Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Prayer for Deliverance from Enemies.
For the choir director; set to [a]Al-tashheth. A [b]Mikhtam of David, [c]when Saul sent men and they watched the house in order to kill him.
59 (A)Deliver me from my enemies, O my God;
[d](B)Set me securely on high away from those who rise up against me.
2 Deliver me from (C)those who do iniquity
And save me from (D)men of bloodshed.
3 For behold, they (E)have [e]set an ambush for my [f]life;
[g]Fierce men [h](F)launch an attack against me,
(G)Not for my transgression nor for my sin, O Lord,
4 [i](H)For no guilt of mine, they run and set themselves against me.
(I)Arouse Yourself to [j]help me, and see!
5 You, (J)O Lord God of hosts, the God of Israel,
Awake to [k](K)punish all the nations;
(L)Do not be gracious to any who are treacherous in iniquity. [l]Selah.
6 They (M)return at evening, they howl like a (N)dog,
And go around the city.
7 Behold, they (O)belch forth with their mouth;
(P)Swords are in their lips,
For, they say, “(Q)Who hears?”
8 But You, O Lord, (R)laugh at them;
You (S)scoff at all the nations.
9 Because of [m]his (T)strength I will watch for You,
For God is my (U)stronghold.
10 [n]My God (V)in His lovingkindness will meet me;
God will let me (W)look triumphantly upon [o]my foes.
11 Do not slay them, (X)or my people will forget;
[p](Y)Scatter them by Your power, and bring them down,
O Lord, (Z)our shield.
12 [q]On account of the (AA)sin of their mouth and the words of their lips,
Let them even be (AB)caught in their pride,
And on account of (AC)curses and [r]lies which they utter.
13 [s](AD)Destroy them in wrath, [t]destroy them that they may be no more;
That men may (AE)know that God [u]rules in Jacob
To the ends of the earth. Selah.
14 They (AF)return at evening, they howl like a dog,
And go around the city.
15 They (AG)wander about [v]for food
And [w]growl if they are not satisfied.
16 But as for me, I shall (AH)sing of Your strength;
Yes, I shall (AI)joyfully sing of Your lovingkindness in the (AJ)morning,
For You have been my (AK)stronghold
And a (AL)refuge in the day of my distress.
17 (AM)O my strength, I will sing praises to You;
For God is my (AN)stronghold, the [x]God who shows me lovingkindness.
Jehoram (Joram) Is Assassinated
14 So Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi conspired against Joram. (A)Now Joram [a]with all Israel was [b]defending Ramoth-gilead against Hazael king of Aram, 15 but (B)King [c]Joram had returned to Jezreel to be healed of the wounds which the Arameans had [d]inflicted on him when he fought with Hazael king of Aram. So Jehu said, “If this is your mind, then let no one escape or [e]leave the city to go tell it in Jezreel.” 16 Then Jehu rode in a chariot and went to Jezreel, for Joram was lying there. (C)Ahaziah king of Judah had come down to see Joram.
17 Now the watchman was standing on the tower in Jezreel and he saw the [f]company of Jehu as he came, and said, “I see a [g]company.” And Joram said, “Take a horseman and send him to meet them and let him say, ‘Is it peace?’” 18 So a horseman went to meet him and said, “Thus says the king, ‘Is it peace?’” And Jehu said, “(D)What have you to do with peace? Turn behind me.” And the watchman [h]reported, “The messenger came to them, but he did not return.” 19 Then he sent out a second horseman, who came to them and said, “Thus says the king, ‘Is it peace?’” And Jehu [i]answered, “What have you to do with peace? Turn behind me.” 20 The watchman [j]reported, “He came even to them, and he did not return; and (E)the driving is like the driving of (F)Jehu the son of Nimshi, for he drives furiously.”
21 Then [k]Joram said, “[l]Get ready.” And they made his chariot ready. [m](G)Joram king of Israel and Ahaziah king of Judah went out, each in his chariot, and they went out to meet Jehu and found him in the [n](H)property of Naboth the Jezreelite. 22 When [o]Joram saw Jehu, he said, “Is it peace, Jehu?” And he [p]answered, “What peace, (I)so long as the harlotries of your mother Jezebel and her witchcrafts are so many?” 23 So [q]Joram [r]reined about and fled and said to Ahaziah, “(J)There is treachery, O Ahaziah!” 24 And (K)Jehu [s]drew his bow with his full strength and [t]shot [u]Joram between his arms; and the arrow went [v]through his heart and he sank in his chariot. 25 Then Jehu said to Bidkar his officer, “Take him up and (L)cast him into the [w]property of the field of Naboth the Jezreelite, for I remember when [x]you and I were riding together after Ahab his father, that the (M)Lord laid this (N)oracle against him: 26 ‘Surely (O)I have seen yesterday the blood of Naboth and the blood of his sons,’ says the Lord, ‘and (P)I will repay you in this [y]property,’ says the Lord. Now then, take and cast him into the [z]property, according to the word of the Lord.”
11 Therefore remember that (A)formerly (B)you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called “(C)Uncircumcision” by the so-called “(D)Circumcision,” which is performed in the flesh by human hands— 12 remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, [a](E)excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to (F)the covenants of promise, having (G)no hope and (H)without God in the world. 13 But now in (I)Christ Jesus you who (J)formerly were (K)far off [b]have (L)been brought near [c](M)by the blood of Christ. 14 For He Himself is (N)our peace, (O)who made both groups into one and broke down the [d]barrier of the dividing wall, 15 [e]by (P)abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is (Q)the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in Himself He might [f](R)make the two into (S)one new man, thus establishing (T)peace, 16 and might (U)reconcile them both in (V)one body to God through the cross, [g]by it having (W)put to death the enmity. 17 And (X)He came and preached (Y)peace to you who were (Z)far away, and peace to those who were (AA)near; 18 for through Him we both have (AB)our access in (AC)one Spirit to (AD)the Father. 19 So then you are no longer (AE)strangers and aliens, but you are (AF)fellow citizens with the [h]saints, and are of (AG)God’s household, 20 having been (AH)built on (AI)the foundation of (AJ)the apostles and prophets, (AK)Christ Jesus Himself being the (AL)corner stone, 21 (AM)in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into (AN)a holy [i]temple in the Lord, 22 in whom you also are being (AO)built together into a (AP)dwelling of God in the Spirit.
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