Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
30 1 When David was delivered, from great danger, he rendered thanks to God, exhorting others to do the like, and to learn by his example, that God is rather merciful than severe and rigorous towards his children. 7 And also that the fall from prosperity to adversity is sudden. 8 This done, he returneth to prayer, promising to praise God forever.
(A)A Psalm or song of the (B)dedication of the [a]house of David.
1 I will magnify thee, O Lord: [b]thou hast exalted me, and hast not made my foes to rejoice over me.
2 O Lord my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast [c]restored me.
3 O Lord, thou hast brought up my [d]soul out of the grave: thou hast revived me from them that go down into the pit.
4 Sing praises unto the Lord, ye [e]his Saints, and give thanks [f]before the remembrance of his Holiness.
5 (C)For he endureth but a while in his anger: but in his favor is life: weeping may abide at evening, but joy cometh in the morning.
6 And in my [g]prosperity I said, I shall never be moved.
7 For thou Lord of thy goodness hadst made my [h]mountain to stand strong: but thou didst hide thy face, and I [i]was troubled.
8 Then cried I unto thee, O Lord, and prayed to my Lord.
9 What profit is there in my blood, when I go down to the pit! shall the [j]dust give thanks unto thee? or shall it declare thy truth?
10 Hear, O Lord, and have mercy upon me: Lord, be thou mine helper.
11 Thou hast turned my mourning into joy: thou hast loosed my sack, and girded me with gladness.
12 Therefore shall my [k]tongue praise thee and not cease: O Lord my God, I will give thanks unto thee forever.
14 2 Absalom is reconciled to his father by the subtlety of Joab. 24 Absalom may not see the King’s face. 25 The beauty of Absalom. 30 He causeth Joab’s corn to be burnt, and is brought to his father’s presence.
1 Then Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived, that the king’s [a]heart was toward Absalom,
2 And Joab sent to Tekoa, and brought thence a [b]subtle woman, and said unto her, I pray thee, feign thyself to mourn, and now put on mourning apparel, and [c]anoint not thyself with oil: but be as a woman that had now long time mourned for the dead.
3 And come to the king, and speak on this manner unto him, (for Joab [d]taught her what she should say).
4 ¶ Then the woman of Tekoa spake unto the king, and fell down on her face to the ground, and did obeisance, and said, [e]Help, O King.
5 Then the king said unto her, What aileth thee? And she answered, I am indeed a [f]widow, and mine husband is dead:
6 And thine handmaid had two [g]sons, and they two strove together in the field, (and there was none to part them) so the one smote the other, and slew him.
7 And behold the whole family is risen against thine handmaid, and they said, Deliver him that smote his brother, that we may kill him for the [h]soul of his brother whom he slew, that we may destroy the heir also: so they shall quench my sparkle which is left, and shall not leave to mine husband neither name nor posterity upon the earth.
8 And the king said unto the woman, Go to thine house, and I will give a charge for thee.
9 Then the woman of Tekoa said unto the King, My lord, O King, this [i]trespass be on me, and on my father’s house, and the King and his throne be [j]guiltless.
10 And the King said, Bring him to me that speaketh against thee, and he shall touch thee no more.
11 Then said she, I pray thee, let the king [k]remember the Lord thy God, that thou wouldest not suffer many revengers of blood to destroy, lest they slay my son. And he answered, As the Lord liveth, there shall not one hair of thy son fall to the earth.
6 ¶ And so it was, as I journeyed, and was come near unto Damascus about noon, that suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me.
7 So I fell unto the earth, and heard a voice, saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
8 Then I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said to me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest.
9 Moreover they that were with me, saw indeed a light and were afraid: but they heard not the voice of him that spake unto me.
10 Then I said, What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said unto me, Arise, and go into Damascus: and there it shall be told thee of all things, which are appointed for thee to do.
11 So when I could not see for the glory of that light, I was led by the hand of them that were with me, and came into Damascus.
12 And one Ananias a godly man, as pertaining to the Law, having good report of all the Jews which dwelt there,
13 Came unto me, and stood, and said unto me, Brother Saul, receive thy sight: and that same hour I looked upon him.
14 And he said, The God of our fathers hath appointed thee, that thou shouldest know his will, and shouldest see that Just one, and shouldest hear the voice of his mouth.
15 For thou shalt be his witness unto all men, of the things which thou hast seen and heard.
16 Now therefore why tarriest thou? Arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, in calling on the Name of the Lord.
17 ¶ And it came to pass, that when I was come again to Jerusalem, and prayed in the Temple, I was in a trance,
18 And saw him, saying unto me, Make haste, and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem: for they will not receive thy witness concerning me.
19 Then I said, Lord, they know that I prisoned, and beat in every Synagogue them that believed in thee.
20 And when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed, I also stood by, and consented unto his death, and kept the clothes of them that [a]slew him.
21 Then he said unto me, Depart: for I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles.
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