Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
A psalm.
98 Sing a new song to the Lord
because he has done miraculous things.
His right hand and his holy arm have gained victory for him.
2 The Lord has made his salvation known.
He has uncovered his righteousness for the nations to see.
3 He has not forgotten to be merciful and faithful
to Israel’s descendants.
All the ends of the earth have seen how our God saves ⌞them⌟.
4 Shout happily to the Lord, all the earth.
Break out into joyful singing, and make music.
5 Make music to the Lord with a lyre,
with a lyre and the melody of a psalm,
6 with trumpets and the playing of a ram’s horn.
Shout happily in the presence of the king, the Lord.
7 Let the sea, everything in it,
the world, and those who live in it roar like thunder.
8 Let the rivers clap their hands
and the mountains sing joyfully
9 in the Lord’s presence
because he is coming to judge the earth.
He will judge the world with justice
and its people with fairness.
Saul’s Sin—the Occult
3 Meanwhile, Samuel had died, and all Israel had mourned for him and buried him in his hometown Ramah. (Saul had rid the land of mediums and psychics.)
4 The Philistines assembled and camped in Shunem. Saul also assembled the whole Israelite army, and they camped at Gilboa. 5 When Saul looked at the Philistine army, he was very afraid—terrified. 6 He prayed to the Lord, but the Lord didn’t answer him through dreams, the Urim,[a] or prophets. 7 Saul told his officers, “Find me a woman who conjures up the dead. Then I’ll go to her and ask for her services.”
His officers told him, “There is a woman at Endor who conjures up the dead.”
8 After disguising himself by putting on other clothes, Saul left with two men and came to the woman that night. He said to her, “Please consult with a dead person for me. Conjure up the person I request.”
9 The woman told him, “You know that Saul rid the land of mediums and psychics. Why are you trying to trap me and have me killed?”
10 But Saul took an oath in the Lord’s name, “I solemnly swear, as the Lord lives, you will not be harmed if you do this.”
11 “Whom should I conjure up for you?” the woman asked.
“Conjure up Samuel for me,” he answered.
12 When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out loudly and asked, “Why did you deceive me? You’re Saul!”
13 “Don’t be afraid,” the king said to her. “What do you see?”
“I see a god rising from the ground,” the woman answered.
14 “In what form?” he asked her.
She answered, “An old man is coming up, and he’s wearing a robe.” Then Saul knew it was Samuel. Saul knelt down with his face touching the ground.
15 Samuel asked Saul, “Why did you disturb me by conjuring me up?”
Saul answered, “I’m in serious trouble. The Philistines are at war with me, and God has turned against me and doesn’t answer me anymore—either by the prophets or in dreams. So I’ve called on you to tell me what to do.”
16 Samuel said, “Why are you asking me when the Lord has turned against you and become your enemy? 17 The Lord has done to you ⌞exactly⌟ what he spoke through me: The Lord has torn the kingship out of your hands and given it to your fellow Israelite David. 18 The Lord is doing this to you today because you didn’t listen to him or unleash his burning anger on Amalek. 19 For the same reasons the Lord will hand you and Israel over to the Philistines. Tomorrow you and your sons will be with me. And then the Lord will hand Israel’s army over to the Philistines.”
God’s Anger against Sinful Humanity
18 God’s anger is revealed from heaven against every ungodly and immoral thing people do as they try to suppress the truth by their immoral living. 19 What can be known about God is clear to them because he has made it clear to them. 20 From the creation of the world, God’s invisible qualities, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly observed in what he made. As a result, people have no excuse. 21 They knew God but did not praise and thank him for being God. Instead, their thoughts were pointless, and their misguided minds were plunged into darkness. 22 While claiming to be wise, they became fools. 23 They exchanged the glory of the immortal God for statues that looked like mortal humans, birds, animals, and snakes.
24 For this reason God allowed their lusts to control them. As a result, they dishonor their bodies by sexual perversion with each other. 25 These people have exchanged God’s truth for a lie. So they have become ungodly and serve what is created rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen!
Copyright © 1995, 2003, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2020 by God’s Word to the Nations Mission Society. All rights reserved.