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Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

Daily Bible readings that follow the church liturgical year, with thematically matched Old and New Testament readings.

Duration: 1245 days

Psalm 56

Psalm 56^[a]

For the music director, according to the yonath-elem-rekhoqim style;^[b] a prayer^[c] of David, written when the Philistines captured him in Gath.^[d]

56 Have mercy on me, O God, for men are attacking me.^[e]
All day long hostile enemies^[f] are tormenting me.^[g]
²Those who anticipate my defeat^[h] attack me all day long.
Indeed,^[i] many are fighting against me, O Exalted One.^[j]
³When^[k] I am afraid,
I trust in you.
⁴In God—I boast in his promise^[l]—
in God I trust; I am not afraid.
What can mere men^[m] do to me?^[n]
⁵All day long they cause me trouble;^[o]
they make a habit of plotting my demise.^[p]
⁶They stalk^[q] and lurk;^[r]
they watch my every step,^[s]
as^[t] they prepare to take my life.^[u]
⁷Because they are bent on violence, do not let them escape.^[v]
In your anger^[w] bring down the nations,^[x] O God.
⁸You keep track of my misery.^[y]
Put my tears in your leather container.^[z]
Are they not recorded in your scroll?^[aa]
⁹My enemies will turn back when I cry out to you for help;^[ab]
I know that God is on my side.^[ac]
¹⁰In God—I boast in his promise^[ad]—
in the Lord—I boast in his promise^[ae]—
¹¹in God I trust; I am not afraid.
What can mere men^[af] do to me?^[ag]
¹²I am obligated to fulfill the vows I made to you, O God;^[ah]
I will give you the thank offerings you deserve,^[ai]
¹³when you deliver^[aj] my life from death.
You keep my feet from stumbling,^[ak]
so that I might serve^[al] God as I enjoy life.^[am]

Footnotes

Psalm 56:1 sn Psalm 56. Despite the threats of his enemies, the psalmist is confident the Lord will keep his promise to protect and deliver him.
Psalm 56:1 tn The literal meaning of this phrase is “silent dove, distant ones.” Perhaps it refers to a particular style of music, a tune title, or a type of musical instrument.
Psalm 56:1 tn The precise meaning of the Hebrew word מִכְתָּם (miktam), which also appears in the heading to Pss 16 and 57-60 is uncertain. HALOT 582-83 s.v. defines it as “inscription.”
Psalm 56:1 sn According to the superscription, David wrote this psalm when the Philistines seized him and took him to King Achish of Gath (see 1 Sam 21:11-15).
Psalm 56:1 tn According to BDB 983 s.v. II שָׁאַף, the verb is derived from שָׁאַף (shaʾaf, “to trample, crush”) rather than the homonymic verb “pant after.”
Psalm 56:1 tn Heb “a fighter.” The singular is collective for his enemies (see vv. 5-6). The Qal of לָחַם (lakham, “fight”) also occurs in Ps 35:1.
Psalm 56:1 tn The imperfect verbal form draws attention to the continuing nature of the enemies’ attacks.
Psalm 56:2 tn Heb “to those who watch me [with evil intent].” See also Pss 5:8; 27:11; 54:5; 59:10.
Psalm 56:2 tn Or “for.”
Psalm 56:2 tn Some take the Hebrew term מָרוֹם (marom, “on high; above”) as an adverb modifying the preceding participle and translate, “proudly” (cf. NASB; NIV “in their pride”). The present translation assumes the term is a divine title here. The Lord is pictured as enthroned “on high” in Ps 92:8. (Note the substantival use of the term in Isa 24:4 and see C. A. Briggs and E. G. Briggs (Psalms [ICC], 2:34), who prefer to place the term at the beginning of the next verse.)
Psalm 56:3 tn Heb “[in] a day.”
Psalm 56:4 tn Heb “in God I boast, his word.” The syntax in the Hebrew text is difficult. (1) The line could be translated, “in God I boast, [in] his word.” Such a translation assumes that the prepositional phrase “in God” goes with the following verb “I boast” (see Ps 44:8) and that “his word” is appositional to “in God” and more specifically identifies the basis for the psalmist’s confidence. God’s “word” is here understood as an assuring promise of protection. Another option (2) is to translate, “in God I will boast [with] a word.” In this case, the “word” is a song of praise. (In this view the pronominal suffix “his” must be omitted as in v. 10.) The present translation reflects yet another option (3): In this case “I praise his word” is a parenthetical statement, with “his word” being the object of the verb. The sentence begun with the prepositional phrase “in God” is then completed in the next line, with the prepositional phrase being repeated after the parenthesis.
Psalm 56:4 tn Heb “flesh,” which refers by metonymy to human beings (see v. 11, where “man” is used in this same question), envisioned here as mortal and powerless before God.
Psalm 56:4 tn The rhetorical question assumes the answer, “Nothing!” The imperfect is used in a modal sense here, indicating capability or potential.
Psalm 56:5 tn Heb “my affairs they disturb.” For other instances of דָּבָר (davar) meaning “affairs, business,” see BDB 183 s.v.. The Piel of עָצַב (ʿatsav, “to hurt”) occurs only here and in Isa 63:10, where it is used of “grieving” (or “offending”) the Lord’s holy Spirit. Here in Ps 56:5, the verb seems to carry the nuance “disturb, upset,” in the sense of “cause trouble.”
Psalm 56:5 tn Heb “against me [are] all their thoughts for harm.”
Psalm 56:6 tn The verb is from the root גּוּר (gur), which means “to challenge, attack” in Isa 54:15 and “to stalk” (with hostile intent) in Ps 59:3.
Psalm 56:6 tn Or “hide.”
Psalm 56:6 tn Heb “my heels.”
Psalm 56:6 tn Heb “according to,” in the sense of “inasmuch as; since,” or “when; while.”
Psalm 56:6 tn Heb “they wait [for] my life.”
Psalm 56:7 tc Heb “because of wickedness, deliver them.” As it stands, the MT makes no sense. The translation assumes that the negative particle אַיִן (ʾayin, “there is not,”) was lost due to haplography because of its similarity to the immediately preceding אָוֶן (ʾaven, “wickedness”) as suggested by BHS with external support. Also, פַּלֵּט (pallet) is read as the noun “deliverance” instead of as an imperative verb (each has the same form). Even so, the presence of an imperative in the next line (note “bring down”) suggests that this line should be translated as a prayer as well, “may there not be deliverance to them.”
Psalm 56:7 tn Heb “in anger.” The pronoun “your” is supplied in the translation for clarification.
Psalm 56:7 tn Or perhaps “people” in a general sense.
Psalm 56:8 tn Heb “my wandering you count, you.” The Hebrew term נֹד (nod, “wandering,” derived from the verbal root נוֹד, nod, “to wander”; cf. NASB) here refers to the psalmist’s “changeable circumstances of life” and may be translated “misery.” The verb סָפַר (safar, “count”) probably carries the nuance “assess” here. Cf. NIV “my lament”; NRSV “my tossings.”
Psalm 56:8 tn Traditionally “your bottle.” Elsewhere the Hebrew word נֹאד (noʾd, “leather container”) refers to a container made from animal skin which is used to hold wine or milk (see Josh 9:4, 13; Judg 4:19; 1 Sam 16:20). If such a container is metaphorically in view here, then the psalmist seems to be asking God to store up his tears as a reminder of his suffering.
Psalm 56:8 tn The word “recorded” is supplied in the translation for clarification. The rhetorical question assumes a positive response (see the first line of the verse).
Psalm 56:9 tn Heb “then my enemies will turn back in the day I cry out.” The Hebrew particle אָז (ʾaz, “then”) is probably used here to draw attention to the following statement.
Psalm 56:9 tn Heb “this I know, that God is for me.”
Psalm 56:10 tn Heb “in God I praise a word.” The syntax of the Hebrew text is difficult. The statement is similar to that of v. 4, except that the third person pronominal suffix is omitted here, where the text has simply “a word” instead of “his word.” (1) One could translate, “in God I will boast [with] a word.” In this case, the “word” refers to a song of praise. (2) If one assumes that God’s word is in view, as in v. 4, then one option is to translate, “in God I boast, [in] his word.” In this case the prepositional phrase “in God” goes with the following verb “I boast” (see Ps 44:8) and “[his] word” is appositional to “in God” and more specifically identifies the basis for the psalmist’s confidence. God’s “word” is here understood as an assuring promise of protection. (3) The present translation reflects another option: In this case “I praise [his] word” is a parenthetical statement, with “[his] word” being the object of the verb. The sentence begun with the prepositional phrase “in God” is then completed in v. 11, with the prepositional phrase being repeated after the parenthesis.
Psalm 56:10 tn The phrase “in the Lord” parallels “in God” in the first line. Once again the psalmist parenthetically remarks “I boast in [his] word” before completing the sentence in v. 11.
Psalm 56:11 tn The statement is similar to that of v. 4, except “flesh” is used there instead of “man.”
Psalm 56:11 tn The rhetorical question assumes the answer, “Nothing!” The imperfect is used in a modal sense here, indicating capability or potential.
Psalm 56:12 tn Heb “upon me, O God, [are] your vows.”
Psalm 56:12 tn Heb “I will repay thank-offerings to you.”
Psalm 56:13 tn The perfect verbal form is probably future perfect; the psalmist promises to make good on his vows once God has delivered him (see Pss 13:5; 52:9). (2) Another option is to understand the final two verses as being added later, after the Lord intervened on the psalmist’s behalf. In this case one may translate, “for you have delivered.” Other options include taking the perfect as (3) generalizing (“for you deliver”) or (4) rhetorical (“for you will”).
Psalm 56:13 tn Heb “are not my feet [kept] from stumbling?” The rhetorical question expects the answer, “Of course they are!” The question has been translated as an affirmation for the sake of clarification of meaning.
Psalm 56:13 tn Heb “walk before.” For a helpful discussion of the background and meaning of this Hebrew idiom, see M. Cogan and H. Tadmor, II Kings (AB), 254; cf. the same idiom in 2 Kgs 20:3; Isa 38:3.
Psalm 56:13 tn Heb “in the light of life.” The phrase is used here and in Job 33:30.

2 Kings 5:1-14

Elisha Heals a Syrian General

5 Now Naaman, the commander of the king of Syria’s army, was esteemed and respected by his master,^[a] for through him the Lord had given Syria military victories. But this great warrior had a skin disease.^[b] ²Raiding parties went out from Syria and took captive from the land of Israel a young girl, who became a servant to Naaman’s wife. ³She told her mistress, “If only my master were in the presence of the prophet who is in Samaria! Then he would cure him of his skin disease.”

⁴Naaman^[c] went and told his master what the girl from the land of Israel had said. ⁵The king of Syria said, “Go! I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” So Naaman^[d] went, taking with him 10 talents^[e] of silver, 6,000 shekels of gold,^[f] and 10 suits of clothes. ⁶He brought the letter to the king of Israel. It read: “This is a letter of introduction for my servant Naaman,^[g] whom I have sent to be cured of his skin disease.” ⁷When the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes and said, “Am I God? Can I kill or restore life? Why does he ask me to cure a man of his skin disease?^[h] Certainly you must see that he is looking for an excuse to fight me!”^[i]

⁸When Elisha the prophet^[j] heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, he sent this message to the king, “Why did you tear your clothes? Send him^[k] to me so he may know there is a prophet in Israel.” ⁹So Naaman came with his horses and chariots and stood in the doorway of Elisha’s house. ¹⁰Elisha sent out a messenger who told him, “Go and wash seven times in the Jordan; your skin will be restored^[l] and you will be healed.” ¹¹Naaman went away angry. He said, “Look, I thought for sure he would come out, stand there, invoke the name of the Lord his God, wave his hand over the area, and cure the skin disease. ¹²The rivers of Damascus, the Abana and Pharpar, are better than any of the waters of Israel!^[m] Could I not wash in them and be healed?” So he turned around and went away angry. ¹³His servants approached and said to him,^[n] “O master,^[o] if the prophet had told you to do some difficult task,^[p] you would have been willing to do it.^[q] It seems you should be happy that he simply said, ‘Wash and you will be healed.’^[r] ¹⁴So he went down and dipped in the Jordan seven times, as the prophet had instructed.^[s] His skin became as smooth as a young child’s^[t] and he was healed.

Footnotes

2 Kings 5:1 tn Heb “was a great man before his master and lifted up with respect to the face.”
2 Kings 5:1 tn For a discussion of מְצֹרָע (m^etsoraʿ), traditionally translated “leprous,” see M. Cogan and H. Tadmor, II Kings (AB), 63. Naaman probably had a skin disorder of some type, not leprosy/Hansen’s disease.
2 Kings 5:4 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Naaman) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
2 Kings 5:5 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Naaman) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
2 Kings 5:5 tn The Hebrew term כִּכָּר (kikkar, “circle”) refers generally to something that is round. When used of metals it can refer to a disk-shaped weight made of the metal or to a standard unit of weight, generally regarded as a talent. Since the accepted weight for a talent of metal is about 75 pounds, this would have amounted to about 750 pounds of silver (cf. NCV, NLT, CEV).
2 Kings 5:5 tn Heb “six thousand gold […].” The unit of measure is not given in the Hebrew text. A number of English versions supply “pieces” (e.g., KJV, ASV, NAB, TEV) or “shekels” (e.g., NASB, NIV, NRSV).
2 Kings 5:6 tn Heb “and now when this letter comes to you, look, I have sent to you Naaman my servant.”
2 Kings 5:7 tn Heb “Am I God, killing and restoring life, that this one sends to me to cure a man from his skin disease?” In the Hebrew text this is one lengthy rhetorical question, which has been divided up in the translation for stylistic reasons.
2 Kings 5:7 tn Heb “Indeed, know and see that he is seeking an occasion with respect to me.”
2 Kings 5:8 tn Heb “man of God” (also in vv. 15, 20).
2 Kings 5:8 tn Heb “Let him come.”
2 Kings 5:10 tn Heb “will return to you.”
2 Kings 5:12 tn Heb “Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all of the waters of Israel?” The rhetorical question expects an emphatic “yes” as an answer.
2 Kings 5:13 tn Heb “They spoke to him. They said.”
2 Kings 5:13 tn Heb “my father,” reflecting the perspective of each individual servant. To address their master as “father” would emphasize his authority and express their respect. See BDB 3 s.v. אָב and the similar idiomatic use of “father” in 2 Kgs 2:12.
2 Kings 5:13 tn Heb “a great thing.”
2 Kings 5:13 tn Heb “would you not do [it]?” The rhetorical question expects the answer, “Of course you would.”
2 Kings 5:13 tn Heb “How much more [when] he said, “Wash and be healed.” The second imperative (“be healed”) states the expected result of obeying the first (‘wash”).
2 Kings 5:14 tn Heb “according to the word of the man of God.”
2 Kings 5:14 tn Heb “and his skin was restored, like the skin of a small child.”

1 Corinthians 14:13-25

¹³So then, one who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret. ¹⁴If^[a] I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unproductive. ¹⁵What should I do?^[b] I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind. I will sing praises with my spirit, but I will also sing praises with my mind. ¹⁶Otherwise, if you are praising God with your spirit, how can someone without the gift^[c] say “Amen” to your thanksgiving, since he does not know what you are saying? ¹⁷For you are certainly giving thanks well, but the other person is not strengthened. ¹⁸I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you, ¹⁹but in the church I want to speak five words with my mind to instruct others, rather than ten thousand words in a tongue.

²⁰Brothers and sisters,^[d] do not be children in your thinking. Instead, be infants in evil, but in your thinking be mature. ²¹It is written in the law: “By people with strange tongues and by the lips of strangers I will speak to this people, yet not even in this way will they listen to me,”^[e] says the Lord. ²²So then, tongues are a sign not for believers but for unbelievers. Prophecy, however, is not for unbelievers but for believers. ²³So if the whole church comes together and all speak in tongues, and unbelievers or uninformed people enter, will they not say that you have lost your minds? ²⁴But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or uninformed person enters, he will be convicted by all, he will be called to account by all. ²⁵The secrets of his heart are disclosed, and in this way he will fall down with his face to the ground and worship God, declaring, “God is really among you.”

New English Translation (NET)

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Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

Psalm 56[a]

For the music director, according to the yonath-elem-rekhoqim style;[b] a prayer[c] of David, written when the Philistines captured him in Gath.[d]

Footnotes

Elisha Heals a Syrian General

Footnotes

Footnotes

Psalm 56^[a]

For the music director, according to the yonath-elem-rekhoqim style;^[b] a prayer^[c] of David, written when the Philistines captured him in Gath.^[d]