Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
98 1 An earnest exhortation to all creatures to praise the Lord for his power, mercy and fidelity in his promise by Christ, 10 by whom he hath communicated his salvation to all nations.
A Psalm.
1 Sing [a]unto the Lord a new song: for he hath done marvelous things: (A)his right hand, and his holy [b]arm have gotten him the victory.
2 The Lord declared his [c]salvation: his righteousness hath he revealed in the sight of the nations.
3 He hath [d]remembered his mercy and his truth toward the house of Israel: all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.
4 All the earth, sing ye loud unto the Lord: cry out and rejoice, and sing praises.
5 Sing praise to the Lord upon the harp, even upon the harp with a singing voice.
6 With [e]shalms and sound of trumpets sing loud before the Lord the king.
7 Let the sea roar, and all that therein is, the world, and they that dwell therein.
8 Let the floods clap their hands, and let the mountains rejoice together,
9 Before the Lord: for he is come to judge the earth: with righteousness shall he judge the world: and the people with equity.
3 ((A)Samuel was then dead, and all Israel had lamented him, and buried him in Ramah his own city: and Saul had [a]put away the sorcerers, and the Soothsayers out of the land.)
4 Then the Philistines assembled themselves, and came and pitched in Shunem: and Saul assembled all Israel, and they pitched in Gilboa.
5 And when Saul saw the host of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart was sore astonied.
6 Therefore Saul asked counsel of the Lord, and the Lord answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by [b]Urim, nor yet by Prophets.
7 ¶ Then said Saul unto his servants, Seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and ask of her. And his servants said to him, Behold, there is a woman at En Dor that hath a familiar spirit.
8 Then Saul [c]changed himself, and put on other raiment, and he went, and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night: and he said, I pray thee, conjecture unto me by the familiar spirit, and bring me him up whom I shall name unto thee.
9 And the woman said unto him, Behold, thou knowest what Saul hath done, how he hath destroyed the sorcerers, and the soothsayers out of the land: wherefore then seekest thou to take me in a snare to cause me to die?
10 And Saul swore to her by the Lord, saying, As the Lord liveth, no [d]harm shall come to thee for this thing.
11 Then said the woman, Whom shall I bring up unto thee? And he answered, Bring me up [e]Samuel.
12 And when the woman saw Samuel, she cried with a loud voice, and the woman spake to Saul, saying, Why hast thou deceived me? for thou art Saul.
13 And the king said unto her, Be not afraid: for what sawest thou? And the woman said unto Saul, I saw [f]gods ascending up out of the earth.
14 Then he said unto her, What fashion is he of? And she answered, An old man cometh up lapped in a mantel: and Saul knew that it was [g]Samuel, and he inclined his face to the ground, and bowed himself.
15 ¶ And Samuel said to Saul, Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me up? Then Saul answered, I am in great distress: for the Philistines make war against me, and God is departed from me, and answereth me no more, neither [h]by Prophets, neither by dreams: therefore I have called thee, that thou mayest tell me, what I shall do.
16 Then said Samuel, Wherefore then dost thou ask of me, seeing, the Lord is gone from thee, and is thine enemy?
17 Even the Lord hath done to [i]him, as he spake (B)by mine [j]hand: for the Lord will rent the kingdom out of thine hand, and give it thy neighbor David.
18 Because thou obeyedst not the voice of the Lord, nor executedst his fierce wrath upon the Amalekites, therefore hath the Lord done this unto thee this day.
19 Moreover the Lord will deliver Israel with thee into the hands of the Philistines: [k]and tomorrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me, and the Lord shall give the host of Israel into the hands of the Philistines.
18 [a]For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against [b]all ungodliness, and unrighteousness of men, which withhold the [c]truth in unrighteousness.
19 [d]Forasmuch as that, which may be known of God, is manifest in [e]them, for God hath showed it unto them.
20 For the invisible things of him, that is, his eternal power and Godhead, are seen by the creation of the world, being [f]considered in his works, to the intent that they should be without excuse:
21 Because that when they knew God, they [g]glorified him not as God, neither were thankful, but became [h]vain in their thoughts, and their foolish heart was full of darkness.
22 When they [i]professed themselves to be wise, they became fools.
23 For they turned the glory of the [j]incorruptible God to the similitude of the image of a corruptible man, and of birds, and four footed beasts, and of creeping things.
24 [k]Wherefore [l]also God [m]gave them up to their hearts lusts, unto uncleanness, to defile their own bodies between themselves:
25 Which turned the truth of God unto a lie, and worshipped and served the creature, forsaking the Creator which is blessed forever, Amen.
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