Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
48 Great is the LORD and greatly to be praised in the City of our God, upon His Holy Mountain.
2 Mount Zion (lying northward) is beautiful in elevation, the joy of the whole Earth, the City of the Great King.
3 In the palaces thereof, God is known for a refuge.
4 For lo, the kings were gathered and went together.
5 When they saw it, they marveled. They were astonished and suddenly driven back.
6 Fear came upon them there, and sorrow, as upon a woman in childbirth,
7 as when You break the ships of Tarshish with an east wind.
8 As we have heard, so have we seen in the City of the LORD of Hosts, in the city of our God. God will establish it forever. Selah.
9 In the midst of Your Temple we wait for Your lovingkindness, O God.
10 O God, according to Your Name, so is Your praise to the world’s end. Your right hand is full of righteousness.
11 Let Mount Zion rejoice, and the daughters of Judah be glad, because of Your judgments!
12 March around Zion and encircle it. Count the towers thereof.
13 Mark well the wall thereof. Behold her towers, so that you may tell your posterity.
14 For this God is our God, forever and ever. He shall be our guide to the death. To him who excels: A Psalm committed to the sons of Korah.
3 Then there was a long war between the House of Saul and the House of David. But David grew stronger, and the House of Saul grew weaker.
2 And children were born to David in Hebron. And his eldest son was Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess.
3 And his second was Chileab, of Abigail, the wife of Nabal the Carmelite. And the third was Absalom, the son of Maacah, the daughter of Talmai the king of Geshur.
4 And the fourth was Adonijah, the son of Haggith. And the fifth was Shephatiah, the son of Abital.
5 And the sixth was Ithream, by Eglah, David’s wife. These were born to David in Hebron.
6 Now, while there was war between the House of Saul and the House of David, Abner strengthened himself for the House of Saul.
7 And Saul had a concubine named Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah. And Ishbosheth said to Abner, “Why have you gone in to my father’s concubine?”
8 Then Abner was very angry at the words of Ishbosheth, and said, “Am I a dog’s head of Judah? This day I have shown mercy to the House of Saul your father, to his brethren, and to his neighbors, and have not delivered you into the hand of David! Yet, you charge me this day with a fault concerning this woman?
9 “So do God to Abner, and more also, unless I do for David as the LORD has sworn to him,
10 “to remove the kingdom from the House of Saul, so that the throne of David may be established over Israel, and over Judah, from Dan to Beersheba.”
11 And he dared not answer Abner anymore. For he feared him.
12 Then Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf, saying, “Whose is the land?” and also saying, “Make a covenant with me. And behold, my hand shall be with you, to bring all Israel to you.”
7 Do you perceive things by outward appearance? If anyone is persuaded in himself that he is Christ’s, let him further consider this in himself: that as he is Christ’s, even so are we Christ’s.
8 For though I should boast somewhat more of our authority (which the Lord has given us for building up and not for pulling you down) I shall not be ashamed -
9 lest I might seem as if to frighten you away with letters.
10 For indeed they say, “his letters are heavy and strong, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech is of no value.”
11 Let such a one think this: that as such as we are in word by letters when we are absent, we will also be in deed when we are present.
© 2019, 2024 by Five Talents Audio. All rights reserved.