Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
12 Extol the Lord, O Jerusalem.
Praise your God, O Zion.
13 For he makes the bars of your gates strong.
He blesses your children[a] within you.
14 He[b] brings peace to your territory.[c]
He abundantly provides for you[d] the best grain.
15 He[e] sends his command through the earth;[f]
swiftly his order reaches its destination.[g]
16 He sends the snow that is white like wool;
he spreads the frost that is white like ashes.[h]
17 He throws his hailstones[i] like crumbs.
Who can withstand the cold wind he sends?[j]
18 He then orders it all to melt;[k]
he breathes on it,[l] and the water flows.
19 He proclaims his word to Jacob,
his statutes and regulations to Israel.
20 He has not done so with any other nation;
they are not aware of his regulations.
Praise the Lord!
David Commissions Solomon to Build the Temple
28 David assembled in Jerusalem all the officials of Israel, including the commanders of the tribes, the commanders of the army divisions that served the king, the commanders of units of a thousand and a hundred, the officials who were in charge of all the property and livestock of the king and his sons, the eunuchs, and the warriors, including the most skilled of them.
2 King David rose to his feet and said: “Listen to me, my brothers and my people. I wanted to build a temple where the ark of the Lord’s covenant could be placed as a footstool for our God.[a] I have made the preparations for building it. 3 But God said to me, ‘You must not build a temple to honor me,[b] for you are a warrior and have spilled blood.’ 4 The Lord God of Israel chose me out of my father’s entire family to become king over Israel and have a permanent dynasty.[c] Indeed,[d] he chose Judah as leader, and my father’s family within Judah, and then he picked me out from among my father’s sons and made me king over all Israel.[e] 5 From all the many sons the Lord has given me, he chose Solomon my son to rule on his behalf over Israel.[f] 6 He said to me, ‘Solomon your son is the one who will build my temple and my courts, for I have chosen him to become my son and I will become his father. 7 I will establish his kingdom permanently, if he remains committed to obeying my commands and regulations, as you are doing this day.’[g] 8 So now, in the sight of all Israel, the Lord’s assembly, and in the hearing of our God, I say this:[h] Carefully observe[i] all the commands of the Lord your God, so that you may possess this good land and may leave it as a permanent inheritance for your children after you.
9 “And you, Solomon my son, obey[j] the God of your father and serve him with a submissive attitude and a willing spirit,[k] for the Lord examines all minds and understands every motive of one’s thoughts. If you seek him, he will let you find him,[l] but if you abandon him, he will reject you permanently. 10 Realize[m] now that the Lord has chosen you to build a temple as his sanctuary. Be strong and do it!”
10 According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master-builder I laid a foundation, but someone else builds on it. And each one must be careful how he builds. 11 For no one can lay any foundation other than what is being laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 If anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or straw,[a] 13 each builder’s[b] work will be plainly seen, for the Day[c] will make it clear, because it will be revealed by fire. And the fire[d] will test what kind of work each has done. 14 If what someone has built survives, he will receive a reward. 15 If someone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss.[e] He himself will be saved, but only as through fire.
16 Do you not know that you are God’s temple[f] and that God’s Spirit lives in you? 17 If someone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, which is what you are.
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