Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Psalm 11[a]
Unshakable Confidence in God
1 For the director.[b] Of David.
[c]In the Lord I take refuge.
How can you say to me,
“Flee like a bird to your mountains!
2 For behold, the wicked are bending their bows
as they fit their arrows to the string
so that from the shadows
they can shoot at those who are upright.[d]
3 If the foundations[e] are destroyed,
what can be done by those who are righteous?”
4 [f]The Lord is in his holy temple;
the Lord, whose throne is in heaven.
His eyes are fixed on the world;
his gaze examines everyone.
5 The Lord tests the upright and the wicked;
he detests the lover of violence.
6 Upon the wicked he will rain down
fiery coals and brimstone;[g]
a scorching wind will be their allotted portion.
7 For the Lord is just
and he loves righteous deeds;
the upright will behold his face.[h]
Chapter 6
Solomon Builds the Temple.[a] 1 And so he began to build the temple of the Lord in the four hundred and eighteenth year after the Israelites came out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon’s reign over Israel, in Ziv, the second month.[b]
2 The temple that King Solomon built for the Lord was sixty cubits long, twenty cubits wide, and thirty cubits high. 3 The portico in front of the main part of the temple was as wide as the temple, that is, twenty cubits wide. It extended ten cubits in front of the temple. 4 He made windows with recessed frames for the temple. 5 He built chambers all around the outside walls of the main part and the inner sanctuary of the temple in which there were side rooms. 6 The lowest chamber was five cubits wide, the middle chamber was six cubits wide, and the third level was seven cubits wide. He made narrow ledges all around the temple so that nothing had to be fastened to the walls of the temple.
7 Stone that had been made ready was used in the building of the temple so that one did not hear the sound of hammers or chisels or any other iron tool while the temple was being built.[c]
8 The entrance for the lowest level was on the right side of the temple. One went up by stairs from there to the middle level, and from the middle to the third level. 9 Thus he built the temple and completed it by roofing it with beams and cedar planks.
10 He built side rooms all along the temple. They were five cubits high, and they were attached to the temple with cedar beams.
11 The word of the Lord then came to Solomon, 12 “As for this temple that you are building, if you walk in my statutes and carry out my ordinances and observe my commandments, walking in them, then I will fulfill the promise I made to David, your father, through you. 13 I will dwell among the Israelites and I will not abandon my people Israel.”
14 Thus Solomon built the temple and completed it.
Conclusion[a]
21 A Personal Message. So that you may know how I am and what I am doing, Tychicus, my beloved brother and a faithful minister in the Lord, will keep you informed. 22 I am sending him to you for this specific purpose, so that you will know how we are and that your hearts may be encouraged.
23 Final Greeting. May God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ grant peace and love with faith to all the brethren.
24 Grace be with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with undying devotion.
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