Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Psalm 140
For the Music Director. A Psalm of David.
1 Deliver me, O Lord, from evil men;
protect me from violent men,
2 who plan evil deeds in their heart
and continually gather together for conflicts.
3 They have tongues as sharp as a serpent;
adders’ poison is with their lips. Selah
4 Keep me, O Lord, from the hands of the wicked;
preserve me from the violent men
who have planned to overthrow me.
5 The proud have hid a snare for me,
and with cords they have spread a net;
they have set traps for me. Selah
6 I said to the Lord, “You are my God;
hear the voice of my supplications, O Lord.”
7 O God my Lord, the strength of my salvation,
You have covered my head in the day of battle.
8 Grant not, O Lord, the desires of the wicked;
do not allow his evil plot,
lest he be raised up. Selah
9 As for the head of those who encompass me,
let the mischief of their own lips overwhelm them;
10 let burning coals fall upon them;
let them be cast into the fire,
into deep pits that they do not rise up again.
11 Let not an evil speaker be established in the land;
let evil hunt the violent man to overthrow him!
12 I know that the Lord will maintain the cause of the afflicted
and will give justice to the poor.
13 Surely the righteous shall give thanks unto Your name;
the upright shall dwell in Your presence.
34 So he said, “I am Abraham’s servant. 35 The Lord has greatly blessed my master, and he has become wealthy. He has given him flocks and herds, and silver and gold, and male and female servants, and camels and donkeys. 36 Sarah my master’s wife bore a son to my master when she was old, and he has given to him all that he has. 37 My master made me swear, saying, ‘You must not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I live. 38 But you shall go to my father’s house, and to my relatives, and take a wife for my son.’
39 “So I said to my master, ‘Perhaps the woman will not follow me.’
40 “Then he said to me, ‘The Lord, before whom I walk, will send His angel with you and prosper your way, and you will take a wife for my son from my relatives and from my father’s house. 41 You will be free from my oath, when you come to my family, if they will not give her to you; then you will be released from my oath.’
50 Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, “This thing comes from the Lord; we cannot speak to you bad or good. 51 Here is Rebekah before you; take her and go, and let her be the wife of your master’s son, as the Lord has spoken.”
52 When Abraham’s servant heard their words, he worshipped the Lord, bowing himself to the earth. 53 Then the servant brought out jewels of silver and gold, and clothing and gave them to Rebekah. He also gave precious things to her brother and to her mother. 54 Then they ate and drank, he and the men who were with him, and stayed all night.
The next morning they arose, and he said, “Send me away to my master.”
55 But her brother and her mother said, “Let the young woman remain with us a few days, at least ten; after that she may go.”
56 So he said to them, “Do not delay me, seeing the Lord has given me success. Let me go that I may go to my master.”
57 They said, “We will call the girl and ask her.” 58 Then they called Rebekah and said to her, “Will you go with this man?”
And she said, “I will go.”
59 So they sent away Rebekah their sister and her nurse, and Abraham’s servant and his men. 60 They blessed Rebekah and said to her,
“May you, our sister, become the mother
of thousands of ten thousands;
and may your descendants possess
the gate of those who hate them.”
61 Then Rebekah and her maids arose and they rode on the camels and followed the man. So the servant took Rebekah and went his way.
62 Now Isaac came from the way of Beer Lahai Roi, for he lived in the Negev. 63 Isaac went out in the evening to meditate in the field; and he lifted up his eyes and looked, and surely the camels were coming. 64 And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she dismounted from her camel 65 and said to the servant, “Who is this man walking in the field to meet us?”
The servant said, “It is my master.” Therefore she took a veil and covered herself.
66 Then the servant told Isaac all the things he had done. 67 So Isaac brought her into the tent of his mother Sarah; and he took Rebekah and she became his wife and he loved her. So Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.
The New Commandment
7 Brothers, I am writing no new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which you have heard from the beginning. 8 Yet a new commandment I am writing to you, which holds true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away, and the true light is already shining.
9 Whoever says he is in the light but hates his brother is in darkness even until now. 10 Whoever loves his brother lives in the light, and in him there is no cause for stumbling. 11 But whoever hates his brother is in darkness, and walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.
The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.