Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
A Contrite Sinner’s Prayer for Pardon.
For the choir director. A Psalm of David, when [a]Nathan the prophet came to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.
51 (A)Be gracious to me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness;
According to the greatness of (B)Your compassion (C)blot out my transgressions.
2 (D)Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity
And (E)cleanse me from my sin.
3 For [b]I (F)know my transgressions,
And my sin is ever before me.
4 (G)Against You, You only, I have sinned
And done what is (H)evil in Your sight,
So that (I)You [c]are justified [d]when You speak
And [e]blameless when You judge.
5 Behold, I was (J)brought forth in iniquity,
And in sin my mother conceived me.
6 Behold, You desire (K)truth in the [f]innermost being,
And in the hidden part You will (L)make me know wisdom.
7 [g]Purify me (M)with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
[h]Wash me, and I shall be (N)whiter than snow.
8 [i]Make me to hear (O)joy and gladness,
Let the (P)bones which You have broken rejoice.
9 (Q)Hide Your face from my sins
And blot out all my iniquities.
15 For thus the Lord [a]God, the Holy One of Israel, has said,
“In [b]repentance and (A)rest you will be saved,
In (B)quietness and trust is your strength.”
But you were not willing,
16 And you said, “No, for we will flee on (C)horses,”
Therefore you shall flee!
“And we will ride on swift horses,”
Therefore those who pursue you shall be swift.
17 (D)One thousand will flee at the threat of one man;
You will flee at the threat of five,
Until you are left as a [c]flag on a mountain top
And as a signal on a hill.
God Is Gracious and Just
The Believer’s Rest
4 Therefore, let us fear if, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any one of you may seem to have (A)come short of it. 2 For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also; but (B)the word [a]they heard did not profit them, because [b]it was not united by faith in those who heard. 3 For we who have believed enter that rest, just as He has said,
“(C)As I swore in My wrath,
They shall not enter My rest,”
although His works were finished (D)from the foundation of the world. 4 For He has said (E)somewhere concerning the seventh day: “(F)And God (G)rested on the seventh day from all His works”; 5 and again in this passage, “(H)They shall not enter My rest.” 6 Therefore, since it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly had good news preached to them failed to enter because of (I)disobedience, 7 He again fixes a certain day, “Today,” saying [c]through David after so long a time just (J)as has been said before,
“(K)Today if you hear His voice,
Do not harden your hearts.”
8 For (L)if [d]Joshua had given them rest, He would not have spoken of another day after that. 9 So there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God. 10 For the one who has entered His rest has himself also (M)rested from his works, as (N)God did from His. 11 Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall, through following the same (O)example of (P)disobedience. 12 For (Q)the word of God is (R)living and (S)active and sharper than any two-edged (T)sword, and piercing as far as the division of (U)soul and (V)spirit, of both joints and marrow, and (W)able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 13 And (X)there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are (Y)open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.
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