Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

20 The Lord hear thee in the day of trouble! The name of the God of Jacob defend thee!

² May He send thee help from the sanctuary, and strengthen thee out of Zion.

³ May He remember all thy offerings, and accept thy burnt sacrifice. Selah

⁴ May He grant thee according to thine own heart, and fulfill all thy counsel.

⁵ We will rejoice in thy salvation, and in the name of our God we will set up our banners; the Lord fulfill all thy petitions!

⁶ Now I know that the Lord saveth His anointed; He will hear him from His holy heaven with the saving strength of His right hand.

⁷ Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; but we will remember the name of the Lord our God.

⁸ They are brought down and fallen; but we are risen and stand upright.

⁹ Save us, Lord! Let the King hear us when we call.

¹⁵ Now the Lord had told Samuel in his ear a day before Saul came, saying,

¹⁶ “Tomorrow about this time I will send thee a man out of the land of Benjamin, and thou shalt anoint him to be captain over My people Israel, that he may save My people out of the hand of the Philistines; for I have looked upon My people, because their cry has come unto Me.”

¹⁷ And when Samuel saw Saul, the Lord said unto him, “Behold the man whom I spoke to thee of! This same shall reign over My people.”

¹⁸ Then Saul drew near to Samuel in the gate, and said, “Tell me, I pray thee, where the seer’s house is.”

¹⁹ And Samuel answered Saul and said, “I am the seer. Go up before me unto the high place; for ye shall eat with me today, and tomorrow I will let thee go and will tell thee all that is in thine heart.

²⁰ And as for thine asses that were lost three days ago, set not thy mind on them, for they are found. And on whom is all the desire of Israel? Is it not on thee and on all thy father’s house?”

²¹ And Saul answered and said, “Am not I a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel, and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then speakest thou so to me?”

²² And Samuel took Saul and his servant and brought them into the hall, and made them sit in the chiefest place among those who were bidden, who were about thirty persons.

²³ And Samuel said unto the cook, “Bring the portion which I gave thee, of which I said unto thee, ‘Set it by thee.’”

²⁴ And the cook took up the shoulder and that which was upon it, and set it before Saul. And Samuel said, “Behold that which is left! Set it before thee and eat; for unto this time hath it been kept for thee since I said, ‘I have invited the people.’” So Saul ate with Samuel that day.

²⁵ And when they had come down from the high place into the city, Samuel communed with Saul upon the top of the house.

²⁶ And they arose early. And it came to pass about the dawn of the day that Samuel called Saul to the top of the house, saying, “Up, that I may send thee away.” And Saul arose, and they went out both of them, he and Samuel, abroad.

²⁷ And as they were going down to the end of the city, Samuel said to Saul, “Bid the servant pass on before us.” (And he passed on.) “But stand thou still a while, that I may show thee the word of God.”

⁵ For it was not unto angels that He put in subjection the world to come, of which we speak.

⁶ But one at a certain place testified, saying, “What is man, that Thou art mindful of him? Or the son of man, that Thou visitest him?

⁷ Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; Thou crowned him with glory and honor and set him over the works of Thy hands.

⁸ Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet.” For in putting all in subjection under him, He left nothing that is not put under him. But now as yet we see not all things put under him.

⁹ But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor, that He by the grace of God should taste death for every man.