Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

61 Hear my cry, O God! Give ear to my prayer!

² From the ends of the Earth I will cry to You. When my heart is oppressed, bring me upon the Rock that is higher than I.

³ For You have been my hope, a strong tower against the enemy.

⁴ I will dwell in Your Tabernacle forever. My trust shall be under the covering of Your wings. Selah.

⁵ For You, O God, have heard my desires. You have given a heritage to those who fear Your Name.

⁶ You shall give the king a long life. His years shall be as many ages.

⁷ He shall dwell before God forever. Prepare mercy and faithfulness, that they may preserve him.

⁸ So I will always sing praise to Your Name in performing, daily, my vows. To the excellent musician, Jeduthun: A Psalm of David

¹⁸ Then, King David went in and sat before the LORD, and said, “Who am I, O Lord GOD? And what is my house, that You have brought me here?

¹⁹ “And yet, this was a small thing in Your sight, O Lord GOD. Therefore, You have also spoken of Your servant’s house for a great while to come. And this is the manner of man, O Lord GOD.

²⁰ “And what more can David say to You? For You, Lord GOD, know Your servant.

²¹ “For Your Word’s sake, and according to Your own Heart, have You done all these great things, to make them known to Your servant.

²² “Therefore, You are great, O Lord GOD! For there is none like You. Nor is there any God besides You, according to all that we have heard with our ears.

²³ “And what one people on the Earth is like Your people, like Israel, whose God went and redeemed them to Himself, so that they might be His people, and that He might make a Name for Himself and do great and mighty things for Yourself and for Your land, O LORD. You have redeemed Your people to Yourself out of Egypt, the nations, and their gods!

²⁴ “For You have ordained Your people Israel to Yourself, to be Your people forever! And You, LORD, have become their God.

²⁵ “Now, therefore, O Lord GOD, confirm forever the Word that You have spoken concerning Your servant and his house, and do as You have said.

²⁶ “And let Your Name be magnified forever by those who shall say, ‘The LORD of Hosts is the God over Israel,’ and let the House of Your servant David be established before You.

²⁷ “For You, O LORD of Hosts, God of Israel, have revealed to Your servant, saying, ‘I will build you a House.’ Therefore, Your servant has been bold to pray this prayer to You.

²⁸ “Therefore, now, O Lord GOD (You are God and Your Words are true and You have told this goodness to Your servant),

²⁹ “therefore, now let it please You to bless the House of Your servant, so that it may continue forever before You. For You, O Lord GOD, have spoken it. And let the House of Your servant be blessed forever with Your blessing.”

¹⁷ Obey your leaders and submit. For they watch over your souls, as those who must give an account. So that they may do so with joy and not with grief. For that is unprofitable for you.

¹⁸ Pray for us. For we are confident that we have a good conscience in all things, desiring to live honestly.

¹⁹ And I desire that you do so somewhat more earnestly, that I may be restored to you more quickly.

²⁰ May the God of Peace, Who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus - the Great Shepherd of the sheep - through the blood of the everlasting Covenant,

²¹ make you perfect in all good works; to do His will, working in you that which is pleasant in His sight through Jesus Christ, to Whom be praise forever and ever. Amen.

²² I implore you also, brothers, to bear the words of exhortation. For I have written to you in few words.

²³ Know that our brother, Timothy, has been freed; with whom, if he comes shortly, I will see you.

²⁴ Greet all your leaders and all the saints. Those of Italy greet you.

²⁵ Grace be with you all. Amen.

(Written to the Hebrews from Italy. And sent by Timothy.)