Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Psalm 57
Praise for God’s Protection
For the choir director: “Do Not Destroy.”[a] A Davidic Miktam. When he fled before Saul into the cave.(A)
1 Be gracious to me, God, be gracious to me,
for I take refuge in You.
I will seek refuge in the shadow of Your wings
until danger passes.(B)
2 I call to God Most High,
to God who fulfills His purpose for me.[b](C)
3 He reaches down from heaven and saves me,
challenging the one who tramples me.(D)
God sends His faithful love and truth.(E)
4 I am surrounded by lions;
I lie down with those who devour men.
Their teeth are spears and arrows;
their tongues are sharp swords.(F)
5 God, be exalted above the heavens;
let Your glory be over the whole earth.(G)
6 They prepared a net for my steps;
I was despondent.
They dug a pit ahead of me,
but they fell into it!(H)
7 My heart is confident, God, my heart is confident.
I will sing; I will sing praises.(I)
8 Wake up, my soul![c]
Wake up, harp and lyre!
I will wake up the dawn.(J)
9 I will praise You, Lord, among the peoples;
I will sing praises to You among the nations.(K)
10 For Your faithful love is as high as the heavens;
Your faithfulness reaches the clouds.(L)
11 God, be exalted above the heavens;(M)
let Your glory be over the whole earth.(N)
36 Then Abigail went to Nabal, and there he was in his house, holding a feast fit for a king.(A) Nabal was in a good mood[a] and very drunk, so she didn’t say anything[b] to him(B) until morning light.
37 In the morning when Nabal sobered up,[c] his wife told him about these events. Then he had a seizure[d] and became paralyzed.[e] 38 About 10 days later, the Lord struck Nabal dead.(C)
39 When David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, “Praise the Lord who championed my cause against Nabal’s insults(D) and restrained His servant from doing evil.(E) The Lord brought Nabal’s evil deeds back on his own head.”(F)
Then David sent messengers to speak to Abigail about marrying him. 40 When David’s servants came to Abigail at Carmel, they said to her, “David sent us to bring you to him as a wife.”
41 She stood up, then bowed her face to the ground(G) and said, “Here I am, your servant, to wash the feet of my lord’s servants.”(H) 42 Then Abigail got up quickly, and with her five female servants accompanying her, rode on the donkey following David’s messengers.(I) And so she became his wife.
The Prayer in the Garden
39 He went out and made His way(A) as usual(B) to the Mount of Olives,(C) and the disciples followed Him. 40 When He reached the place,(D) He told them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.”(E) 41 Then He withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, knelt down, and began to pray,(F) 42 “Father, if You are willing, take this cup(G) away from Me—nevertheless, not My will, but Yours, be done.”
[43 Then an angel from heaven(H) appeared to Him, strengthening Him. 44 Being in anguish,(I) He prayed more fervently, and His sweat became like drops of blood falling to the ground.][a] 45 When He got up from prayer and came to the disciples, He found them sleeping, exhausted from their grief.[b] 46 “Why are you sleeping?” He asked them. “Get up and pray, so that you won’t enter into temptation.”
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