Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
A prayer of David.
17 Lord, hear me, because I ask for what is right.
Listen to my cry for help.
Hear my prayer.
It doesn’t come from lips that tell lies.
2 When you hand down your sentence, may it be in my favor.
May your eyes see what is right.
3 Look deep down into my heart.
Study me carefully at night and test me.
You won’t find anything wrong.
I have planned nothing evil.
My mouth has not said sinful things.
4 Though evil people tried to pay me to do wrong,
I have not done what they wanted.
Instead I have done what you commanded.
5 My steps have stayed on your paths.
My feet have not slipped.
6 My God, I call out to you because you will answer me.
Listen to me. Hear my prayer.
7 Show me the wonders of your great love.
By using your great power,
you save those who go to you for safety from their enemies.
8 Take good care of me, just as you would take care of your own eyes.
Hide me in the shadow of your wings.
9 Save me from the sinful people who want to destroy me.
Save me from my deadly enemies who are all around me.
10 They make their hearts hard and stubborn.
Their mouths speak with pride.
11 They have tracked me down. They are all around me.
Their eyes watch for a chance to throw me to the ground.
12 They are like a hungry lion, waiting to attack.
They are like a powerful lion, hiding in the bushes.
13 Lord, rise up. Oppose them and bring them down.
With your sword, save me from those evil people.
14 Lord, by your power save me from people like that.
They belong to this world. They get their reward in this life.
May what you have stored up for evil people fill their bellies.
May their children’s stomachs be filled with it.
And may there even be leftovers for their little ones.
15 You will show that I am right; I will enjoy your blessing.
When I wake up, I will be satisfied because I will see you.
David Counts His Fighting Men
21 Satan rose up against Israel. He stirred up David to count the men of Israel. 2 So David said to Joab and the commanders of the troops, “Go! Count the men of Israel from Beersheba all the way to Dan. Report back to me. Then I’ll know how many there are.”
3 Joab replied, “May the Lord multiply his troops 100 times. King David, you are my master. Aren’t all the men under your control? Why would you want me to count them? Do you want to make Israel guilty?”
4 In spite of what Joab said, the king’s order had more authority than Joab’s reply did. So Joab left and went all through Israel. Then he came back to Jerusalem. 5 Joab reported to David how many fighting men he had counted. In the whole land of Israel there were 1,100,000 men who could use their swords well. That included 470,000 men in Judah.
6 But Joab didn’t include the tribes of Levi and Benjamin in the total number. The king’s command was sickening to Joab. 7 It was also evil in the sight of God. So he punished Israel.
8 Then David said to God, “I committed a great sin when I counted Israel’s men. I beg you to take away my guilt. I’ve done a very foolish thing.”
9 The Lord spoke to Gad, David’s prophet. The Lord said, 10 “Go and tell David, ‘The Lord says, “I could punish you in three different ways. Choose one of them for me to punish you with.” ’ ”
11 So Gad went to David. Gad said to him, “The Lord says, ‘Take your choice. 12 You can have three years when there will not be enough food in the land. You can have three months when your enemies will sweep you away. They will catch up with you. They will destroy you with their swords. Or you can have three days when the sword of the Lord will punish you. That means there would be three days of plague in the land. My angel would strike down people in every part of Israel.’ So take your pick. Tell me how to answer the one who sent me.”
13 David said to Gad, “I’m suffering terribly. Let me fall into the hands of the Lord. His mercy is very great. But don’t let me fall into human hands.”
14 So the Lord sent a plague on Israel. And 70,000 Israelites died. 15 God sent an angel to destroy Jerusalem. But as the angel was doing it, the Lord saw it. The Lord decided to end the plague he had sent. So he spoke to the angel who was destroying the people. He said, “That is enough! Do not kill any more people!” The angel of the Lord was standing at Araunah’s threshing floor. Araunah was from the city of Jebus.
16 David looked up. He saw the angel of the Lord standing between heaven and earth. The angel was holding out a sword over Jerusalem. David and the elders fell with their faces to the ground. They were wearing the rough clothing people wear when they’re sad.
17 David said to God, “I ordered the fighting men to be counted. I’m the one who has sinned. I am the shepherd of these people. I’m the one who has done what is wrong. These people are like sheep. What have they done? Lord my God, punish me and my family. But don’t let this plague continue to strike your people.”
2 My dear children, I’m writing this to you so that you will not sin. But suppose someone does sin. Then we have a friend who speaks to the Father for us. He is Jesus Christ, the Blameless One. 2 He gave his life to pay for our sins. But he not only paid for our sins. He also paid for the sins of the whole world.
Instructions About Loving and Hating Other Believers
3 We know that we have come to know God if we obey his commands. 4 Suppose someone says, “I know him.” But suppose this person does not do what God commands. Then this person is a liar and is not telling the truth. 5 But if anyone obeys God’s word, then that person truly loves God. Here is how we know we belong to him. 6 Those who claim to belong to him must live just as Jesus did.
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