Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

A Safe Place in God

61 Hear my cry, O God. Listen to my prayer. ² I call to You from the end of the earth when my heart is weak. Lead me to the rock that is higher than I. ³ For You have been a safe place for me, a tower of strength where I am safe from those who fight against me. ⁴ Let me live in Your tent forever. Let me be safe under the covering of Your wings. ⁵ For You have heard my promises, O God. You have given me that which You give to those who fear Your name. ⁶ You will add days to the life of the king. His years will be as long as the lives of many children and grandchildren added together. ⁷ He will stay forever with God. Set apart loving-kindness and truth to keep him safe. ⁸ So I will sing thanks to Your name forever and keep my promises day by day.

¹⁵ Then Naaman returned to the man of God with all those who were with him. He came and stood in front of Elisha and said, “See, now I know that there is no God in all the earth but in Israel. So I ask you now to take a gift from your servant.” ¹⁶ But Elisha said, “As the Lord lives, before Whom I stand, I will take nothing.” Naaman tried to talk him into taking it, but he would not. ¹⁷ Naaman said, “If not, I ask you, let your servant be given as much dirt as two horses can carry. For your servant will not give burnt gifts or kill animals on the altar in worship to other gods any more. I will only give gifts to the Lord. ¹⁸ But may the Lord forgive your servant for this. My king goes into the house of Rimmon to worship there. He rests on my arm and I put my face to the ground in the house of Rimmon. When I put my face to the ground in the house of Rimmon, may the Lord forgive your servant.” ¹⁹ And Elisha said to him, “Go in peace.” So Naaman went away from him a short way.

²⁴ As Paul was speaking for himself, Festus cried out in a loud voice, “Paul, you are crazy! All your learning keeps you from thinking right!” ²⁵ Paul said, “Most respected Festus, I am not crazy. I am speaking the truth! ²⁶ The king knows about all this. I am free to speak to him in plain words. Nothing I have said is new to him. These things happened where everyone saw them. ²⁷ King Agrippa, do you believe the writings of the early preachers? I know that you believe them.”

²⁸ Then Agrippa said to Paul, “In this short time you have almost proven to me that I should become a Christian!” ²⁹ Paul said, “My prayer to God is that you and all who hear me today would be a Christian as I am, only not have these chains!”