Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Psalm 20
For the choir director; a psalm by David.
1 Yahweh will answer you in times of trouble.
The name of the Elohim of Jacob will protect you.
2 He will send you help from his holy place
and support you from Zion.
3 He will remember all your grain offerings
and look with favor on your burnt offerings. Selah
4 He will give you your heart’s desire
and carry out all your plans.
5 We will joyfully sing about your victory.
We will wave our flags in the name of our Elohim.
Yahweh will fulfill all your requests.
6 Now I know that Yahweh will give victory to his anointed king.
He will answer him from his holy heaven
with mighty deeds of his powerful hand.
7 Some rely on chariots and others on horses,
but we will boast in the name of Yahweh our Elohim.
8 They will sink to their knees and fall,
but we will rise and stand firm.
9 Give victory to the king, O Yahweh.
Answer us when we call.
Saul Anointed by Samuel
10 Samuel took a flask of olive oil, poured it on Saul’s head, kissed him, and said, “Yahweh has anointed you to be ruler of his people Israel. You will rule his people and save them from all their enemies. This will be the sign that Yahweh has anointed you[a] to be ruler of his people. 2 When you leave me today, two men will be at Rachel’s grave on the border of Benjamin at Zelzah. They’ll tell you, ‘We’ve found the donkeys you went looking for. Your father no longer cares about them. Instead, he’s worried about you. He keeps asking, “What can I do to find my son?”’ 3 Keep going until you come to the oak tree at Tabor. There you will find three men on their way to worship Elohim at Bethel: One will be carrying three young goats, one will be carrying three loaves of bread, and one will be carrying a full wineskin. 4 They will greet you and give you two loaves of bread, which you should accept from them. 5 After that, you will come to the hill of Elohim, where the Philistines have a military post. When you arrive at the city, you will meet a group of prophets prophesying as they come from the worship site. They will be led by men playing a harp, a tambourine, a flute, and a lyre. 6 Then the Ruach Yahweh will come over you. You will be a different person while you prophesy with them. 7 When these signs happen to you, do what you must, because Elohim is with you. 8 Go ahead of me to Gilgal. Then I will come to sacrifice burnt offerings and make fellowship offerings. Wait seven days until I come to tell you what to do.”
4 Faith led Abel to offer God a better sacrifice than Cain’s sacrifice. Through his faith Abel received God’s approval, since God accepted his sacrifices. Through his faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead.
5 Faith enabled Enoch to be taken instead of dying. No one could find him, because God had taken him. Scripture states that before Enoch was taken, God was pleased with him. 6 No one can please God without faith. Whoever goes to God must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
7 Faith led Noah to listen when God warned him about the things in the future that he could not see. He obeyed God and built a ship to save his family. Through faith Noah condemned the world and received God’s approval that comes through faith.
The Names of God Bible (without notes) © 2011 by Baker Publishing Group.