Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

Psalm 37^[a]

By David.

Hezekiah Becomes King of Judah

18 In the third year of the reign of Israel’s King Hoshea son of Elah, Ahaz’s son Hezekiah became king over Judah. ² He was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother^[a] was Abi,^[b] the daughter of Zechariah. ³ He did what the Lord approved, just as his ancestor David had done.^{[c] 4} He eliminated the high places, smashed the sacred pillars to bits, and cut down the Asherah pole.^[d] He also demolished the bronze serpent that Moses had made, for up to that time^[e] the Israelites had been offering incense to it; it was called Nehushtan.^{[f] 5} He trusted in the Lord God of Israel; in this regard there was none like him among the kings of Judah either before or after.^{[g] 6} He was loyal to^[h] the Lord and did not abandon him.^[i] He obeyed the commandments that the Lord had given to^[j] Moses. ⁷ The Lord was with him; he succeeded in all his endeavors.^[k] He rebelled against the king of Assyria and refused to submit to him.^{[l] 8} He defeated the Philistines as far as Gaza and its territory, from watchtower to fortified city.

²⁸ The chief adviser then stood there and called out loudly in the Judahite dialect,^[a] “Listen to the message of the great king, the king of Assyria. ²⁹ This is what the king says: ‘Don’t let Hezekiah mislead you, for he is not able to rescue you from my hand!^{[b] 30} Don’t let Hezekiah talk you into trusting in the Lord when he says, “The Lord will certainly rescue us; this city will not be handed over to the king of Assyria.” ³¹ Don’t listen to Hezekiah!’ For this is what the king of Assyria says, ‘Send me a token of your submission and surrender to me.^[c] Then each of you may eat from his own vine and fig tree and drink water from his own cistern, ³² until I come and take you to a land just like your own—a land of grain and new wine, a land of bread and vineyards, a land of olive oil and honey. Then you will live and not die. Don’t listen to Hezekiah, for he is misleading you when he says, “The Lord will rescue us.” ³³ Have any of the gods of the nations actually rescued his land from the power of the king of Assyria?^{[d] 34} Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivvah?^[e] Indeed, did any gods rescue Samaria from my power?^{[f] 35} Who among all the gods of the lands has rescued their lands from my power? So how can the Lord rescue Jerusalem from my power?’”^{[g] 36} The people were silent and did not respond, for the king had ordered, “Don’t respond to him.”

To the Church in Smyrna

⁸ “To^[a] the angel of the church in Smyrna write the following:^[b]

“This is the solemn pronouncement of^[c] the one who is the first and the last, the one who was dead, but^[d] came to life: ⁹ ‘I know the distress you are suffering^[e] and your poverty (but you are rich). I also know^[f] the slander against you^[g] by those who call themselves Jews and really are not, but are a synagogue^[h] of Satan. ¹⁰ Do not be afraid of the things you are about to suffer. The devil is about to have some of you thrown^[i] into prison so you may be tested,^[j] and you will experience suffering^[k] for ten days. Remain faithful even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown that is life itself.^{[l] 11} The one who has an ear had better hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who conquers^[m] will in no way be harmed by the second death.’