Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
For the director of music. A psalm of David.
11 I run to the Lord for safety.
So how can you say to me,
“Fly away like a bird to your mountain.
2 Look! Evil people are bending their bows.
They are placing their arrows against the strings.
They are planning to shoot from the shadows
at those who have honest hearts.
3 When law and order are being destroyed,
what can godly people do?”
4 The Lord is in his holy temple.
The Lord is on his throne in heaven.
He watches everyone on earth.
His eyes study them.
5 The Lord watches over those who do what is right.
But he really hates sinful people and those who love to hurt others.
6 He will pour out flaming coals and burning sulfur
on those who do what is wrong.
A hot and dry wind will destroy them.
7 The Lord always does what is right.
So he loves it when people do what is fair.
Those who are honest will enjoy his blessing.
Solomon Builds the Temple
6 Solomon began to build the temple of the Lord. It was 480 years after the Israelites came out of Egypt. It was in the fourth year of Solomon’s rule over Israel. He started in the second month. That was the month of Ziv.
2 The temple King Solomon built for the Lord was 90 feet long. It was 30 feet wide. And it was 45 feet high. 3 The temple had a porch in front of the main hall. The porch was as wide as the temple itself. It was 30 feet wide. It came out 15 feet from the front of the temple. 4 Solomon made narrow windows high up in the temple walls. 5 He built side rooms around the temple. They were built against the walls of the main hall and the Most Holy Room. 6 On the first floor the side rooms were seven and a half feet wide. On the second floor they were nine feet wide. And on the third floor they were ten and a half feet wide. Solomon made the walls of the temple thinner as they went up floor by floor. The result was ledges along the walls. So the floor beams of the side rooms rested on the ledges. The beams didn’t go into the temple walls.
7 All the stones used for building the temple were shaped where they were cut. So hammers, chisels and other iron tools couldn’t be heard where the temple was being built.
8 The entrance to the first floor was on the south side of the temple. A stairway led up to the second floor. From there it went on up to the third floor. 9 So Solomon built the temple and finished it. He made its roof out of beams and cedar boards. 10 He built side rooms all along the temple. Each room was seven and a half feet high. They were joined to the temple by cedar beams.
11 A message came to Solomon from the Lord. The Lord said, 12 “You are now building this temple. Follow my orders. Keep my rules. Obey all my commands. Then I will make the promise I gave your father David come true. I will do it through you. 13 I will live among my people Israel. I will not desert them.”
14 So Solomon built the temple and finished it.
Final Greetings
21 Tychicus is a dear brother. He is faithful in serving the Lord. He will tell you everything about me. Then you will know how I am and what I am doing. 22 That’s why I am sending him to you. I want you to know how we are. And I want him to encourage you.
23 May God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give peace to the brothers and sisters. May they also give the believers love and faith.
24 May grace be given to everyone who loves our Lord Jesus Christ with a love that will never die.
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