Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Psalm 20[a]
Prayer in Praise of the Messiah King
1 For the director.[b] A psalm of David.
2 May the Lord answer you in times of trouble;
may the name[c] of the God of Jacob protect you.
3 May he send you help from the sanctuary
and grant you support from Zion.[d]
4 May he remember[e] all your sacrifices
and accept all your burnt offerings. Selah
5 May he give you your heart’s desire[f]
and grant you success in all your plans.
6 May we shout with joy over your victory
and lift up our banners in the name of our God.[g]
May the Lord grant your every request.
7 Now I know that the Lord will grant victory to his anointed;[h]
he will answer him from his holy heaven,
granting mighty victories with his right hand.
8 [i]Some trust in chariots, and some in horses,
but we trust in the name of the Lord, our God.
9 They will collapse and fall,
but we will rise up and stand firm.
10 O Lord, save the king,
and answer us when we call upon you.[j]
Chapter 10
Saul Is Anointed. 1 Samuel took a flask of oil, and he poured it upon his head. He kissed him and said, “Has not the Lord anointed you as leader over his inheritance?[a] 2 When you leave me today, you will encounter two men near the Tomb of Rachel on the border of Benjamin. They will say to you, ‘The donkeys that you were looking for have been found. Your father has stopped worrying about the donkeys and has begun to worry about you saying, “What shall I do about my son?” ’
3 “From there you are to continue on until you arrive at the Terebinth of Tabor. Three men who are on their way to God in Bethel will meet you there. One will be bringing three young goats, another three loaves of bread, and the third a bottle of wine. 4 They will greet you and give you two loaves of bread. Take them from them.
Signs and Prophecies. 5 “After that go to Gibeath-elohim where there is a Philistine outpost. As you approach the city, you will meet a band of prophets coming down from the high places with lyres, tambourines, flutes, and harps being played before them. They will be prophesying.[b] 6 The Spirit of the Lord will rush upon you, and you will prophesy with them, for you will be changed into another person. 7 Once these signs occur, do whatever comes to hand, for God is with you. 8 Precede me to Gilgal, and I will come down to be with you and to offer burnt offerings and to sacrifice peace offerings. You are to wait for seven days until I come to you and show you what to do.”
The Faith of the Early Patriarchs.[a] 4 By faith Abel[b] offered to God a better sacrifice than that of Cain. Because of this he was attested as righteous, God himself bearing witness to his gifts. Although he is dead, he continues to speak through it.
5 By faith Enoch[c] was taken up so that he did not see death. He was found no more, because God had taken him, and before he was taken up he was attested to have pleased God. 6 But without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever comes to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
7 By faith Noah,[d] having been warned by God about things not yet seen, took heed and built an ark to save his household. Through his faith he condemned the world and inherited the righteousness that derives from faith.
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