Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
7 Being falsely accused by Cush one of Saul’s kinsmen, he calleth to God to be his defender, 3 to whom he commendeth his innocence, 9 first showing that his conscience did not accuse him of any evil toward Saul. 10 Next that it touched God’s glory to award sentence against the wicked. 12 And so entering into the consideration of God’s mercies and promise, he waxeth bold, and derideth the vain enterprises of his enemies, 15 threatening that that shall fall on their own neck which they have purposed for others.
[a]Shiggaion of David, which he sang unto the Lord, concerning the [b]words of (A)Cush the son of Benjamin.
1 O Lord my God, in thee I put my trust: save me from all that persecute me, and deliver me,
2 Lest [c]he devour my soul like a lion, and tear it in pieces, while there is none to help.
3 O Lord my God, if I have done [d]this thing, if there be any wickedness in mine hands,
4 [e]If I have rewarded evil unto him that had peace with me, (yea I have delivered him that vexed me without cause.)
5 Then let the enemies persecute my soul, and take it: yea, let him tread my life down upon the earth, and lay mine [f]honor in the dust. Selah.
6 Arise, O Lord, in thy wrath, and lift up thyself against the rage of mine enemies, and awake for me according to the [g]judgment that thou hast appointed.
7 So shall the congregation of the people compass thee about: for their sakes therefore [h]return on high.
8 The Lord shall judge the people: judge thou me, O Lord, according to my [i]righteousness, and according to mine innocency that is in me.
9 Oh let the malice of the wicked come to an end: but guide thou the just: for the righteous God trieth the [j]hearts and reins.
10 My defense is in God, who preserveth the upright in heart.
11 God judgeth the righteous, and him that contemneth God, [k]every day.
12 Except [l]he turn, he hath whet his sword: he hath bent his bow, and made it ready.
13 He hath also prepared him deadly weapons: he will ordain his arrows for them that persecute me.
14 (B)Behold, he shall travail with wickedness: for he hath conceived mischief, but he shall bring forth a lie.
15 He hath made a pit, and dug it, and is fallen into the pit that he made.
16 His mischief shall return upon his own head, and his cruelty shall fall upon his own pate.
17 I will praise the Lord according to his [m]righteousness, and will sing praise to the Name of the Lord most high.
2 2 After the Queen is put away, certain young maids are brought to the king. 17 Esther pleaseth the King, and is made Queen. 22 Mordecai discloseth unto the king those that would betray him.
1 After these things, when the wrath of King Ahasuerus was appeased, he [a]remembered Vashti, and what she had done, and what was decreed [b]against her.
2 And the King’s servants that ministered unto him, said, Let them seek for the King beautiful young virgins,
3 And let the King appoint officers through all the provinces of his Kingdom, and let them gather all the beautiful young virgins unto the palace of Shushan, into the house of the women, under the hand of Hegai the King’s eunuch, [c]keeper of the women, to give them their things [d]for purification.
4 And the maid that shall please the King, let her reign in the stead of Vashti. And this pleased the king, and he did so.
5 ¶ In the city of Shushan there was a certain Jew, whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish a man of Benjamin,
6 Which had been carried away from Jerusalem (A)with the captivity that was carried away with Jeconiah King of Judah (whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babel had carried away.)
7 And he nourished Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle’s daughter: for she had neither father nor mother, and the maid was fair and beautiful to look on: and after the death of her father, and her mother, Mordecai took her for his own daughter.
8 And when the king’s commandment, and his decree was published, and many maids were brought together to the palace of Shushan, under the hand of Hegai, Esther was brought also unto the King’s house under the hand of Hegai the keeper of the women.
9 And the maid pleased him, and she found favor in his sight, therefore he caused her things for purification to be given her speedily, and her [e]state, and seven comely maids to be given her out of the King’s house, and he gave change to her and to her maids of the best in the house of the women.
10 But Esther showed not her people and her kindred: for Mordecai had charged her that she should not tell it.
11 And Mordecai walked [f]every day before the court of the women’s house, to know if Esther did well, and what should be done with her.
12 And when the course of every maid came, to go in to King Ahasuerus, after that she had been twelve months according to the manner of the women (for so were the days of their purifications accomplished, six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with sweet odors and in the purifying of the women:
13 And thus went the maids unto the King) whatsoever she required, was [g]given her to go with her out of the women’s house unto the king’s house.
14 In the evening she went, and on the morrow she returned into the second house of the women under the hand of Shaashgaz the King’s eunuch, which kept the concubines: she came in to the King no more, except she pleased the King, and that she were called by name.
15 Now when the course of Esther the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai (which had taken her as his own daughter) came, that she should go in to the king, she desired nothing, but what [h]Hege the king’s eunuch the keeper of the women [i]said: and Esther found favor in the sight of all them that looked upon her.
16 ¶ So Esther was taken unto king Ahasuerus into his house royal in the tenth month, which is the [j]month Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.
17 And the King loved Esther above all the women, and she found grace and favor in his sight more than all the virgins: so that he set the crown of the kingdom upon her head, and made her Queen instead of Vashti.
18 Then the king made a great feast unto all his princes, and his servants, which was [k]the feast of Esther, and gave rest [l]unto the provinces, and gifts, according to the [m]power of a king.
8 [a]Remember that Jesus Christ, made of the seed of David, was raised again from the dead according to my Gospel,
9 [b]Wherein I suffer trouble as an evil doer, even unto bonds: but the word of God is not bound.
10 Therefore I suffer all things for the elect’s sake, that they might also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory.
11 [c]It is a true saying, For if we be (A)[d]dead together with him: we also shall live together with him.
12 If we suffer, we shall also reign together with him: (B)if we deny him, he also will deny us.
13 If (C)we believe not, yet abideth he faithful: he cannot deny himself.
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