Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Psalm 18[a]
For the music director, by the Lord’s servant David, who sang[b] to the Lord the words of this song when[c] the Lord rescued him from the power[d] of all his enemies, including Saul.[e]
18 He said:[f]
“I love[g] you, Lord, my source of strength![h]
2 The Lord is my high ridge,[i] my stronghold,[j] my deliverer.
My God is my rocky summit where[k] I take shelter,[l]
my shield, the horn that saves me,[m] and my refuge.[n]
3 I called[o] to the Lord, who is worthy of praise,[p]
and I was delivered from my enemies.
20 The Lord repaid[a] me for my godly deeds;[b]
he rewarded[c] my blameless behavior.[d]
21 For I have obeyed the Lord’s commands;[e]
I have not rebelled against my God.[f]
22 For I am aware of all his regulations,[g]
and I do not reject his rules.[h]
23 I was innocent before him,
and kept myself from sinning.[i]
24 The Lord rewarded me for my godly deeds;[j]
he took notice of my blameless behavior.[k]
25 You prove to be loyal[l] to one who is faithful;[m]
you prove to be trustworthy[n] to one who is innocent.[o]
26 You prove to be reliable[p] to one who is blameless,
but you prove to be deceptive[q] to one who is perverse.[r]
27 For you deliver oppressed[s] people,
but you bring down those who have a proud look.[t]
28 Indeed,[u] you light my lamp, Lord.[v]
My God[w] illuminates the darkness around me.[x]
29 Indeed,[y] with your help[z] I can charge against[aa] an army;[ab]
by my God’s power[ac] I can jump over a wall.[ad]
30 The one true God acts in a faithful manner;[ae]
the Lord’s promise[af] is reliable.[ag]
He is a shield to all who take shelter[ah] in him.
31 Indeed,[ai] who is God besides the Lord?
Who is a protector[aj] besides our God?[ak]
32 The one true God[al] gives[am] me strength;[an]
he removes[ao] the obstacles in my way.[ap]
3 Samuel said to all the people of Israel, “If you are really turning to the Lord with all your hearts, remove from among you the foreign gods and the images of Ashtoreth.[a] Give your hearts to the Lord and serve only him. Then he will deliver you[b] from the hand of the Philistines.” 4 So the Israelites[c] removed the Baals and images of Ashtoreth. They served only the Lord.
5 Then Samuel said, “Gather all Israel to Mizpah, and I will pray to the Lord on your behalf.” 6 After they had assembled at Mizpah, they drew water and poured it out before the Lord. They fasted on that day, and they confessed[d] there, “We have sinned against the Lord.” So Samuel led[e] the people of Israel at Mizpah.
7 When the Philistines heard that the Israelites had gathered at Mizpah, the leaders of the Philistines went up against Israel. When the Israelites heard about this, they were afraid of the Philistines. 8 The Israelites said to Samuel, “Keep[f] crying out to the Lord our[g] God so that he may save us[h] from the hand of the Philistines!” 9 So Samuel took a nursing lamb[i] and offered it as a whole burnt offering to the Lord. Samuel cried out to the Lord on Israel’s behalf, and the Lord answered him.
10 As Samuel was offering burnt offerings, the Philistines approached to do battle with Israel.[j] But on that day the Lord thundered loudly against the Philistines. He caused them to panic, and they were defeated by[k] Israel. 11 Then the men of Israel left Mizpah and chased the Philistines, striking them down all the way to an area below Beth Car.
12 Samuel took a stone and placed it between Mizpah and Shen.[l] He named it Ebenezer,[m] saying, “Up to here the Lord has helped us.” 13 So the Philistines were defeated; they did not invade Israel again. The hand of the Lord was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.
The Condemnation of the Moralist
2 [a] Therefore[b] you are without excuse,[c] whoever you are,[d] when you judge someone else.[e] For on whatever grounds[f] you judge another, you condemn yourself, because you who judge practice the same things. 2 Now we know that God’s judgment is in accordance with truth[g] against those who practice such things. 3 And do you think,[h] whoever you are, when you judge[i] those who practice such things and yet do them yourself,[j] that you will escape God’s judgment? 4 Or do you have contempt for the wealth of his kindness, forbearance, and patience, and yet do not know[k] that God’s kindness leads you to repentance? 5 But because of your stubbornness[l] and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath for yourselves in the day of wrath, when God’s righteous judgment is revealed![m] 6 He[n] will reward[o] each one according to his works:[p] 7 eternal life to those who by perseverance in good works seek glory and honor and immortality, 8 but[q] wrath and anger to those who live in selfish ambition[r] and do not obey the truth but follow[s] unrighteousness. 9 There will be[t] affliction and distress on everyone[u] who does evil, on the Jew first and also the Greek,[v] 10 but[w] glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, for the Jew first and also the Greek. 11 For there is no partiality with God.
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