then the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all mankind shall see it together; for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.

6 A voice says, "Cry out!" I answer, "What shall I cry out?" "All mankind is grass, and all their glory like the flower of the field.

7 The grass withers, the flower wilts, when the breath of the LORD blows upon it. (So then, the people is the grass.)

8 Though the grass withers and the flower wilts, the word of our God stands forever."

9 Go up onto a high mountain, Zion, herald of glad tidings; Cry out at the top of your voice, Jerusalem, herald of good news! Fear not to cry out and say to the cities of Judah: Here is your God!

10 Here comes with power the Lord GOD, who rules by his strong arm; Here is his reward with him, his recompense before him.

11 Like a shepherd he feeds his flock; in his arms he gathers the lambs, Carrying them in his bosom, and leading the ewes with care.

Psalms
Chapter 96

1 Sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth.

2 Sing to the LORD, bless his name; announce his salvation day after day.

3 Tell God's glory among the nations; among all peoples, God's marvelous deeds.

10 say among the nations: The LORD is king. The world will surely stand fast, never to be moved. God rules the peoples with fairness.

11 Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice; let the sea and what fills it resound;

12 let the plains be joyful and all that is in them. Then let all the trees of the forest rejoice

13 before the LORD who comes, who comes to govern the earth, To govern the world with justice and the peoples with faithfulness.

Matthew
Chapter 18

12 What is your opinion? If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray, will he not leave the ninety-nine in the hills and go in search of the stray?

13 And if he finds it, amen, I say to you, he rejoices more over it than over the ninety-nine that did not stray.

14 In just the same way, it is not the will of your heavenly Father that one of these little ones be lost.