Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
A Davidic Psalm, when he fled from his son Absalom.
God Delivers His Servants
3 Lord, I have so many persecutors!
Many are rising up against me!
2 Many are saying about me,
“God will never deliver him!”
3 But you, Lord, are a shield around me,
my glory, and the one who lifts up my head.
4 I cry aloud[a] to the Lord,
and he answers me from his holy mountain.
5 I lie down and sleep,
I wake up, because the Lord sustains me.
6 I will not fear multitudes of[b] people,
who set themselves against me on every side.
7 Arise, Lord!
Deliver me, my God!
For you strike the jaw of all my enemies,
and you break the teeth of the wicked.
8 Deliverance comes from the Lord!
May your blessing be on your people.
19 As Samuel grew, the Lord was with him and did not let any of Samuel’s[a] predictions fail.[b] 20 All Israel from Dan to Beer-sheba knew that Samuel was confirmed as the Lord’s prophet. 21 The Lord continued to appear at Shiloh, because he[c] revealed himself to Samuel at Shiloh by means of messages from[d] the Lord.
The Philistines Capture the Ark
4 What Samuel had to say was directed to all Israel, and Israel went out to engage the Philistines in battle. The Israelis[e] were camped at Ebenezer, while the Philistines were camped at Aphek. 2 The Philistines deployed their forces to meet Israel, and as the battle spread Israel was defeated by the Philistines, who killed about four thousand men on the battlefield.
26 For if we choose to go on sinning after we have learned the full truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but only a terrifying prospect of judgment and a raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.[a] 28 Anyone who violates the Law of Moses dies without mercy “on the testimony of two or three witnesses.”[b] 29 How much more severe a punishment do you think that person deserves who tramples on God’s Son, treats as common the blood of the covenant by which it[c] was sanctified, and insults the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know the one who said, “Vengeance belongs to me; I will pay them back,”[d] and again, “The Lord[e] will judge his people.”[f] 31 It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God!
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