Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

53 The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.” They have corrupted and done abominable wickedness. There is no one that does good.

² God looked down from Heaven upon the children of men to see if there were any who would understand and seek God.

³ Everyone has gone back. They are altogether corrupt. There is no one who does good; no, not one.

⁴ Do not the workers of iniquity know that they eat up my people as they eat bread? They do not call upon God.

⁵ There they were in fear where no fear was. For God has scattered the bones of him who besieged you. You have put them to confusion because God has cast them off.

⁶ Oh, give salvation to Israel out of Zion! When God turns the captivity of His people, Jacob shall rejoice; and Israel shall be glad. To him who excels on Neginoth: A Psalm of David, to give instruction, when the Ziphims came and said to Saul, “Is not David hidden among us?”

²⁴ Then Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned. For I have transgressed the Commandment of the LORD, and your words, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice.

²⁵ “Now, therefore, please take away my sin and turn back with me, so that I may worship the LORD.”

²⁶ But Samuel said to Saul, “I will not return with you. For you have cast away the Word of the LORD, and the LORD has cast away you, so that you shall not be king over Israel.”

²⁷ And as Samuel turned himself to go away, he caught the lap of his coat, and it tore.

²⁸ Then Samuel said to him, “The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you this day, and has given it to your neighbor who is better than you.

²⁹ “For indeed the Strength of Israel will neither lie nor repent. For He is not a man that He should repent.”

³⁰ Then he said, “I have sinned. But, please honor me before the elders of my people, and before Israel, and turn back with me, so that I may worship the LORD your God.

³¹ So, Samuel turned back and followed Saul. And Saul worshipped the LORD.

⁴³ “For it is not a good tree that brings forth evil fruit, nor an evil tree that brings forth good fruit.

⁴⁴ “For every tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thorns, nor are grapes gathered from bushes.

⁴⁵ “A good man, out of the good treasure of his heart, brings forth good. And an evil man, out of the evil treasure of his heart, brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.