Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

Joy in the Salvation of Yahweh

For the music director. A psalm of David.^[a]

David Anointed as King over All of Israel

5 So all the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron, and they said, “Here we are, we are your flesh and blood.^{[a] 2} For some time,^[b] when Saul was king over us, you were leading Israel in and out.^[c] Yahweh had said to you, ‘You shall be the shepherd of my people Israel, and you will be the leader over Israel.’” ³ All the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and King David made a covenant^[d] with them at Hebron in the presence of Yahweh; then they anointed David as king over Israel. ⁴ David was thirty years old when he began to reign; he reigned forty years. ⁵ He reigned over Judah at Hebron for seven years and six months; and he reigned over all Israel and Judah at Jerusalem for thirty-three years.

The Capture and Growth of Jerusalem

⁶ The king and his men went to Jerusalem, to the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land. They said to David, “You will not come here, for even the blind and the lame can turn you back, saying, ‘David cannot come here.’” ⁷ David captured the fortress of Zion, the city of David. ⁸ David had said, “On that day when we attack the Jebusites,^[e] one must attack the lame and the blind, those who hate the soul of David, by means of the water supply.” For thus the blind and the lame would say, “He cannot come into the house.” ⁹ David occupied the fortress and called it the city of David. And David built all around it from the Millo and inward.^[f]

¹⁰ David continued growing stronger and stronger,^[g] and Yahweh the God of hosts was with him.

Paul Boasts in His Sufferings

¹⁶ Again I say, do not let anyone think I am foolish. But indeed, if you do, accept me even as foolish, in order that I also may boast a little. ¹⁷ What I am saying in this project of boasting, I am not saying as the Lord would say, but as in foolishness. ¹⁸ Since many are boasting according to human standards, I also will boast. ¹⁹ For because you^[a] are wise, you put up with foolish people gladly! ²⁰ For you put up with it if someone enslaves you, if someone devours you, if someone takes advantage of you, if someone is presumptious toward you, if someone strikes you in the face. ²¹ I say this to my shame, namely, that we have been weak.

But in whatever anyone dares to boast—I am speaking in foolishness—I also dare to boast. ²² Are they Hebrews? I am also! Are they Israelites? I am also! Are they descendants of Abraham? I am also! ²³ Are they servants of Christ?—I am speaking as though I were beside myself—I am more so, with far greater labors, with far more imprisonments, with beatings to a much greater degree, in danger of death many times. ²⁴ Five times I received at the hands of the Jews forty lashes less one. ²⁵ Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I received a stoning. Three times I was shipwrecked. A day and a night I have spent in the deep water. ²⁶ I have been on journeys many times, in dangers from rivers, in dangers from robbers, in dangers from my own people, in dangers from the Gentiles, in dangers in the city, in dangers in the wilderness, in dangers at sea, in dangers because of false brothers, ²⁷ with toil and hardship, often in sleepless nights, with hunger and thirst, often going hungry, in cold and poorly clothed. ²⁸ Apart from these external things, there is the pressure on me every day of the anxiety about all the churches. ²⁹ Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is caused to sin, and I do not burn with indignation? ³⁰ If it is necessary to boast, I will boast about the things related to my weakness^[b]. ³¹ The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, who is blessed forever^[c], knows that I am not lying. ³² In Damascus, the governor under King Aretas was guarding the city of the Damascenes in order to take me into custody, ³³ and I was lowered through a window through the wall in a rope-basket, and I escaped his hands.