Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
A Statement About Trust in God
For the director of music. Of David.
11 I trust in the Lord for protection.
So why do you say to me,
“Fly like a bird to your mountain.
2 Like hunters, the wicked string their bows.
They set their arrows on the bowstrings.
They shoot from dark places
at those who are honest.
3 When all that is good falls apart,
what can good people do?”
4 The Lord is in his holy temple.
The Lord sits on his throne in heaven.
And he sees what people do.
He keeps his eye on them.
5 The Lord tests those who do right.
But he hates the wicked and those who love to hurt others.
6 He will send hot coals on the wicked.
Burning sulfur and a whirlwind is what they will get.
7 The Lord does what is right, and he loves justice.
So honest people will see his face.
Solomon Builds the Temple
6 So Solomon began to build the Temple. This was 480 years after the people of Israel had left Egypt. (This was the fourth year of King Solomon’s rule over Israel.) It was the second month, the month of Ziv.
2 The Temple was 90 feet long and 30 feet wide. It was 45 feet high. 3 The porch in front of the main room of the Temple was 15 feet deep and 30 feet wide. The room ran along the front of the Temple itself. Its width was equal to the width of the Temple. 4 There were narrow windows in the Temple. These windows were narrow on the outside and larger on the inside. 5 Then Solomon built some side rooms against the walls of the main room of the Temple. These rooms were built on top of each other. 6 The rooms on the bottom floor were 7½ feet wide. The rooms on the middle floor were 9 feet wide. The rooms above that were 10½ feet wide. The Temple wall which made the side of each room was thinner than the wall in the room below. The rooms were pushed against the wall but did not have their main beams built into the wall.
7 The stones were prepared at the same place they were cut from the ground. Only these stones were used to build the Temple. So there was no noise of hammers, axes or any other iron tools at the Temple.
8 The entrance to the bottom rooms built beside the Temple was on the south side. From there, stairs went up to the second floor rooms. And from there, they went on to the third floor rooms. 9 Solomon put a roof made from beams and cedar boards on the Temple. So he finished building the Temple. 10 He also finished building the bottom floor that was beside the Temple. It was 7½ feet high. It was attached to the Temple by cedar beams.
11 The Lord spoke his word to Solomon: 12 “Obey all my laws and commands. If you do, I will do for you what I promised your father David. 13 And I will live among the children of Israel in this Temple you are building. I will never leave the people of Israel.”
14 So Solomon finished building the Temple.
Final Greetings
21 I am sending to you Tychicus, our brother whom we love. He is a faithful servant of the Lord’s work. He will tell you everything that is happening with me. Then you will know how I am and what I am doing. 22 That is why I am sending him. I want you to know how we are. I am sending him to encourage you.
23 Peace and love with faith to you from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 24 God’s grace to all of you who love our Lord Jesus Christ with love that never ends.
The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.