Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Psalm 14[a]
Corruption and Punishment of the Godless
1 For the director.[b] Of David.
The fool says in his heart,[c]
“There is no God.”
People are depraved and their deeds are vile;
there is no one who does what is right.
2 The Lord[d] looks down from heaven
upon the entire human race,
to see if there are any who act with wisdom,
if even a single one seeks God.
3 But they have all left the right path;
all alike are corrupt.
There is no one who does what is right,
not even one.[e]
4 Have all these evildoers[f] no understanding?
They devour my people as they eat bread,
and they never call upon the Lord.
5 But later they will be filled with terror,
for God is on the side of the righteous.[g]
6 They sought to crush the hopes of the poor,[h]
but the Lord is their refuge.
7 Who will accomplish the salvation of Israel
that is to come out of Zion?[i]
When the Lord restores the fortunes of his people,
Jacob will rejoice and Israel will exult.
Chapter 10
Insult of the Ammonites. 1 Sometime afterward the king of the Ammonites died, and his son Hanun succeeded him as king. 2 David thought: “I will show Hanun, the son of Nahash, the same loyalty that his father showed to me.” Then David sent a delegation to console him at the loss of his father.
When David’s envoys entered the country of the Ammonites, 3 the Ammonite princes said to their lord Hanun: “Do you truly believe that David means to honor your father just because he has sent envoys to express their condolences to you? Is it not far more likely that he has sent them to be spies so that they may explore and reconnoiter the city and thus be better prepared to overthrow it?”
4 Thereupon Hanun seized David’s envoys, shaved off half of their beards, cut away the lower half of their garments up to their hips, and then sent them away.[a] 5 When David was informed about how they had been treated, he sent messengers to meet them, for they were greatly humiliated, and to instruct them: “Remain in Jericho until your beards have grown again, and then return.”
9 That is why, ever since the day we first heard about it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of God’s will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. 10 And we ask this so that you may live in a manner worthy of the Lord and become fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and continuing to grow in the knowledge of God.
11 May you be fortified with the strength that comes from his glorious power, and may you be granted patience and endurance, while joyfully 12 giving thanks to the Father who has enabled you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.[a] 13 He has rescued us from the power of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
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