Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

Surely God is My Helper

Psalm 54

Midianite Oppression

6 Then Bnei-Yisrael did what was evil in Adonai’s eyes, so Adonai gave them into the hand of Midian for seven years. ² Midian maintained an upper hand over Israel, and because of Midian Bnei-Yisrael made themselves hideouts in the mountains—caves and strongholds. ³ Whenever Israel had done their sowing, the Midianites, Amalekites and people from the east would come up and raid them. ⁴ They would set up camp by them, destroy the produce of the land as far as Gaza, and leave nothing in Israel to live on—not a sheep, ox or donkey. ⁵ For they would come up with their cattle and their tents, invade like a multitude of locusts. Both they and their camels were innumerable, and they would come to the land to ruin it. ⁶ So Israel was brought very low because of Midian, and Bnei-Yisrael cried out to Adonai.

⁷ Now it came about when Bnei-Yisrael cried out to Adonai because of Midian, ⁸ that Adonai sent a prophet to Bnei-Yisrael, and he said to them, “Thus says Adonai, God of Israel, ‘It was I who brought you up from Egypt, and brought you out of the house of bondage. ⁹ Then I delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of all your oppressors, and drove them out from before you and gave you their land. ¹⁰ Then I said to you, “I am Adonai your God. You are not to fear the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are dwelling. But you have not obeyed My voice.’”

Wisdom that Rests on God’s Power

2 When I came to you, brothers and sisters, I did not come with excellence of speech or wisdom, proclaiming to you the mystery^[a] of God. ² For I decided not to know about anything among you except Yeshua the Messiah—and Him crucified. ³ I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling. ⁴ My speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power— ⁵ so that your faith would not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.