Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Psalm 30[a]
Thanksgiving for Deliverance from Death
1 A psalm. A song for the dedication of the temple. Of David.
2 I will exalt you, O Lord,
for you have raised me out of the depths[b]
and have not let my enemies exult over me.
3 O Lord, my God,
I called to you and you healed me.[c]
4 O Lord, you lifted me up from the netherworld;[d]
you saved me from sinking into the pit.
5 Sing praise to the Lord, O you his saints;[e]
give thanks to his holy name.
6 For his anger lasts for only a moment,
while his goodwill endures for a lifetime.
Weeping may last throughout the night,[f]
but at daybreak there is rejoicing.
7 In time of good fortune, I said,
“Nothing can ever sway me.”[g]
8 O Lord, in your goodness
you established me as an impregnable mountain;
however, when you hid your face,
I was filled with terror.
9 [h]To you, O Lord, I cried out,
and I implored my God for mercy:
10 “What advantage would my death provide
if I descend into the pit?
Can the dust praise you?
Can it proclaim your faithfulness?
11 Listen, O Lord, and have mercy on me;
O Lord, be my helper.”
12 You have turned my mourning into dancing;
you have taken away my sackcloth[i]
and clothed me with joy.
13 My heart[j] will therefore sing
in unceasing praise to you;
O Lord, my God,
I will praise you forever.
25 In all Israel there was no one who was so highly praised for his beauty as Absalom, who did not have a single blemish from the sole of his foot to the top of his head. 26 When he would cut the hair of his head—something he used to do at the close of every year because his hair became too heavy for him—the hair weighed two hundred shekels according to the royal standard. 27 To Absalom three sons were born, and also one daughter whose name was Tamar and who was truly beautiful.[a]
28 Absalom Is Pardoned. Absalom lived in Jerusalem for two years without coming into the king’s presence. 29 Then Absalom summoned Joab, wishing to send him with a message to the king, but Joab refused to come. He then sent for him a second time, but Joab still refused to come. 30 Then Absalom instructed his servants: “Joab’s field adjoins mine, and he has barley there. Go and set it on fire.” Therefore, Absalom’s servants set the field on fire.
31 Then Joab went to Absalom’s house and asked him: “Why have your servants set my field on fire?” 32 Absalom replied: “I sent word to you to come here so that I could send you to the king to give him this message from me: ‘Why did you summon me to come back from Geshur. I believe that I would be better off if I were still there. Let me now appear before the king. If I am guilty of anything, let him kill me.’ ”
33 Joab then went before the king and reported this to him. Thereupon the king summoned Absalom, who came and prostrated himself before him, with his face to the ground. Then the king welcomed Absalom with a kiss.
2 Some people then approached him, carrying a paralyzed man lying on a bed. On perceiving their faith, Jesus said to the man, “Take heart, son. Your sins are forgiven.”
3 On hearing this, some of the scribes said to themselves, “This man is blaspheming.”[a] 4 Jesus perceived what they were thinking, and he said, “Why do you harbor evil thoughts in your hearts? 5 [b]Which is easier, to say: ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say: ‘Stand up and walk’? 6 But so that you may come to realize that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralyzed man—“Stand up, take your bed, and go to your home.” 7 The man got up and returned to his home. 8 When the crowd saw this, they were filled with awe, and they glorified God for having given such authority to men.
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