Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Psalm 116
Thanks to God for Deliverance
1 I love the Lord because He has heard
my appeal for mercy.(A)
2 Because He has turned His ear to me,
I will call out to Him as long as I live.(B)
3 The ropes of death were wrapped around me,
and the torments of Sheol overcame me;
I encountered trouble and sorrow.(C)
4 Then I called on the name of Yahweh:
“Yahweh, save me!”(D)
5 The Lord is gracious and righteous;
our God is compassionate.(E)
6 The Lord guards the inexperienced;
I was helpless, and He saved me.(F)
7 Return to your rest, my soul,
for the Lord has been good to you.(G)
8 For You, Lord, rescued me from death,
my eyes from tears,
my feet from stumbling.(H)
9 I will walk before the Lord
in the land of the living.(I)
Spies Sent to Jericho
2 Joshua son of Nun secretly sent two men as spies(A) from the Acacia Grove,[a] saying, “Go and scout the land, especially Jericho.” So they left, and they came to the house of a woman, a prostitute named Rahab,(B) and stayed there.
2 The king of Jericho was told, “Look, some of the Israelite men have come here tonight to investigate the land.” 3 Then the king of Jericho sent word to Rahab and said, “Bring out the men who came to you and entered your house, for they came to investigate the entire land.”
4 But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them.(C) So she said, “Yes, the men did come to me, but I didn’t know where they were from. 5 At nightfall, when the gate was about to close, the men went out, and I don’t know where they were going. Chase after them quickly, and you can catch up with them!” 6 But she had taken them up to the roof and hidden them(D) among the stalks of flax that she had arranged on the roof. 7 The men pursued them along the road to the fords of the Jordan, and as soon as they left to pursue them, the gate was shut.
The Promise to Rahab
8 Before the men fell asleep, she went up on the roof 9 and said to them, “I know that the Lord has given you this land(E) and that the terror of you has fallen on us, and everyone who lives in the land is panicking because of you.[b] 10 For we have heard how the Lord dried up the waters of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt,(F) and what you did to Sihon and Og, the two Amorite kings you completely destroyed(G) across the Jordan. 11 When we heard this, we lost heart, and everyone’s courage failed[c] because of you,(H) for the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on earth below. 12 Now please swear to me by the Lord that you will also show kindness to my family, because I showed kindness to you.[d] Give me a sure sign[e] 13 that you will spare the lives of my father, mother, brothers, sisters, and all who belong to them, and save us from death.”
14 The men answered her, “We will give our lives for yours. If you don’t report our mission, we will show kindness and faithfulness to you when the Lord gives us the land.”
17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac.(A) He received the promises and he was offering his unique son, 18 the one it had been said about, Your seed will be traced[a] through Isaac.(B)[b] 19 He considered God to be able even to raise someone from the dead,(C) and as an illustration,[c] he received him back.
20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau(D) concerning things to come. 21 By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and he worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff.(E)[d] 22 By faith Joseph, as he was nearing the end of his life, mentioned the exodus of the Israelites and gave instructions concerning his bones.(F)
Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville Tennessee. All rights reserved.