Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
A Prayer for Israel
83 O God, do not keep quiet. Do not be quiet, O God, and do not hold Your peace. 2 For, look, those who hate You are making much noise. Those who fight against You have honored themselves. 3 They make bad plans against Your people. They plan against those You care for. 4 They say, “Come, let us destroy them as a nation. Let the name of Israel be remembered no longer.” 5 For they plan together with one mind. They make an agreement against You: 6 The tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites; Moab and the Hagarites; 7 Gebal, and Ammon, and Amalek; Philistia with those who live in Tyre; 8 Assyria has joined them also. They help the children of Lot.
9 Do to them as You did to Midian, and to Sisera and Jabin at the river of Kishon. 10 They were destroyed at Endor. They were spread over the field. 11 Make their respected men like Oreb and Zeeb. Make their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna, 12 who said, “Let us take for ourselves the fields of God.”
13 O my God, make them like dust turning in the wind, like parts of the grass that have no worth and are blown away. 14 As the fire that burns up the trees and spreads over the mountains, 15 so go behind them with Your storm. Make them afraid with Your storm. 16 Fill their faces with shame, so they will look to Your name, O Lord. 17 Let them be ashamed and afraid forever. Let them be put to shame and lost. 18 Then they may know that You alone, Whose name is the Lord, are the Most High over all the earth.
David Is Good to Barzillai
31 Now Barzillai of Gilead had come down from Rogelim. He went on to the Jordan with the king, to lead him over the river. 32 Barzillai was eighty years old. He had given food to the king while he stayed at Mahanaim, for he was a very rich man. 33 The king said to Barzillai, “You cross over with me, and I will take care of you with me in Jerusalem.” 34 But Barzillai said to the king, “How much longer have I to live, that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem? 35 I am now eighty years old. Can I know the difference between good and bad? Can your servant taste what I eat or what I drink? Can I hear the voice of singing men and women any more? Why should your servant be an added problem to my lord the king? 36 Your servant will only cross over the Jordan with the king. Why should the king reward me in this good way? 37 Let your servant return, that I may die in my own city near the grave of my father and mother. But here is your servant Chimham. Let him cross over with my lord the king. And do for him what is good in your eyes.” 38 The king answered, “Chimham will cross over with me. And I will do for him what is pleasing to you. I will do for you whatever you ask.” 39 All the people crossed over the Jordan, and the king also. Then the king kissed Barzillai and prayed that good would come to him. And Barzillai returned to his own home.
Judah and Israel Argue over the King
40 The king went on to Gilgal, and Chimham went with him. And all the people of Judah and half the people of Israel went with the king.
41 Then all the men of Israel came to the king and said to him, “Why have our brothers the men of Judah stolen you away? Why have they brought the king and those of his family over the Jordan, and all David’s men with him?” 42 All the men of Judah answered the men of Israel, “Because the king is a close brother to us. Why are you angry about this? Has the king paid for our food? Has he given us any gift?” 43 But the men of Israel said to the men of Judah, “We have ten shares in the king. So we have more right to David than you. Why then did you hate us? Were we not the first to speak of bringing back our king?” But the words of the men of Judah had more anger than the words of the men of Israel.
10 All those who expect the Law to save them from the punishment of sin will be punished. Because it is written, “Everyone who does not keep on doing all the things written in the Book of the Law will be punished.” (A) 11 No one is made right with God by doing what the Law says. For, “The man right with God will live by faith.” (B) 12 The Law does not use faith. It says, “You must obey all the Law or you will die.” (C) 13 Christ bought us with His blood and made us free from the Law. In that way, the Law could not punish us. Christ did this by carrying the load and by being punished instead of us. It is written, “Anyone who hangs on a cross is hated and punished.” (D) 14 Because of the price Christ Jesus paid, the good things that came to Abraham might come to the people who are not Jews. And by putting our trust in Christ, we receive the Holy Spirit He has promised.
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