Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

A psalm of David when he ran away from his son Absalom.

Solomon Prays to Set the Temple Apart to the Lord

²² Then Solomon stood in front of the Lord’s altar. He stood in front of the whole community of Israel. He spread out his hands toward heaven. ²³ He said,

“Lord, you are the God of Israel. There is no God like you in heaven above or on earth below. You keep the covenant you made with us. You show us your love. You do that when we follow you with all our hearts. ²⁴ You have kept your promise to my father David. He was your servant. With your mouth you made a promise. With your powerful hand you have made it come true. And today we can see it.

²⁵ “Lord, you are the God of Israel. Keep the promises you made to my father David. Do it for him. He was your servant. Here is what you said to him. ‘A son from your family line will sit before me on the throne of Israel. This will always be true if your children after you are careful in everything they do. They must live in my sight faithfully the way you have lived.’ ²⁶ God of Israel, let your promise to my father David come true.

²⁷ “But will you really live on earth? After all, the heavens can’t hold you. In fact, even the highest heavens can’t hold you. So this temple I’ve built certainly can’t hold you! ²⁸ But please pay attention to my prayer. Lord my God, be ready to help me as I make my appeal to you. Listen to my cry for help. Hear the prayer I’m praying to you today. ²⁹ Let your eyes look toward this temple night and day. You said, ‘I will put my Name there.’ So please listen to the prayer I’m praying toward this place. ³⁰ Hear me when I ask you to help us. Listen to your people Israel when they pray toward this place. Listen to us from heaven. It’s the place where you live. When you hear us, forgive us.

⁹ “Watch out! You will be handed over to the local courts. You will be whipped in the synagogues. You will stand in front of governors and kings because of me. In that way you will be witnesses to them. ¹⁰ The good news has to be preached to all nations before the end comes. ¹¹ You will be arrested and brought to trial. But don’t worry ahead of time about what you will say. Just say what God brings to your mind at the time. It is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit.

¹² “Brothers will hand over brothers to be killed. Fathers will hand over their children. Children will rise up against their parents and have them put to death. ¹³ Everyone will hate you because of me. But the one who remains strong in the faith will be saved.

¹⁴ “You will see ‘the hated thing that destroys.’ (Daniel 9:27; 11:31; 12:11) It will stand where it does not belong. The reader should understand this. Then those who are in Judea should escape to the mountains. ¹⁵ No one on the roof should go down into the house to take anything out. ¹⁶ No one in the field should go back to get their coat. ¹⁷ How awful it will be in those days for pregnant women! How awful for nursing mothers! ¹⁸ Pray that this will not happen in winter. ¹⁹ Those days will be worse than any others from the time God created the world until now. And there will never be any like them again.

²⁰ “If the Lord had not cut the time short, no one would live. But because of God’s chosen people, he has shortened it. ²¹ At that time someone may say to you, ‘Look! Here is the Messiah!’ Or, ‘Look! There he is!’ Do not believe it. ²² False messiahs and false prophets will appear. They will do signs and miracles. They will try to fool God’s chosen people if possible. ²³ Keep watch! I have told you everything ahead of time.