Daily Mass and Readings

1Now when the king dwelt in his house, and the LORD had given him rest from all his enemies round about, 2the king said to Nathan the prophet, "See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells in a tent." 3And Nathan said to the king, "Go, do all that is in your heart; for the LORD is with you." 4But that same night the word of the LORD came to Nathan, 5"Go and tell my servant David, `Thus says the LORD: Would you build me a house to dwell in? 8Now therefore thus you shall say to my servant David, `Thus says the LORD of hosts, I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, that you should be prince over my people Israel; 9and I have been with you wherever you went, and have cut off all your enemies from before you; and I will make for you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the earth. 10And I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in their own place, and be disturbed no more; and violent men shall afflict them no more, as formerly, 11from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel; and I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover the LORD declares to you that the LORD will make you a house. 12When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come forth from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. 14I will be his father, and he shall be my son. When he commits iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men; 16And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure for ever before me; your throne shall be established for ever.'"

1I will sing of thy steadfast love, O LORD, for ever; with my mouth I will proclaim thy faithfulness to all generations. 2For thy steadfast love was established for ever, thy faithfulness is firm as the heavens. 3Thou hast said, "I have made a covenant with my chosen one, I have sworn to David my servant: 4`I will establish your descendants for ever, and build your throne for all generations.'" [Selah] 26He shall cry to me, `Thou art my Father, my God, and the Rock of my salvation.' 28My steadfast love I will keep for him for ever, and my covenant will stand firm for him.

67And his father Zechari'ah was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying, 68"Blessed be the Lord 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, 70as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old, 71that we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all who hate us; 72to perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant, 73the oath which he swore to our father Abraham, 74to grant us that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, might serve him without fear, 75in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our life. 76And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, 77to give knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of their sins, 78through the tender mercy of our God, when the day shall dawn upon us from on high 79to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace."