Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

34 For David himself. Judge thou, O Lord, them that wrong me: overthrow them that fight against me.

² Take hold of arms and shield: and rise up to help me.

³ Bring out the sword, and shut up the way against them that persecute me: say to my soul: I am thy salvation.

⁴ Let them be confounded and ashamed that seek after my soul. Let them be turned back and be confounded that devise against me.

⁵ Let them become as dust before the wind: and let the angel of the Lord straiten them.

⁶ Let their way become dark and slippery; and let the angel of the Lord pursue them.

⁷ For without cause they have hidden their net for me unto destruction: without cause they have upbraided my soul.

⁸ Let the snare which he knoweth not come upon him: and let the net which he hath hidden catch him: and let the net which he hath hidden catch him: and into that very snare let them fall.

2 And the days of David drew nigh that he should die, and he charged his son Solomon, saying:

² I am going the way of all flesh: take thou courage, and shew thyself a man.

³ And keep the charge of the Lord thy God, to walk in his ways, and observe his ceremonies, and his precepts, and judgments, and testimonies, as it is written in the law of Moses: that thou mayest understand all thou dost, and whithersoever thou shalt turn thyself:

⁴ That the Lord may confirm his words, which he hath spoken of me, saying: If thy children shall take heed to their ways, and shall walk before me in truth, with all their heart, and with all their soul, there shall not be taken away from thee a man on the throne of Israel.

⁵ Thou knowest also what Joab the son of Sarvia hath done to me, what he did to the two captains of the army of Israel, to Abner the son of Ner, and to Amasa the son of Jether: whom he slew, and shed the blood of war in peace, and put the blood of war on his girdle that was about his loins, and in his shoes that were on his feet.

⁶ Do therefore according to thy wisdom, and let not his hoary head go down to hell in peace.

⁷ But shew kindness to the sons of Berzellai the Galaadite, and let them eat at thy table: for they met me when I fled from the face of Absalom thy brother.

⁸ Thou hast also with thee Semei the son of Gera the son of Jemini of Bahurim, who cursed me with a grievous curse, when I went to the camp: but because he came down to meet me when I passed over the Jordan, and I swore to him by the Lord, saying: I will not kill thee with a sword:

⁹ Do not thou hold him guiltless. But thou art a wise man, and knowest what to do with him, and thou shalt bring down his grey hairs with blood to hell.

⁷ Ask, and it shall be given you: seek, and you shall find: knock, and it shall be opened to you.

⁸ For every one that asketh, receiveth: and he that seeketh, findeth: and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened.

⁹ Or what man is there among you, of whom if his son shall ask bread, will he reach him a stone?

¹⁰ Or if he shall ask him a fish, will he reach him a serpent?

¹¹ If you then being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children: how much more will your Father who is in heaven, give good things to them that ask him?