Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Psalm 57[a]
Trust in God amid Suffering
1 For the director.[b] According to “Do not destroy.” A miktam of David. When he fled from Saul into the cave.
2 Have mercy on me, O God,
have mercy on me,
for in you my soul[c] takes refuge.
I will seek shelter in the shadow of your wings
until the time of danger has passed.
3 I call out to God Most High,
to God who takes care of me.[d]
4 May he send his help from heaven to deliver me
and put to shame those who trample upon me; Selah
may God send his kindness[e] and his faithfulness.
5 I lie prostrate in the midst of lions
who are hungrily seeking human prey.
Their teeth are spears and arrows,
and their tongues are razor-sharp swords.
6 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;
let your glory shine over all the earth.[f]
7 They set a trap for my feet,
and I was overcome with distress.
They dug a pit in my path,
but they themselves fell into it. Selah
8 [g]My heart[h] is steadfast, O God,
my heart is steadfast;
I will sing and chant your praise;
9 awake, my soul!
Awake, lyre and harp!
I will awaken the dawn.[i]
10 [j]I will give thanks to you among the peoples, O Lord;
I will sing your praises among the nations.
11 For your kindness extends to the heavens;
your faithfulness, to the skies.
12 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;
let your glory radiate over all the earth.
23 When Abigail saw David, she quickly got off the donkey, and she fell down before David, bowing her face to the ground. 24 She fell at his feet and said, “Let the blame be upon me, my lord. Please permit your handmaid to speak to you, hear what your handmaid has to say to you.
25 “May my lord not pay attention to this man of Belial, Nabal. He is just like his name. His name means fool, and folly is his companion. But as for me, I, your handmaid, did not see the young men whom you sent.[a]
26 “Now, my lord, as the Lord lives and you live, the Lord has kept you from coming to shed blood and avenging yourself with your own hands. May your enemies and all who seek to harm my lord be like Nabal. 27 Now, may this gift that your handmaid has brought my lord be given to the young men who follow my lord.
28 “I beg you, forgive your handmaid’s offense, for the Lord will surely establish an enduring dynasty for my lord because he fights the Lord’s battles. May no wrongdoing be found in you all of your days. 29 Even though someone should rise up to pursue you to seek your life, my lord’s life will be bound in the bundle of life with the Lord, your God. He will launch out as from the pocket of a sling the lives of your enemies.
30 “When the Lord has fulfilled all of the good things which he has said to you, my lord, and he has established you as ruler over Israel, 31 then there will have no staggering burden of guilt upon my lord’s conscience for either having shed blood without cause or for my lord having sought his own revenge. When the Lord has brought my lord success, remember your handmaid.”
32 David then said to Abigail, “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who has sent you to meet me today. 33 May you be blessed for your good advice, for today you have prevented me from coming to shed blood and seeking vengeance for myself with my own hands. 34 For as surely as the Lord, the God of Israel lives, who kept me from harming you, if you had not hurried out to meet me, then by morning there would not have been even one male left to Nabal.”
35 David accepted the things that she had brought him out of her hands. He said to her, “Return home in peace. See, I have listened to what you said and I have granted your request.”
Patience, for the Lord’s Coming Is Near.[a] 7 Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. Think of how patiently a farmer awaits the precious crop from his fields until they have received the early and the late rains. 8 You too must be patient. Take courage, for the coming of the Lord is near.[b]
9 Brethren, do not raise complaints against one another lest you yourselves be brought to judgment. Behold, the Judge is standing at the gates.
10 As an example of patience in enduring hardship, brethren, consider the Prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. 11 Indeed, those who had perseverance are the ones we call blessed. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and have come to understand the Lord’s purpose in this respect, because the Lord is merciful and compassionate.
12 Do Not Swear. Above all, my brethren, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth, or use any oaths at all. Let your “Yes” mean “Yes” and your “No” mean “No.” Otherwise you may be condemned.[c]
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