Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
A Davidic Psalm.
Praise to the Majestic Lord
29 Ascribe to the Lord, you heavenly beings;
ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
2 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;
worship the Lord wearing holy attire.
3 The voice of the Lord was heard[a] above the waters;
the God of glory thundered;
the Lord was heard[b] over many waters.
4 The voice of the Lord is powerful;
the voice of the Lord is majestic.
5 The voice of the Lord snaps the cedars;[c]
the Lord snaps the cedars of Lebanon.
6 He makes them stagger like a calf,
even Lebanon and Sirion[d] like a young wild ox.
7 The voice of the Lord shoots out flashes of fire.
8 The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness;
the voice of the Lord shakes[e] the wilderness of Kadesh.
9 The voice of the Lord causes deer to give birth,
and strips the forest bare.
In his Temple all of them shout, “Glory!”
10 The Lord sat enthroned over the flood,
and the Lord sits as king forever.
11 The Lord will give strength to his people;
the Lord will bless his people with peace.
The Lord Calls Samuel
3 Meanwhile the boy Samuel was serving the Lord before Eli. A word from the Lord was rare in those days, and visions were infrequent. 2 At that time Eli, whose vision was growing dim,[a] was lying down in his bedroom.[b] 3 The lamp of God had not yet been extinguished, and Samuel was lying down in the tent[c] of the Lord where the Ark of God was. 4 The Lord called out to Samuel, who answered, “Here I am.”
5 He ran to Eli and said, “Here I am! You called me.”
“I didn’t call you,” Eli[d] said. “Go back and lie down.” So he went and lay down.
6 Then the Lord again called out, “Samuel!”
So Samuel got up, went to Eli, and said, “Here I am! You called me.”
He said, “I didn’t call you, my son. Go back and lie down.” 7 Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord and had not yet had the word of the Lord revealed to him.
8 Then the Lord called out to Samuel again a third time, and he got up, went to Eli, and said, “Here I am! You called me.”
Then Eli understood that the Lord was calling the boy, 9 so Eli told Samuel, “Go lie down, and then if he calls you, answer, ‘Speak, Lord, because your servant is listening.’” Then Samuel[e] went and lay down.
Saul Becomes a Believer
9 Meanwhile, still spewing death threats against the Lord’s disciples, Saul went to the high priest. 2 He asked him for letters to take with him[a] to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any men or women belonging to the Way, he might bring them in chains to Jerusalem. 3 As Saul[b] traveled along and was approaching Damascus, a light from heaven suddenly flashed around him. 4 He dropped to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul! Why are you persecuting me?”
5 He asked, “Who are you, Lord?”[c]
The voice[d] said, “I’m Jesus, whom you are persecuting. 6 Now get up, go into the city, and you will be told what you are to do.”
7 Meanwhile, the men who were traveling with Saul[e] were standing speechless, for they heard the voice but didn’t see anyone. 8 When Saul got up off the ground, he couldn’t see anything, even though his eyes were open. So his companions[f] took him by the hand and led him into Damascus. 9 For three days he couldn’t see, and he didn’t eat or drink anything.
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