Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
7 Being falsely accused by Cush one of Saul’s kinsmen, he calleth to God to be his defender, 3 to whom he commendeth his innocence, 9 first showing that his conscience did not accuse him of any evil toward Saul. 10 Next that it touched God’s glory to award sentence against the wicked. 12 And so entering into the consideration of God’s mercies and promise, he waxeth bold, and derideth the vain enterprises of his enemies, 15 threatening that that shall fall on their own neck which they have purposed for others.
[a]Shiggaion of David, which he sang unto the Lord, concerning the [b]words of (A)Cush the son of Benjamin.
1 O Lord my God, in thee I put my trust: save me from all that persecute me, and deliver me,
2 Lest [c]he devour my soul like a lion, and tear it in pieces, while there is none to help.
3 O Lord my God, if I have done [d]this thing, if there be any wickedness in mine hands,
4 [e]If I have rewarded evil unto him that had peace with me, (yea I have delivered him that vexed me without cause.)
5 Then let the enemies persecute my soul, and take it: yea, let him tread my life down upon the earth, and lay mine [f]honor in the dust. Selah.
6 Arise, O Lord, in thy wrath, and lift up thyself against the rage of mine enemies, and awake for me according to the [g]judgment that thou hast appointed.
7 So shall the congregation of the people compass thee about: for their sakes therefore [h]return on high.
8 The Lord shall judge the people: judge thou me, O Lord, according to my [i]righteousness, and according to mine innocency that is in me.
9 Oh let the malice of the wicked come to an end: but guide thou the just: for the righteous God trieth the [j]hearts and reins.
10 My defense is in God, who preserveth the upright in heart.
11 God judgeth the righteous, and him that contemneth God, [k]every day.
12 Except [l]he turn, he hath whet his sword: he hath bent his bow, and made it ready.
13 He hath also prepared him deadly weapons: he will ordain his arrows for them that persecute me.
14 (B)Behold, he shall travail with wickedness: for he hath conceived mischief, but he shall bring forth a lie.
15 He hath made a pit, and dug it, and is fallen into the pit that he made.
16 His mischief shall return upon his own head, and his cruelty shall fall upon his own pate.
17 I will praise the Lord according to his [m]righteousness, and will sing praise to the Name of the Lord most high.
6 And therefore have I given you [a]cleanness of teeth in all your cities, and scarceness of bread in all your places, yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord.
7 And also I have withholden the rain from you, when there were yet three [b]months to the harvest, and I caused it to rain upon one city, and have not caused it to rain upon another city: one piece was rained upon, and the piece whereupon it rained not, withered.
8 So two or three cities wandered unto one city to drink water, but they were [c]not satisfied: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord.
9 I have smitten you with blasting and mildew: your great gardens and your vineyards, and your fig trees, and your olive trees did the palmerworm devour: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord.
10 Pestilence have I sent among you after the manner of [d]Egypt: your young men have I slain with the sword, and have taken away your horses: and I have made the stink of your tents to come up even into your nostrils, yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord.
11 I have overthrown you, as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah: and ye were as a [e]firebrand plucked out of the burning, yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord.
12 Therefore thus will I do unto thee, O Israel: and because I will do thus unto thee, prepare to [f]meet thy God, O Israel.
13 For lo, he that formeth the mountains, and createth the wind, and declareth unto man what is his thought: which maketh the morning darkness, and walketh upon the high places of the earth, the Lord God of hosts is his Name.
11 [a]For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that (A)we should love one another,
12 [b]Not as (B)[c]Cain which was of that wicked one, and slew his brother: [d]and wherefore slew he him? because his own works were evil, and his brother’s good.
13 Marvel not my brethren, though this world hate you.
14 [e]We know that we are [f]translated from death unto life, because we love the brethren: (C)he that loveth not his brother, abideth in death.
15 [g]Whosoever hateth his brother, is a manslayer: and ye know that no manslayer hath eternal life abiding in him.
16 (D)[h]Hereby have we perceived love, that he laid down his life for us: therefore we ought also to lay down our lives for the brethren.
17 (E)[i]And whosoever hath this [j]world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and [k]shutteth up his compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?
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