Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Psalm 34
The Lord Delivers the Righteous
Concerning David, when he pretended to be insane in the presence of Abimelech,[a](A) who drove him out, and he departed.
1 I[b] will praise the Lord at all times;
His praise will always be on my lips.(B)
2 I will boast in the Lord;(C)
the humble will hear and be glad.(D)
3 Proclaim Yahweh’s greatness with me;(E)
let us exalt His name together.(F)
4 I sought the Lord, and He answered me
and delivered me from all my fears.(G)
5 Those who look to Him are[c] radiant with joy;(H)
their faces will never be ashamed.(I)
6 This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him
and saved him from all his troubles.(J)
7 The Angel of the Lord encamps
around those who fear Him, and rescues them.(K)
David’s Dying Instructions to Solomon
2 As the time approached for David to die,(A) he instructed his son Solomon, 2 “As for me, I am going the way of all of the earth.(B) Be strong and be courageous like a man,(C) 3 and keep your obligation to the Lord your God to walk in His ways and to keep His statutes, commands, ordinances, and decrees. This is written in the law of Moses, so that you will have success in everything you do(D) and wherever you turn, 4 and so that the Lord will carry out His promise that He made to me: ‘If your sons are careful to walk faithfully before Me with their whole mind and heart,(E) you will never fail to have a man on the throne of Israel.’(F)
5 “You also know what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me(G) and what he did to the two commanders of Israel’s army, Abner son of Ner(H) and Amasa son of Jether.(I) He murdered them in a time of peace to avenge blood shed in war. He spilled that blood on his own waistband and on the sandals of his feet.[a] 6 Act according to your wisdom, and do not let his gray head descend to Sheol in peace.
7 “Show loyalty to the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite and let them be among those who eat at your table(J) because they supported me when I fled from your brother Absalom.(K)
8 “Keep an eye on Shimei son of Gera, the Benjaminite from Bahurim who is with you. He uttered malicious curses against me the day I went to Mahanaim.(L) But he came down to meet me at the Jordan River, and I swore to him by the Lord: ‘I will never kill you with the sword.’(M) 9 So don’t let him go unpunished, for you are a wise man. You know how to deal with him to bring his gray head down to Sheol with blood.”
Keep Asking, Searching, Knocking
7 “Keep asking,[a](A) and it will be given to you.(B) Keep searching,[b] and you will find. Keep knocking,[c] and the door[d] will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who searches finds,(C) and to the one who knocks, the door[e] will be opened. 9 What man among you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11 If you then, who are evil,(D) know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!
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