Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

David Brings the Ark to Jerusalem

6 David once again gathered all of the thirty thousand specially chosen men of Israel. ² Then David and all the people who were with him set out and went to Baale Judah^[a] to bring up the Ark of God, who is called by the name “The Lord of Armies, who sits above the cherubim.”

³ They transported the Ark of God on a new cart. They brought it out from Abinadab’s house, which was on the hill. Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, were guiding the new cart ⁴ ⎣⎦^[b] with the Ark of God on it. Ahio was walking in front of the ark.

⁵ David and all the house of Israel were celebrating before the Lord with all kinds of instruments, castanets,^[c] lyres, harps, hand drums, rattles,^[d] and cymbals.

¹² David was told, “Because of the Ark of God, the Lord has blessed the house of Obed Edom and all that belongs to him.”^[a]

With rejoicing, David went and brought up the Ark of God from the house of Obed Edom to the City of David. ¹³ When those carrying the Ark of the Lord had gone six paces, David sacrificed an ox and a fattened calf. ¹⁴ David danced with all his might before the Lord. He was wearing a linen vest.^{[b] 15} David and the entire house of Israel brought up the Ark of the Lord with shouting and with the sound of a ram’s horn.

¹⁶ When the Ark of the Lord arrived at the City of David, Michal, the daughter of Saul, looked out the window and saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord, and she despised him in her heart.

¹⁷ They brought the Ark of the Lord and set it in its place inside the tent that David had pitched for it, and David offered burnt offerings and fellowship offerings before the Lord. ¹⁸ When David finished presenting the burnt offerings and the fellowship offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord of Armies. ¹⁹ He distributed one loaf of bread, one cake of dates,^[c] and one cake of raisins to all the people, to the whole crowd from Israel, to men and women, to each and every person. Then all the people left. All of them went to their own houses,

Psalm 24

The King of Glory

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By David. A psalm.

The King of Glory Owns the Whole World

The King of Glory Is Served by a Holy People

The King of Glory Comes

Spiritual Blessings in Christ

³ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.

⁴ He did this when he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world, so that we would be holy and blameless in his sight. In love ⁵ he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ. He did this in accordance with the good purpose of his will, ⁶ and for the praise of his glorious grace, which he has graciously given us in the one he loves.

⁷ In him we also have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in keeping with the riches of his grace, ⁸ which he lavished on us in all wisdom and insight. ⁹ He made known to us the mystery of his will in keeping with his good purpose, which he planned in Christ. ¹⁰ This was to be carried out when the time had fully come, in order to bring all things together in Christ, things in heaven and things on earth.

¹¹ In him we have also obtained an inheritance, because we were predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in keeping with the purpose of his will. ¹² He did this so that his glory would be praised as a result of us, who were the first to hope in Christ.

¹³ In him, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and in him, when you also believed, you were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit. ¹⁴ He is the down payment of our inheritance until the redemption of God’s own possession, so that his glory would be praised.

Recalling the Death of John the Baptizer

¹⁴ King Herod heard about this because Jesus’ name had become well known. Herod was saying, “John the Baptizer has been raised from the dead! That is why these powers are at work in him.”

¹⁵ But others were saying, “He is Elijah.” Still others were saying, “He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.”

¹⁶ When Herod heard this, he said, “This is John, the man I beheaded. He was raised.” ¹⁷ For it was Herod who had sent men to arrest John. He had him bound in prison because Herod had married Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip. ¹⁸ Indeed, John had been telling him, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.”

¹⁹ Herodias held a grudge against John and wanted to put him to death, but she could not, ²⁰ because Herod feared John. He knew that John was a righteous and holy man, so he kept him safe. When Herod listened to John, he was perplexed in many ways, yet he gladly kept listening to him.

²¹ An opportune day came when it was Herod’s birthday. He gave a banquet for his nobles, the military officers, and the prominent men of Galilee. ²² When the daughter of Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests. The king said to the girl, “Ask me whatever you want, and I will give it to you.” ²³ With an oath he promised her, “Whatever you ask of me, I will give you, up to half of my kingdom.”

²⁴ She went out and said to her mother, “What should I ask for?”

Herodias said, “The head of John the Baptizer.”

²⁵ The girl hurried right back to the king and made her request: “I want you to give me the head of John the Baptist on a platter right now.”

²⁶ The king was very sad. But because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he did not want to refuse her. ²⁷ The king sent an executioner at once and ordered him to bring John’s head. He went, beheaded John in prison, ²⁸ brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl. Then the girl gave it to her mother.

²⁹ When John’s disciples heard about this, they came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.