Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
For the director of music. A psalm of David, the servant of the Lord. He sang the words of this song to the Lord. He sang them when the Lord saved him. He saved him from the power of all his enemies and of Saul. David said,
18 I love you, Lord.
You give me strength.
2 The Lord is my rock and my place of safety. He is the God who saves me.
My God is my rock. I go to him for safety.
He is like a shield to me. He’s the power that saves me. He’s my place of safety.
3 I called out to the Lord. He is worthy of praise.
He saved me from my enemies.
4 The ropes of death were almost wrapped around me.
A destroying flood swept over me.
5 The ropes of the grave were tight around me.
Death set its trap in front of me.
6 When I was in trouble, I called out to the Lord.
I cried to my God for help.
From his temple he heard my voice.
My cry for help reached his ears.
43 You saved me when my own people attacked me.
You made me the ruler over nations.
People I didn’t know serve me now.
44 People from other lands bow down to me in fear.
As soon as they hear me, they obey me.
45 All of them give up hope.
They come trembling out of their hiding places.
46 The Lord lives! Give praise to my Rock!
Give honor to God my Savior!
47 He is the God who pays back my enemies.
He brings the nations under my control.
48 He saves me from my enemies.
You have honored me more than them.
You have saved me from a man who wanted to hurt me.
49 Lord, I will praise you among the nations.
I will sing the praises of your name.
50 The Lord helps his king win great battles.
He shows his faithful love to his anointed king.
He shows it to David and to his family forever.
Saul Takes His Own Life
10 The Philistines fought against Israel. The men of Israel ran away from them. But many Israelites were killed on Mount Gilboa. 2 The Philistines kept chasing Saul and his sons. They killed his sons Jonathan, Abinadab and Malki-Shua. 3 The fighting was heavy around Saul. Men armed with bows and arrows caught up with him. They shot their arrows at him and wounded him badly.
4 Saul spoke to the man who was carrying his armor. He said, “Pull out your sword and stick it through me. If you don’t, these men who aren’t circumcised will come and hurt me badly.”
But the man was terrified. He wouldn’t do it. So Saul took his own sword and fell on it. 5 The man saw that Saul was dead. So he fell on his own sword and died. 6 Saul and his three sons died. All of them died together.
7 All the Israelites who lived in the valley saw that their army had run away. They saw that Saul and his sons were dead. So the Israelites left their towns and ran away. Then the Philistines came and lived in them.
8 The day after the Philistines had won the battle, they came to take what they wanted from the dead bodies. They found Saul and his sons dead on Mount Gilboa. 9 So they took what they wanted from Saul’s body. They cut off his head and took his armor. Then they sent messengers through the whole land of the Philistines. They announced the news to the statues of their gods. They also announced it among their people. 10 They put Saul’s armor in the temple of their gods. They hung up his head in the temple of their god Dagon.
11 The people of Jabesh Gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul. 12 So all the brave men of Jabesh Gilead went and got the bodies of Saul and his sons. They brought them to Jabesh. Then they buried the bones of Saul and his sons under the great tree that was there. They didn’t eat anything for seven days.
13 Saul died because he wasn’t faithful to the Lord. He didn’t obey the word of the Lord. He even asked for advice from a person who gets messages from people who have died. 14 He didn’t ask the Lord for advice. So the Lord put him to death. He turned the kingdom over to David. David was the son of Jesse.
Jesus Heals a Boy Who Is Controlled by an Evil Spirit
14 When Jesus and those who were with him came to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them. The teachers of the law were arguing with them. 15 When all the people saw Jesus, they were filled with wonder. And they ran to greet him.
16 “What are you arguing with them about?” Jesus asked.
17 A man in the crowd answered. “Teacher,” he said, “I brought you my son. He is controlled by an evil spirit. Because of this, my son can’t speak anymore. 18 When the spirit takes hold of him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth. He grinds his teeth. And his body becomes stiff. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit. But they couldn’t do it.”
19 “You unbelieving people!” Jesus replied. “How long do I have to stay with you? How long do I have to put up with you? Bring the boy to me.”
20 So they brought him. As soon as the spirit saw Jesus, it threw the boy into a fit. He fell to the ground. He rolled around and foamed at the mouth.
21 Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?”
“Since he was a child,” he answered. 22 “The spirit has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us. Please help us.”
23 “ ‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for the one who believes.”
24 Right away the boy’s father cried out, “I do believe! Help me overcome my unbelief!”
25 Jesus saw that a crowd was running over to see what was happening. Then he ordered the evil spirit to leave the boy. “You spirit that makes him unable to hear and speak!” he said. “I command you, come out of him. Never enter him again.”
26 The spirit screamed. It shook the boy wildly. Then it came out of him. The boy looked so lifeless that many people said, “He’s dead.” 27 But Jesus took him by the hand. He lifted the boy to his feet, and the boy stood up.
28 Jesus went indoors. Then his disciples asked him in private, “Why couldn’t we drive out the evil spirit?”
29 He replied, “This kind can come out only by prayer.”
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