Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Psalm 34[a]
By David, when he pretended to be insane before Abimelech, causing the king to send him away.[b]
34 I will praise[c] the Lord at all times;
my mouth will continually praise him.[d]
2 I will boast[e] in the Lord;
let the oppressed hear and rejoice.[f]
3 Magnify the Lord with me.
Let us praise[g] his name together.
4 I sought the Lord’s help[h] and he answered me;
he delivered me from all my fears.
5 Look to him and be radiant;
do not let your faces be ashamed.[i]
6 This oppressed man cried out and the Lord heard;
he saved him[j] from all his troubles.
7 The angel of the Lord camps around
the Lord’s[k] loyal followers[l] and delivers them.[m]
8 Taste[n] and see that the Lord is good.
How blessed[o] is the one[p] who takes shelter in him.[q]
15 Then Hushai reported to Zadok and Abiathar the priests, “Here is what Ahithophel has advised Absalom and the leaders[a] of Israel to do, and here is what I have advised. 16 Now send word quickly to David and warn him,[b] “Don’t spend the night at the fords[c] of the wilderness tonight. Instead, be sure you cross over,[d] or else the king and everyone who is with him may be overwhelmed.”[e]
17 Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz were staying in En Rogel. A female servant would go and inform them, and they would then go and inform King David. It was not advisable for them to be seen going into the city. 18 But a young man saw them on one occasion and informed Absalom. So the two of them quickly departed and went to the house of a man in Bahurim. There was a well in his courtyard, and they got down in it. 19 His wife then took the covering and spread it over the top of the well and scattered some grain over it. No one was aware of what she had done.
20 When the servants of Absalom approached the woman at her home, they asked, “Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?” The woman replied to them, “They crossed over the stream.” Absalom’s men[f] searched but did not find them, so they returned to Jerusalem.
21 After the men had left, Ahimaaz and Jonathan[g] climbed out of the well. Then they left and informed King David. They advised David, “Get up and cross the stream[h] quickly, for Ahithophel has devised a plan to catch you.”[i] 22 So David and all the people who were with him got up and crossed the Jordan River.[j] By dawn there was not one person left who had not crossed the Jordan.
23 When Ahithophel realized that his advice had not been followed, he saddled his donkey and returned to his house in his hometown. After setting his household in order, he hanged himself. So he died and was buried in the grave[k] of his father.
24 Meanwhile David had gone to Mahanaim, while Absalom and all the men of Israel had crossed the Jordan River. 25 Absalom had made Amasa general in command of the army in place of Joab. (Now Amasa was the son of an Israelite man named Jether, who had married[l] Abigail the daughter of Nahash and sister of Zeruiah, Joab’s mother.) 26 The army of Israel[m] and Absalom camped in the land of Gilead.
27 When David came to Mahanaim, Shobi the son of Nahash from Rabbah of the Ammonites, Makir the son of Ammiel from Lo Debar, and Barzillai the Gileadite from Rogelim 28 brought bedding, basins, and pottery utensils. They also brought food for David and all who were with him, including wheat, barley, flour, roasted grain, beans, lentils,[n] 29 honey, curds, flocks, and cheese.[o] For they said, “The people are no doubt hungry, tired, and thirsty there in the desert.”[p]
Support One Another
6 Brothers and sisters,[a] if a person[b] is discovered in some sin,[c] you who are spiritual[d] restore such a person in a spirit of gentleness.[e] Pay close attention[f] to yourselves, so that you are not tempted too. 2 Carry one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. 3 For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4 Let each one examine[g] his own work. Then he can take pride[h] in himself and not compare himself with[i] someone else. 5 For each one will carry[j] his own load.
6 Now the one who receives instruction in the word must share all good things with the one who teaches[k] it. 7 Do not be deceived. God will not be made a fool.[l] For a person[m] will reap what he sows, 8 because the person who sows to his own flesh[n] will reap corruption[o] from the flesh,[p] but the one who sows to the Spirit will reap eternal life from the Spirit. 9 So we must not grow weary[q] in doing good, for in due time we will reap, if we do not give up.[r] 10 So then,[s] whenever we have an opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who belong to the family of faith.[t]
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