Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

32 Blessed is he whose wickedness is forgiven; whose sin is covered.

² Blessed is the man to whom the LORD does not impute iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.

³ When I held my tongue (my bones being consumed when I roared all day,

⁴ for Your hand is heavy upon me day and night) and my moisture turned into the drought of Summer (Selah),

⁵ I acknowledged my sin to You and did not hide my iniquity. I thought, “I will confess to the LORD my wickedness against myself.” And You forgave the punishment of my sin. Selah.

⁶ Therefore, everyone who is godly shall make his prayer to You in a time when You may be found. Surely, in the flood of great waters they shall not come near him.

⁷ You are my Secret Place. You preserve me from trouble. You surround me with joyful deliverance. Selah.

⁸ “I will instruct you and teach you in the way that you shall go. I will guide you with My eye.

⁹ “Be not like a horse, or like a mule, which do not understand; whose mouths you bind with bit and bridle, lest they come near you.”

¹⁰ Many sorrows shall come to the wicked. But he who trusts in the LORD, mercy shall surround him.

¹¹ Be glad, you righteous, and rejoice in the LORD; and be joyful, all you who are upright in heart!

15 After this, Absalom prepared chariots for himself, and horses, and fifty men to run before him.

² And Absalom rose up early and stood by the entrance of the gate. And every man who had any dispute, and had come to the king for judgment, Absalom called to himself, and said, “What city are you from?” And he answered, “Your servant is from…” (one of the tribes of Israel).

³ Then Absalom said to him, “See, your matters are good and righteous; but there is no deputy of the king to hear you.”

⁴ Moreover, Absalom said, “Oh that I were made judge in the land, so that every man who has any dispute might come to me, so that I might do him justice!”

⁵ And when any man came near to him and prostrated himself, he put forth his hand and took him and kissed him.

⁶ And in this manner did Absalom to all Israel who came to the king for judgment. So, Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.

⁷ And after forty years, Absalom said to the king, “Pleaase let me go to Hebron and render my vow which I have vowed to the LORD.

⁸ “For your servant vowed a vow when I remained at Geshur, in Aram, saying, ‘If the LORD shall bring me back indeed to Jerusalem, I will serve the LORD.’”

⁹ And the king said to him, “Go in peace.” So, he arose and went to Hebron.

¹⁰ Then, Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, “When you hear the sound of the trumpet, you shall say, ‘Absalom reigns in Hebron!’”

¹¹ And two hundred invited men went out of Jerusalem with Absalom. And they went innocently, knowing nothing.

¹² Also, Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counselor, from his city, Giloh, while he offered Sacrifices. And the treason was great. For the people with Absalom steadily increased.

11 I say then, has not God thrust away His people? Absolutely not! For I am also an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.

² God has not thrust away His people, whom He knew before. Do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah; how he intercedes with God against Israel, saying,

³ “Lord, they have killed your Prophets, and dug down Your altars. And I am left alone. And they seek my life”?

⁴ But what does God say in response to him? “I have reserved for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal”.

⁵ Even so then, at this present time, there is a remnant according to the election of grace.

⁶ And if it is of grace, it is no more of works. Or else grace would no longer be grace. And if it is of works, it is no longer grace. Or else work would no longer be work.

⁷ What then? Israel has not obtained what it sought. But the Elect have obtained it. And the rest have been hardened.

⁸ Just as it is written, “God has given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear until this day”.

⁹ And David says, “Let their table be made a snare, and a net, and a stumbling block, and a recompense to them.

¹⁰ “Let their eyes be darkened that they do not see and bow down their back continually.”