Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
20 I have found my servant David.
I appointed him by pouring holy oil on him.
21 I will steady him with my hand.
I will strengthen him with my arm.
22 No enemy will make him give forced payments.
Wicked people will not defeat him.
23 I will crush his enemies in front of him.
I will defeat those who hate him.
24 My loyalty and love will be with him.
Through me he will be strong.
25 I will give him power over the sea
and control over the rivers.
26 He will say to me, ‘You are my father,
my God, the Rock, the one who saves me.’
27 I will make him my firstborn son.
He will be the greatest king on earth.
28 My love will watch over him forever.
My agreement with him will never end.
29 I will make his family continue.
His kingdom will last as long as the skies.
30 “But his descendants might reject my teachings
and not follow my rules.
31 They might break my laws
and disobey my commands.
32 Then I will punish their sins with a rod
and their wrongs with a whip.
33 But I will not hold back my love from David.
I will not stop being loyal.
34 I will not break my agreement.
I will not change what I have said.
35 It is certain that I am a holy God.
So it is certain I will not lie to David.
36 His family will continue forever.
His kingdom will continue before me like the sun.
37 It will last forever, like the moon,
like a lasting witness in the sky.” Selah
The Ark of the Covenant Brought to Jerusalem
15 David built houses for himself in Jerusalem. Then he built a place for the Ark of the Covenant of God. And he set up a tent for it. 2 Then David said, “Only the Levites may carry the Ark of the Covenant of God. The Lord chose them to carry the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord. He chose them to serve him forever.”
4 Then David appointed some of the Levites to serve before the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord. They had the job of leading the worship. They gave thanks and praise to the Lord, the God of Israel. 5 Asaph was the leader. He played the cymbals. Zechariah was second to him. The other Levites were Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-Edom and Jeiel. They played the lyres and harps. 6 Benaiah and Jahaziel were priests. They blew the trumpets regularly before the Ark of the Covenant with God. 7 That day David first gave Asaph and his relatives the job of singing praises to the Lord.
David’s Song of Thanks
8 Give thanks to the Lord and pray to him.
Tell the nations what he has done.
9 Sing to him. Sing praises to him.
Tell about all the wonderful things he has done.
10 Be glad that you are his.
Let those who ask the Lord for help be happy.
11 Depend on the Lord and his strength.
Always go to him for help.
12 Remember the wonderful things he has done.
Remember his miracles and his decisions.
13 You are the descendants of Israel, the Lord’s servant.
You are the children of Jacob, his chosen people.
Jesus Heals a Blind Man
35 Jesus was coming near the city of Jericho. There was a blind man sitting beside the road, begging for money. 36 When he heard the people coming down the road, he asked, “What is happening?”
37 They told him, “Jesus, the one from Nazareth, is coming here.”
38 The blind man cried out, “Jesus, Son of David! Please help me!”
39 The people who were in front, leading the group, told the blind man to be quiet. But the blind man shouted more and more, “Son of David, please help me!”
40 Jesus stopped and said, “Bring the blind man to me!” When he came near, Jesus asked him, 41 “What do you want me to do for you?”
He said, “Lord, I want to see again.”
42 Jesus said to him, “Then see! You are healed because you believed.”
43 At once the man was able to see, and he followed Jesus, thanking God. All the people who saw this praised God.
The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.