Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Psalm 30
A song of David. For the dedication of the temple.
1 I praise You, Eternal One. You lifted me out of that deep, dark pit
and denied my opponents the pleasure of rubbing in their success.
2 Eternal One, my True God, I cried out to You for help;
You mended the shattered pieces of my life.
3 You lifted me from the grave with a mighty hand,
gave me another chance,
and saved me from joining those in that dreadful pit.
4 Sing, all you who remain faithful!
Pour out your hearts to the Eternal with praise and melodies;
let grateful music fill the air and bless His name.
5 His wrath, you see, is fleeting,
but His grace lasts a lifetime.
The deepest pains may linger through the night,
but joy greets the soul with the smile of morning.
6 When things were quiet and life was easy, I said in arrogance,
“Nothing can shake me.”
7 By Your grace, Eternal,
I thought I was as strong as a mountain;
But when You left my side and hid away,
I crumbled in fear.
8 O Eternal One, I called out to You;
I pleaded for Your compassion and forgiveness:
9 “I’m no good to You dead! What benefits come from my rotting corpse?
My body in the grave will not praise You.
No songs will rise up from the dust of my bones.
From dust comes no proclamation of Your faithfulness.
10 Hear me, Eternal Lord—please help me,
Eternal One—be merciful!”
11 You did it: You turned my deepest pains into joyful dancing;
You stripped off my dark clothing
and covered me with joyful light.
12 You have restored my honor. My heart is ready to explode, erupt in new songs!
It’s impossible to keep quiet!
Eternal One, my God, my Life-Giver, I will thank You forever.
12 Then the woman asked for liberty to speak freely, and David agreed.
Woman of Tekoa: 13 How does your decision in my case compare with what you are doing to the people of the True God? It seems that your verdict convicts you, since you have not brought home your own banished son. 14 Everyone dies—we are like water spilled in the dust that can’t be reclaimed. But God will not waste a life—He won’t allow the banished one to be exiled permanently from His presence.
15 I say these things to you, my king, because of those who have frightened me. I thought, “Maybe if I speak to the king, he will hear my request. 16 And if the king hears, he will deliver me out of the hands of those who would make my son and me exiles from the inheritance of God.” 17 I thought, “Please let the king’s word bring me peace,” because you, my lord, are like a messenger of God, discerning good and evil alike. The Eternal One, your True God, be with you!
David: 18 I’m going to ask you a question, and I want you to tell me the truth.
Woman of Tekoa: Ask me your question, my king.
David: 19 Has Joab put you up to this?
Woman of Tekoa: Of course you are right, my king. No one can fool you. It was your servant Joab who sent me and told me what to say to you. 20 He did this because he hoped to change your situation with Absalom. But my lord, my king, is wise, as wise as a heavenly messenger of God who sees all that is happening on earth.
David (to Joab): 21 All right. I will do as you advise. You have my permission to bring young Absalom home.
22 Joab lay facedown on the ground before the king and honored him.
Joab (blessing David): Today I know that I am blessed and that I stand approved before you, my lord and king, since you have granted my request.
23 Joab traveled to Geshur, found Absalom, and brought him home to Jerusalem. But David would not see him.
David: 24 Take him to his own house. I won’t let him see my face.
So Absalom returned to his own house and did not come into the king’s presence.
26 Agrippa (to Paul): Go ahead. You may speak for yourself.
Paul (extending his hand): 2 I am indeed fortunate to be standing before you, King Agrippa, to humbly defend myself against accusations from my Jewish opponents. 3 You are extraordinarily familiar with Jewish customs and controversies, so I beg your patience as I begin. 4 My way of life is well known to the whole Jewish community, how I have lived in the Jewish community abroad and in Jerusalem. 5 If they are willing to speak, they themselves will tell you something they have long known—that I was a member of the strictest sect of our religion and lived for many years as a Pharisee. 6 But now I am on trial here for this simple reason: I have hope. I have hope rooted in a promise God made to our ancestors. 7 All our twelve tribes have hope in this promise—they express their hope as they worship day and night. How strange it is, then, Your Excellency, that I am accused by the Jews of having hope! 8 Why would any of you think it is absurd to have hope that God raises the dead? 9 As you know, we’re talking specifically about Jesus of Nazareth. For a long time, I was convinced that I should work against that name. 10 I opposed it in Jerusalem. I received authorization from the chief priests to lock many of His followers in prison. When they were threatened with execution, I voted against them. 11 I would find them in synagogues across Jerusalem and try to force them to blaspheme. My fury drove me to pursue them to foreign cities as well.
The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.