Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

21 The king shall rejoice in Your strength, O LORD. Indeed, how greatly shall he rejoice in Your salvation!

² You have given him his heart’s desire and have not denied the request of his lips. Selah.

³ For You meet him with liberal blessings and set a crown of pure gold upon his head.

⁴ He asked life of You, and You gave him a long life forever and ever.

⁵ His glory is great in Your salvation. Dignity and honor You have laid upon him.

⁶ For You have set him as most blessed forever. You have made him glad with the joy of Your countenance.

⁷ Because the king trusts in the LORD, and in the mercy of the Most High, he shall not slide.

⁸ Your hand shall find out all Your enemies. And Your right hand shall find out those who hate You.

⁹ You shall make them like a fiery oven in time of Your anger. The LORD shall destroy them in His wrath. And the fire shall devour them.

¹⁰ You shall destroy their fruit from the Earth, and their seed from the children of men.

¹¹ For they intended evil against You and imagined mischief. But they shall not prevail.

¹² Therefore, You shall make them turn their back. And You shall make ready the strings of Your bow against their faces.

¹³ Be exalted, O LORD, in Your strength. So, will we sing and praise Your power. To him who excels upon Aijeleth Hashahar: A Psalm of David.

¹¹ Also Hiram, king of Tyre, sent messengers to David and cedar trees and carpenters and masons for walls. And they built David a house.

¹² Then David knew that the LORD had established him king over Israel, and that He had exalted his kingdom for his people Israel’s sake.

¹³ And after he had come from Hebron, David took more concubines and wives out of Jerusalem for himself. And more sons and daughters were born to David.

¹⁴ And these are the names of the sons who were born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon,

¹⁵ Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia,

¹⁶ Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet.

⁷ Therefore brothers, be patient until the coming of the Lord. Behold, the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth (and has long patience for it) until he receives the early and the late rain.

⁸ Therefore, you also be patient, and settle your hearts. For the coming of the Lord draws near.

⁹ Do not groan against one another, brothers, lest you be condemned. Behold, the judge stands before the door.

¹⁰ My brothers, take the Prophets as an example of suffering adversity and of long patience, who have spoken in the Name of the Lord.

¹¹ Behold, we count those blessed who endure. You have heard of the patience of Job and have known what end the Lord made. For the Lord is very compassionate and merciful.

¹² But before all things, my brothers, do not swear - not by Heaven, nor by Earth, nor by any other oath. But let your ‘yes’ be ‘yes’ and your ‘no’, ‘no’, lest you fall into condemnation.