Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

14 The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.” They have corrupted; and done an abominable work. There is no one who does good.

² The LORD looked down from Heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any who would understand, and seek God.

³ All have gone out of the way. They are all corrupt. There is no one who does good; no, not one.

⁴ Do not all the workers of iniquity know that they eat up my people as they eat bread? They do not call upon the LORD.

⁵ There they shall be taken with fear, because God is in the generation of the just.

⁶ You have shamed the counsel of the poor. But the LORD is his refuge.

⁷ Oh, give salvation to Israel out of Zion. When the LORD turns the captivity of His people, Jacob shall rejoice and Israel shall be glad. Note that Psalm 14:5-7, which are put into the common translation (and may seem to some to be left out here) are not in the same Psalm in the Hebrew text. Rather, they are put in more fully to express the manners of the wicked. They are gathered out of Psalms 5, 10, 36, 140, and Isaiah 59. They are alleged by Saint Paul and placed together in Romans 3. A Psalm of David.

⁶ And when the children of Ammon saw that they stank in the sight of David, the children of Ammon sent and hired twenty thousand Aramite footmen from the House of Rehob, and the Aramites from Zoba, and a thousand men from King Maacah, and twelve thousand men from Ish-Tob.

⁷ And when David heard of it, he sent Joab and all the army of the strong men.

⁸ And the children of Ammon came out and put their army in formation at the entrance of the gate. And the Aramites from Zoba and from Rehob and from Ish-Tob and from Maacah were by themselves in the field.

⁹ When Joab saw that the fronts of the battle were against him both in front and in the rear, he chose from all the choice of Israel and put them in formation against the Aramites.

¹⁰ And he delivered the rest of the people into the hand of Abishai, his brother, so that he might put them in formation against the children of Ammon.

¹¹ And he said, “If the Aramites are stronger than me, you shall help me. And if the children of Ammon are too strong for you, I will come and help you.

¹² “Be strong! And let us be valiant for our people and for the cities of our God! And let the LORD do that which is good in His Eyes.”

¹² Now, therefore, as the Elect of God, holy and beloved, put on hearts of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience,

¹³ bearing with one another and forgiving one another. If anyone has a quarrel with another, even as Christ forgave, so do you.

¹⁴ And above all these things put on love, which is the bond of complete unity.

¹⁵ And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which you were called in one body. And be thankful.

¹⁶ Let the Word of Christ dwell in you abundantly, in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing each other in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with a grace in your hearts to God.

¹⁷ And whatever you shall do, in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.