Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Psalm 18
Praise for Deliverance
For the choir director. Of the servant of the Lord, David, who spoke the words of this song to the Lord on the day the Lord rescued him from the grasp of all his enemies and from the power of Saul.(A) He said:
1 I love you, Lord, my strength.
2 The Lord is my rock,
my fortress, and my deliverer,(B)
my God, my rock where I seek refuge,
my shield(C) and the horn of my salvation,(D)
my stronghold.
3 I called to the Lord, who is worthy of praise,(E)
and I was saved from my enemies.(F)
4 The ropes of death were wrapped around me;
the torrents of destruction terrified me.(G)
5 The ropes of Sheol entangled me;
the snares of death confronted me.(H)
6 I called to the Lord in my distress,
and I cried to my God for help.
From his temple he heard my voice,(I)
and my cry to him reached his ears.(J)
43 You have freed me from the feuds among the people;
you have appointed me the head of nations;(A)
a people I had not known serve me.(B)
44 Foreigners submit to me cringing;
as soon as they hear they obey me.(C)
45 Foreigners lose heart
and come trembling from their fortifications.(D)
46 The Lord lives—blessed be my rock!
The God of my salvation is exalted.(E)
47 God—he grants me vengeance(F)
and subdues peoples under me.(G)
48 He frees me from my enemies.
You exalt me above my adversaries;
you rescue me from violent men.(H)
49 Therefore I will give thanks to you among the nations, Lord;
I will sing praises about your name.(I)
50 He gives great victories to his king;(J)
he shows loyalty to his anointed,
to David and his descendants forever.(K)
14 David then stayed in the wilderness strongholds and in the hill country of the Wilderness of Ziph.(A) Saul searched for him every day, but God did not hand David over to him.(B)
A Renewed Covenant
15 David was in the Wilderness of Ziph in Horesh when he saw that Saul had come out to take his life. 16 Then Saul’s son Jonathan came to David in Horesh and encouraged him in his faith[a] in God,(C) 17 saying, “Don’t be afraid, for my father Saul will never lay a hand on you. You yourself will be king over Israel,(D) and I’ll be your second-in-command. Even my father Saul knows it is true.”(E) 18 Then the two of them made a covenant in the Lord’s presence.(F) Afterward, David remained in Horesh, while Jonathan went home.
Administration of the Collection
16 Thanks be to God, who put the same concern for you into the heart of Titus. 17 For he welcomed our appeal and, being very diligent, went out to you by his own choice. 18 We have sent with him the brother(A) who is praised among all the churches for his gospel ministry.[a] 19 And not only that, but he was also appointed by the churches to accompany us with this gracious gift that we are administering for the glory of the Lord himself and to show our eagerness to help. 20 We are taking this precaution so that no one will criticize us about this large sum that we are administering. 21 Indeed, we are giving careful thought(B) to do what is right,(C) not only before the Lord but also before people. 22 We have also sent with them our brother. We have often tested him in many circumstances and found him to be diligent—and now even more diligent because of his great confidence in you. 23 As for Titus, he is my partner(D) and coworker(E) for you; as for our brothers, they are the messengers(F) of the churches, the glory of Christ.(G) 24 Therefore, show them proof before the churches of your love and of our boasting(H) about you.
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