Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

Psalm 61

To the Chief Musician; on stringed instruments. [A Psalm] of David.

¹ Hear my cry, O God; listen to my prayer.

² From the end of the earth will I cry to You, when my heart is overwhelmed and fainting; lead me to the rock that is higher than I [yes, a rock that is too high for me].

³ For You have been a shelter and a refuge for me, a strong tower against the adversary.

⁴ I will dwell in Your tabernacle forever; let me find refuge and trust in the shelter of Your wings. Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]!

⁵ For You, O God, have heard my vows; You have given me the heritage of those who fear, revere, and honor Your name.

⁶ May You prolong the [true] ^[a]King’s life [adding days upon days], and may His years be to the last generation [of this world and the generations of the world to come].

⁷ May He sit enthroned forever before [the face of] God; O ordain that loving-kindness and faithfulness may watch over Him!

⁸ So will I sing praise to Your name forever, paying my vows day by day.

¹⁵ Then Naaman returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and stood before him. He said, Behold, now I know that there is no God in all the earth but in Israel. So now accept a gift from your servant.

¹⁶ Elisha said, As the Lord lives, before Whom I stand, I will accept none. He urged him to take it, but Elisha refused.

¹⁷ Naaman said, Then, I pray you, let there be given to me, your servant, two mules’ burden of earth. For your servant will henceforth offer neither burnt offering nor sacrifice to other gods, but only to the Lord.

¹⁸ In this thing may the Lord pardon your servant: when my master [the king] goes into the house of [his god] Rimmon to worship there, and he leans on my hand and I bow myself in the house of Rimmon, when I bow down myself in the house of Rimmon, may the Lord pardon your servant in this thing.

¹⁹ Elisha said to him, Go in peace. So Naaman departed from him a little way.

²⁴ And as he thus proceeded with his defense, Festus called out loudly, Paul, you are mad! Your great learning is driving you insane!

²⁵ But Paul replied, I am not mad, most noble Festus, but I am uttering the straight, sound truth.

²⁶ For the king understands about these things well enough, and [therefore] to him I speak with bold frankness and confidence. I am convinced that not one of these things has escaped his notice, for all this did not take place in a corner [in secret].

²⁷ King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? [Do you give credence to God’s messengers and their words?] I perceive and know that you do believe.

²⁸ Then Agrippa said to Paul, You think it a small task to make a Christian of me [just offhand to induce me with little ado and persuasion, at very short notice].

²⁹ And Paul replied, Whether short or long, I would to God that not only you, but also all who are listening to me today, might become such as I am, except for these chains.