Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

To the director: To the tune “Lilies of the Agreement.” One of Asaph’s songs of praise.

David Prays to God

¹⁸ Then King David went in and sat in front of the Lord. David said,

“Lord God, why am I so important to you? Why is my family important? Why have you made me so important? ¹⁹ I am nothing but a servant, but Lord God, you have also said these kind things about my future family. Lord God, you don’t always talk like this to people, do you? ²⁰ How can I continue talking to you? Lord God, you know that I am only a servant. ²¹ You will do all these wonderful things because you said you would do them and because you want to do them. And you decided to let me know about all these things. ²² Lord God, this is why you are so great! There is no one like you. There is no god except you! We know that because of what we ourselves have heard about what you did.

4 This is what I am saying: When young children inherit all that their father owned, they are still no different from his slaves. It doesn’t matter that they own everything. ² While they are children, they must obey those who are chosen to care for them. But when they reach the age the father set, they are free. ³ It is the same for us. We were once like children, slaves to the useless rules^[a] of this world. ⁴ But when the right time came, God sent his Son, who was born from a woman and lived under the law. ⁵ God did this so that he could buy the freedom of those who were under the law. God’s purpose was to make us his children.

⁶ Since you are now God’s children, he has sent the Spirit of his Son into your hearts. The Spirit cries out, “ Abba,^[b] Father.” ⁷ Now you are not slaves like before. You are God’s children, and you will receive everything he promised his children.