Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

Song of Praise for Being Kept Safe

21 O Lord, in Your strength the king is glad! How great is his joy in Your saving power! ² You have given him the desire of his heart. You have not kept from him anything that he has asked for. ³ For You meet him with gifts of good things. You set a crown of pure gold on his head. ⁴ He asked You for life and You gave it to him, a long life forever and ever. ⁵ His honor is great because of Your help. You have given him greatness and power. ⁶ You have given him honor and respect forever. And You make him glad with the joy of being with You.

⁷ For the king trusts in the Lord. Because of the loving-kindness of the Most High, he will not be shaken. ⁸ Your hand will find all who fight against You. Your right hand will find those who hate You. ⁹ You will make them like a stove of fire in the time of Your anger. The Lord will eat them up in His anger. And the fire will destroy them. ¹⁰ You will destroy their children from the earth, and their sons from the children of men. ¹¹ For they planned much trouble against You. They have made sinful plans that will come to nothing. ¹² For You will make them turn their backs when You take up Your bow against them. ¹³ Be honored in Your strength, O Lord. We will sing and praise Your power.

David Wins the Battle over the Philistines

¹⁷ When the Philistines heard that David had been chosen to be king of Israel, all the Philistines went up to find him. When David heard of it, he went down to the strong place. ¹⁸ The Philistines came and spread themselves out in the valley of Rephaim. ¹⁹ Then David asked the Lord, “Should I go up against the Philistines? Will You give them into my hand?” And the Lord said to David, “Go up, for it is sure that I will give the Philistines into your hand.” ²⁰ So David came to Baal-perazim and beat them there in battle. He said, “The Lord has broken through those who hate me like the breaking through of a flood.” So he gave that place the name Baal-perazim. ²¹ The Philistines left their false gods there, and David and his men carried them away.

²² The Philistines came up again, and spread themselves out in the valley of Rephaim. ²³ David asked the Lord what he should do. And the Lord said, “Do not go up, but go around behind them and come at them in front of the balsam trees. ²⁴ When you hear the sound of their steps in the tops of the balsam trees, then hurry to fight, for then the Lord will have gone out before you to destroy the Philistine army.” ²⁵ David did just as the Lord told him. He killed the Philistines from Geba to Gezer.

The Brothers of Jesus Argue with Him

7 Jesus did not stay in the country of Judea because the Jews were trying to kill Him. After this He went from place to place in the country of Galilee. ² A religious gathering of the Jews was near. This gathering was called the Supper of Tents. ³ The brothers of Jesus said to Him, “Leave here and go to the country of Judea. Let Your followers there see the things You do. ⁴ If a person wants others to know what he is doing, he does things to be seen. Since You are doing such things, show Yourself to the world.” ⁵ Not even His brothers were putting their trust in Him.

⁶ Jesus said to them, “My time has not yet come. But any time is good for you. ⁷ The world cannot hate you but it hates Me. I speak against the world because of its sinful works. ⁸ You go to the religious gathering. I am not going yet. My time has not yet come.”

⁹ Jesus told His brothers this and then stayed in Galilee.