Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

32 Learning to David. [The understanding of David.] Blessed be they, whose wickedness be forgiven; and whose sins be covered. (The teaching of David. Happy be they, whose wickedness be forgiven; and whose sins be covered.)

² Blessed is the man, to whom the Lord areckoned not sin; neither guile is in his spirit. (Happy is the person, to whom the Lord did not reckon any sin; and there is no deceit in his spirit.)

³ For I was still, my bones waxed eld; while I cried all day. (For when I kept silent/For when I did not confess my sins, my bones grew old; while I cried all day long.)

⁴ For by day and night thine hand was made grievous on me (And day and night thy hand was heavy upon me); I am turned in my wretchedness, while the thorn is set in.

⁵ (Then) I made my sin known to thee; and I hid not my unrightfulness. I said, I shall acknowledge against me mine unrightfulness to the Lord; and thou hast forgiven the wickedness of my sin.

⁶ For this thing each holy man shall pray to thee; in covenable time. Nevertheless in the great flood of many waters; they shall not (come) nigh to thee. (For this thing, each holy man shall pray to thee; in his time of need. And then, in the great flood of many troubles, none shall come near him.)

⁷ Thou art my refuge from tribulation, that (en)compassed me; thou, my fully joying, deliver me from them that (en)compass me. (Thou art my refuge, from the troubles that surround me; thou, my full out joy, deliver me from those who surround me.)

⁸ I shall give understanding to thee, and I shall teach thee; in this way in which thou shalt go, I shall make steadfast mine eyes on thee. (And the Lord said, I shall give understanding to thee, and I shall teach thee the way in which thou should go; and I shall put my eyes steadfastly upon thee.)

⁹ Do not ye be made as an horse and mule; to which is none understanding. Lord, constrain thou the cheeks of them with a barnacle and bridle; that (they) nigh not to thee. (Do not ye be made like a horse or a mule; which have no understanding, or reasoning ability. Their mouths must be constrained with a bit and a bridle; so that they finally submit to where they should go.)

¹⁰ Many beatings be of the sinner; but mercy shall (en)compass him that hopeth in the Lord. (Many beatings be to the sinner; but the love of the Lord shall surround those who trust in him.)

¹¹ Ye just men, be glad, and make fully joy in the Lord; and all ye rightful of heart, have glory. (Ye who be righteous be glad, and make full out joy, or rejoice, in the Lord; and all ye with an upright heart, have glory, or shout for joy!)

15 Therefore after these things, Absalom made a chariot to him, and (had) knights and fifty men, that should go before him. (And so after these things, Absalom got a chariot and horses for himself, and had fifty men who went before him.)

² And Absalom rose early, and stood beside the entering of the gate in the way; and Absalom called to him each man, that had a cause, [(or) a need,] that he should come to the doom of the king, and Absalom said, Of what city art thou? Which answered, and said, Of one lineage of Israel I am, thy servant. (And Absalom would rise up early, and stand beside the entrance to the city gate on the road; and then he would call over each man who had a case, or a dispute, that should have gone before the king for judgement, and Absalom would say, Of what city art thou? And each one would answer, and say, I, thy servant, am from such and such tribe of Israel.)

³ And Absalom answered to him, Thy words seem to me good and just, but none is ordained of the king to hear thee. (And then Absalom would say to him, Thy words seem good and just to me, but no one is ordained by the king to hear thee.)

⁴ And Absalom said, Who shall ordain me judge on the land, that all men that have (a) cause come to me, and I deem justly? (And Absalom would add, Who shall ordain me judge over the land, so that all who have a case, or a dispute, can come before me, and I shall give them justice?)

⁵ But when a man came to Absalom to greet him, he held forth his hand, and took, and kissed that man; (And whenever a man came to Absalom to greet him, he would stretch out his hand, and take hold of him, and kiss him;)

⁶ and Absalom did this to all Israel, that came to doom to be heard of the king (and Absalom did this for all of Israel who came to the king for a judgement); and (so) Absalom stole the hearts of [the] men of Israel.

⁷ But after four years, Absalom said to king David, I shall go, and shall yield my vows, which I vowed to the Lord in Hebron; (And after four years, Absalom said to King David, I shall now go to Hebron, and yield my vows, which I vowed to the Lord;)

⁸ for thy servant vowing vowed, when he was in Geshur of Syria, and said, If the Lord bringeth again me into Jerusalem, I shall make sacrifice to the Lord. (for thy servant made a vow, when he was in Geshur of Syria, and said, If the Lord bringeth me back again to Jerusalem, I shall go and make sacrifice to the Lord in Hebron.)

⁹ And the king said to him, Go thou in peace. And Absalom rose up, and went into Hebron (And so Absalom rose up, and went to Hebron).

¹⁰ Forsooth Absalom sent spyers into all the lineage[s] of Israel, and said, Anon as ye hear the sound of [the] clarion, say ye, Absalom shall reign in Hebron. (But Absalom also sent messengers to all the tribes of Israel, who said, As soon as ye hear the sound of the trumpet, say ye, Absalom is king in Hebron.)

¹¹ And two hundred men called (out) of Jerusalem went forth with Absalom, and went with simple heart, and utterly they knew not the cause. (And Absalom invited two hundred men to go out of Jerusalem with him, and they went innocently, that is, in good faith, and utterly knew nothing about his true intentions.)

¹² Also Absalom called (for) Ahithophel of Giloh, the counsellor of David, from his city Giloh. And when he offered sacrifices, a strong swearing together was made, and the people running together was increased with Absalom. (And Absalom summoned Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counsellor, from his city of Giloh. And so while he offered his sacrifices, the conspiracy strengthened, and the number of people joining Absalom increased.)

11 Therefore I say, Whether God hath put away his people? God forbid [Far be it]. For [and] I am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the lineage of Benjamin.

² God hath not put away his people, which he before-knew. Whether ye know not [Whether ye witen not], what the scripture saith in Elias? How he prayeth God against Israel,

³ Lord, they have slain thy prophets, they have under-delved thine altars, and I am left alone, and they seek my life.

⁴ But what saith God's answer to him? I have left to me seven thousands of men [I have left to me seven thousand of men], that have not bowed their knees before Baal.

⁵ So therefore also in this time, the remnants [the reliefs] be made safe, by the choosing [after the choosing] of the grace of God.

⁶ And if it be by the grace of God, it is not now of works; else grace is not now grace.

⁷ What then? Israel hath not gotten this that he sought [Israel hath not gotten that that he sought], but election hath gotten; and the others be blinded.

⁸ As it is written, God gave to them a spirit of compunction, eyes that they see not, and ears, that they hear not, into this day.

⁹ And David saith, Be the board of them made into a snare before them, and into catching, and into cause of stumbling, and into yielding to them [and into catching, and into offence, and into yielding again to them].

¹⁰ Be the eyes of them made dark, that they see not; and bow thou down always the back of them [and bow down all-gates the back of them].