Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
[a] A song of David when he pretended to be crazy so that Abimelech would send him away, which he did.
34 I will praise the Lord at all times.
I will never stop singing his praises.
2 Humble people, listen and be happy,
while I brag about the Lord.
3 Praise the Lord with me.
Let us honor his name.
4 I went to the Lord for help, and he listened.
He saved me from all that I fear.
5 If you look to him for help,
he will put a smile on your face.
You will have no need to be ashamed.
6 As a poor, helpless man I prayed to the Lord,
and he heard me.
He saved me from all my troubles.
7 The Lord’s angel builds a camp around his followers,
and he protects them.
8 Give the Lord a chance to show you[b] how good he is.
Great blessings belong to those who depend on him!
9 The Lord’s holy people should fear and respect him.
Those who respect him will always have what they need.
10 Even strong lions get weak and hungry,
but those who go to the Lord for help will have every good thing.
11 Children, come and listen to me;
I will teach you to respect the Lord.
12 Do you want to enjoy life?
Do you want to have many happy days?
13 Then avoid saying anything hurtful,
and never let a lie come out of your mouth.
14 Stop doing anything evil, and do good.
Look for peace, and do all you can to help people live peacefully.
15 The Lord watches over those who do what is right,
and he hears their prayers.
16 But the Lord is against those who do evil,
so they are forgotten soon after they die.
17 Pray to the Lord, and he will hear you.
He will save you from all your troubles.
18 The Lord is close to those who have suffered disappointment.
He saves those who are discouraged.
19 Good people might have many problems,
but the Lord will take them all away.
20 He will protect them completely.
Not one of their bones will be broken.
21 But troubles will kill the wicked.
The enemies of those who live right will all be punished.
22 The Lord saves his servants.
All who go to him for protection will escape punishment.
7 So Moses climbed down the mountain and called the elders of the people together. Moses told the elders everything the Lord had commanded him to tell them. 8 All the people spoke at the same time and said, “We will obey everything the Lord says.”
Then Moses went back up the mountain and told the Lord that the people would obey him. 9 Then the Lord said to Moses, “I will come to you in the thick cloud. I will speak to you. All the people will hear me talking to you. I will do this so that they will always believe what you tell them.”
Then Moses told God everything the people had said.
10 And the Lord said to Moses, “Today and tomorrow you must prepare the people for a special meeting. They must wash their clothes 11 and be ready for me on the third day. On the third day, the Lord will come down to Mount Sinai. And all the people will see me. 12-13 But you must tell the people to stay away from the mountain. Make a line and don’t let them cross it. Any person or animal that touches the mountain must be killed with stones or shot with arrows. But don’t let anyone touch them. The people must wait until the trumpet blows. Only then can they go up the mountain.”
14 So Moses climbed down the mountain and went to the people. He got them ready for the special meeting and they washed their clothes.
15 Then Moses said to the people, “Be ready for the meeting with God in three days. Until that time do not have sexual relations.”
16 On the morning of the third day, a thick cloud came down onto the mountain. There was thunder and lightning and a very loud sound from a trumpet. All the people in the camp were frightened. 17 Then Moses led the people out of the camp to a place near the mountain to meet God. 18 Mount Sinai was covered with smoke. Smoke rose off the mountain like smoke from a furnace. This happened because the Lord came down to the mountain in fire. Also the whole mountain began to shake. 19 The noise from the trumpet became louder and louder. Every time Moses spoke to God, God answered him with a voice like thunder.
20 So the Lord came down to Mount Sinai. He came from heaven to the top of the mountain. Then he called Moses to come up to the top of the mountain with him. So Moses went up the mountain.
A Warning and Things to Do
17 Dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ said would happen. 18 They told you, “In the last times there will be people who laugh at God and do only what they want to do—things that are against God.” 19 These are the people who divide you. They are not spiritual, because they don’t have the Spirit.
20 But you, dear friends, use your most holy faith to build yourselves up even stronger. Pray with the help of the Holy Spirit. 21 Keep yourselves safe in God’s love, as you wait for the Lord Jesus Christ in his mercy to give you eternal life.
22 Help those who have doubts. 23 Rescue those who are living in danger of hell’s fire. There are others you should treat with mercy, but be very careful that their filthy lives don’t rub off on you.[a]
Praise God
24 God is strong and can keep you from falling. He can bring you before his glory without any wrong in you and give you great joy. 25 He is the only God, the one who saves us. To him be glory, greatness, power, and authority through Jesus Christ our Lord for all time past, now, and forever. Amen.
Copyright © 2006 by Bible League International