Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

David Hears of Saul’s Death

1 Now after the death of Saul, David returned from killing the Amalekites and stayed two days in Ziklag.

David’s Song of Sorrow for Saul and Jonathan

¹⁷ Then David sang a song of sorrow for Saul and his son Jonathan. ¹⁸ He told them to teach the song of the bow to the people of Judah. See, it is written in the book of Jashar. ¹⁹ “O Israel, your beauty is destroyed on your high places! How have the powerful fallen! ²⁰ Do not tell about it in Gath. Do not tell about it in the streets of Ashkelon, or the daughters of the Philistines might be filled with joy. The daughters of those who have not gone through our religious act might be filled with joy. ²¹ O mountains of Gilboa, do not let the water that is on the grass in the early morning or rain be on you. Let not grass be grown on your fields. For there the covering of the powerful was made dirty, the covering of Saul, as if he had not been set apart with oil. ²² The bow of Jonathan did not turn away. The sword of Saul did not return empty. They did not turn from the blood of the dead and the fat of the powerful. ²³ Saul and Jonathan were loved and pleasing in their life. And they were not divided in their death. They were faster than eagles. They were stronger than lions. ²⁴ O daughters of Israel, cry for Saul. He dressed you in fine red clothing. He put on your clothing objects of gold. ²⁵ How have the powerful fallen in the center of the battle! Jonathan has been killed on your high places. ²⁶ I am troubled because of you, my brother Jonathan. You have been very pleasing to me. Your love to me was greater than the love of women. ²⁷ How have the powerful fallen, and the bows and swords of war destroyed!”

A Prayer for Help

130 O Lord, I have cried to You out of the deep places. ² Lord, hear my voice! Let Your ears hear the voice of my prayers. ³ If you, Lord, should write down our sins, O Lord, who could stand? ⁴ But You are the One Who forgives, so You are honored with fear.

⁵ I wait for the Lord. My soul waits and I hope in His Word. ⁶ My soul waits for the Lord more than one who watches for the morning; yes, more than one who watches for the morning. ⁷ O Israel, hope in the Lord! For there is loving-kindness with the Lord. With Him we are saved for sure. ⁸ And He will save Israel from all their sins.

⁷ You are rich in everything. You have faith. You can preach. You have much learning. You have a strong desire to help. And you have love for us. Now do what you should about giving also. ⁸ I am not saying that you must do this, but I have told you how others have helped. This is a way to prove how true your love is. ⁹ You know of the loving-favor shown by our Lord Jesus Christ. He was rich, but He became poor for your good. In that way, because He became poor, you might become rich.

¹⁰ This is what I think. You had better finish what you started a year ago. You were the first to want to give a gift of money. ¹¹ Now do it with the same strong desires you had when you started. ¹² If a man is ready and willing to give, he should give of what he has, not of what he does not have. ¹³ This does not mean that others do not have to give and you have to give much. You should share alike. ¹⁴ You have more than you need now. When you have need, then they can help you. You should share alike. ¹⁵ The Holy Writings say, “The man who gathered much did not have too much. The man who did not gather much had enough.” ^(A)

Two Were Healed through Faith ^(A)

²¹ Then Jesus went by boat over to the other side of the sea. Many people gathered around Him. He stayed by the sea-shore. ²² Jairus was one of the leaders of the Jewish place of worship. As Jairus came to Jesus, he got down at His feet. ²³ He cried out to Jesus and said, “My little daughter is almost dead. Come and put Your hand on her that she may be healed and live.” ²⁴ Jesus went with him. Many people followed and pushed around Jesus.

²⁵ A woman had been sick for twelve years with a flow of blood. ²⁶ She had suffered much because of having many doctors. She had spent all the money she had. She had received no help, but became worse. ²⁷ She heard about Jesus and went among the people who were following Him. She touched His coat. ²⁸ For she said to herself, “If I can only touch His coat, I will be healed.” ²⁹ At once the flow of blood stopped. She felt in her body that she was healed of her sickness.

³⁰ At the same time Jesus knew that power had gone from Him. He turned and said to the people following Him, “Who touched My coat?” ³¹ His followers said to Him, “You see the many people pushing on every side. Why do You ask, ‘Who touched My coat?’” ³² He looked around to see who had done it. ³³ The woman was filled with fear when she knew what had happened to her. She came and got down before Jesus and told Him the truth. ³⁴ He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be free from your sickness.”

³⁵ While Jesus spoke, men came from the house of the leader of the place of worship. They said, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher anymore?” ³⁶ Jesus heard this. He said to the leader of the Jewish place of worship, “Do not be afraid, just believe.” ³⁷ He allowed no one to go with Him but Peter and James and John, the brother of James. ³⁸ They came to the house where the leader of the place of worship lived. Jesus found many people making much noise and crying. ³⁹ He went in and asked them, “Why is there so much noise and crying? The girl is not dead. She is sleeping.”

⁴⁰ They laughed at Jesus. But He sent them all out of the room. Then He took the girl’s father and mother and those who were with Him. They went into the room where the girl was. ⁴¹ He took the girl by the hand and said, “Little girl, I say to you, get up!” ⁴² At once the girl got up and walked. She was twelve years old. They were very much surprised and wondered about it. ⁴³ He spoke sharp words to them that they should not tell anyone. He told them to give her something to eat.