◀ All Reading Plans / Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous) / Psalm 18:1-6 43-50 (Steadfast love to God’s anointed); 1 Samuel 31:1-13 (Saul and his sons die); 2 Corinthians 9:1-5 (Voluntary gifts not extortion) (International Standard Version)
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Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

Daily Bible readings that follow the church liturgical year, with sequential stories told across multiple weeks.
Duration: 1245 days
International Standard Version (ISV)
Version
Psalm 18:1-6

To the Director: By the servant of the Lord, David, who spoke the words of this song to the Lord on the day when the Lord delivered him from the hands of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul.

Gratitude for Victory

18 He said:
    “I love you, Lord, my strength.
2 The Lord is my rock, my fortress, my deliverer, my God,
    my stronghold[a] in whom I take refuge, my shield, the glory[b]
        of my salvation, and my high tower.”

3 I cried out to the Lord, who is worthy to be praised,
    and I was delivered from my enemies.

4 The cords of death entangled me;
    the rivers of Belial[c] made me afraid.
5 The cords of Sheol[d] surrounded me;
    the snares of death confronted me.
6 In my distress I cried to the Lord;
    to my God I cried for help.
From his Temple he heard my voice;
    my cry reached his ears.

Psalm 18:43-50

43 You rescued me from conflict with the people;
    you made me head of the nations.
        People who did not know me will serve me.
44 When they hear of me,[a] they will obey me;
    foreigners will submit to me.
45 Foreigners will wilt away;
    they will come trembling out of their stronghold.

46 The Lord lives!
    Blessed be my Rock!
        May the God of my deliverance be exalted!
47 He is the God who executes vengeance on my behalf;
    who destroys peoples under me;
48 who delivers me from my enemies.
    Truly you will exalt me above those who oppose me;
        you will deliver me from the violent person.
49 Therefore, I will give thanks to you among the nations, Lord;
    I will sing praises to your name.
50 He is the one who gives victories to his king;
    who shows gracious love to his anointed,
        to David and his seed forever.

1 Samuel 31

Saul Killed by the Philistines(A)

31 The Philistines fought against Israel, and the army[a] of Israel fled before the Philistines. They fell slain on Mount Gilboa. 2 The Philistines pursued Saul and his sons. The Philistines struck down Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchi-shua, Saul’s sons. 3 The heaviest fighting was directed toward Saul,[b] and when the bowmen who were shooting located Saul, he was severely wounded by them.[c]

4 Saul told his armor bearer, “Draw your sword and run me through with it, or these uncircumcised people will come and run me through and make sport of me.” But his armor bearer did not want to do it[d] because he was very frightened, so Saul took the sword and fell on it. 5 When his armor bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell on his sword and died with him. 6 As a result, Saul, his three sons, his armor bearer, and all his men died together that day. 7 When the men of Israel who were across the valley and who were across the Jordan saw that the army[e] of Israel had fled, and that Saul and his sons were dead, they abandoned the cities and fled, and the Philistines came and occupied them.

The Philistines Desecrate Saul’s Body(B)

8 The next day, the Philistines came to strip the dead, and they found Saul and his three sons fallen on Mount Gilboa. 9 They cut off his head and stripped him of his weapons. They sent people throughout the territory of the Philistines to report the good news in the temples of their idols and to the people. 10 They put Saul’s[f] weapons in the temple of Asherah[g] and fastened his corpse to the wall of Beth-shan.

The People of Jabesh-gilead Give Saul a Proper Burial(C)

11 When the residents of Jabesh-gilead heard what[h] the Philistines had done to Saul, 12 every valiant soldier[i] got up, traveled all night, and removed Saul’s body and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Beth-shan. Then they went to Jabesh and cremated the bodies[j] there. 13 They took their bones, buried them under the tamarisk tree in Jabesh, and fasted for seven days.

2 Corinthians 9:1-5

Why Giving is Important

9 I do not need to write to you any further about the ministry to the saints. 2 For I know how willing you are, and I boast about you to the people of Macedonia, saying[a] that Achaia has been ready since last year, and your enthusiasm has stimulated most of them. 3 Now I have sent the brothers so that our boasting about you in this matter may not prove to be an idle boast, and so that you may stand ready, just as I said. 4 Otherwise, if any Macedonians come with me and find out that you are not ready, we would be humiliated—to say nothing of you—in this undertaking. 5 Therefore, I thought it necessary to urge these brothers to visit you ahead of me, to make arrangements in advance for this gift you promised, and to have it ready as something given generously and not forced.

International Standard Version (ISV)

Copyright © 1995-2014 by ISV Foundation. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. Used by permission of Davidson Press, LLC.

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