Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

To the Overcomer upon Mahalath, Maschil, A Psalm of David.

¹ ¶ The fool has said in his heart, There is no God. They have corrupted themselves and have done abominable iniquity; there is no one that does good.

² God looked down from heaven upon the sons of Adam to see if there were any that did understand, that did seek God.

³ Every one of them is gone back; they are altogether become filthy; there is no one that does good, no, not one.

⁴ Have the workers of iniquity no knowledge? who eat up my people as they eat bread; they have not called upon God.

⁵ They were there in great fear where no fear was; for God has scattered the bones of him that encamps against thee: thou hast put them to shame because God has despised them.

⁶ Oh that the saving health of Israel were come out of Zion! When God brings back the captivity of his people, Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad.

²⁴ ¶ Then Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned; for I have transgressed the commandment of the LORD and thy words because I feared the people and consented unto their voice.

²⁵ Now, therefore, I pray thee, pardon my sin and turn again with me that I may worship the LORD.

²⁶ And Samuel said unto Saul, I will not return with thee, for thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, and the LORD has rejected thee from being king over Israel.

²⁷ And as Samuel turned about to go away, he laid hold upon the skirt of his mantle, and it rent.

²⁸ And Samuel said unto him, The LORD has rent the kingdom of Israel from thee today and has given it to a neighbour of thine that is better than thou.

²⁹ And also the Overcomer of Israel will not lie nor repent concerning this, for he is not a man, that he should repent.

³⁰ Then he said, I have sinned; yet honour me now, I pray thee, before the elders of my people and before Israel and turn again with me that I may worship the LORD thy God.

³¹ So Samuel turned again after Saul, and Saul worshipped the LORD.

⁴³ For a good tree does not bring forth corrupt fruit; neither does a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

⁴⁴ For every tree is known by its own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush do they gather grapes.

⁴⁵ The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth that which is good, and the evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth that which is evil, for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.