Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
24 (23) so that you can wash your feet in their blood,
and your dogs’ tongues too can get their share from your foes.
25 (24) They see your processions, God,
the processions of my God, my king, in holiness.
26 (25) The singers are in front, the musicians last,
in the middle are girls playing tambourines.
27 (26) “In choruses, bless God, Adonai,
you whose source is Isra’el.”
28 (27) There is Binyamin, the youngest, at the head;
the princes of Y’hudah, crowding along;
the princes of Z’vulun; the princes of Naftali.
29 (28) God, summon your strength!
Use your strength, God, as you did for us before,
30 (29) from your temple in Yerushalayim,
where kings will bring tribute to you.
31 (30) Rebuke the wild beast of the reeds,
that herd of bulls with their calves, the peoples,
who ingratiate themselves with bars of silver;
let him scatter the peoples who take pleasure in fighting.
32 (31) Let envoys come from Egypt,
Let Ethiopia stretch out its hands to God.
33 (32) Sing to God, kingdoms of the earth!
Sing praises to Adonai, (Selah)
34 (33) to him who rides on the most ancient heavens.
Listen, as he utters his voice, a mighty voice!
35 (34) Acknowledge that strength belongs to God,
with his majesty over Isra’el and his strength in the skies.
16 As the ark of Adonai entered the City of David, Mikhal the daughter of Sha’ul, watching from the window, saw King David leaping and spinning before Adonai; and she was filled with contempt for him.
17 They brought the ark of Adonai in and put it in its place inside the tent that David had set up for it. David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before Adonai. 18 When David had finished offering the burnt offering and peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of Adonai-Tzva’ot. 19 Then he distributed to all the people of Isra’el, to everyone there, both men and women, a loaf of bread, a portion of meat and a raisin cake, after which the people all left for their homes.
20 When David returned to bless his household, Mikhal the daughter of Sha’ul came out to meet him and said, “Such honor the king of Isra’el earned for himself today — exposing himself before his servants’ slave-girls like some vulgar exhibitionist!” 21 David answered Mikhal, “In the presence of Adonai — who chose me over your father and over everyone in his family to make me chief over Adonai’s people, over Isra’el — I will celebrate in the presence of Adonai! 22 I will make myself still more contemptible than that, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes, but those slave-girls you mentioned will honor me!” 23 Mikhal the daughter of Sha’ul remained childless until the day she died.
31 “Therefore,” said the Lord, “how can I describe the people of this generation? What are they like? 32 They are like children sitting in the marketplaces, calling to one another,
‘We made happy music, but you wouldn’t dance!
We made sad music, but you wouldn’t cry!’
33 For Yochanan has come not eating bread and not drinking wine; and you say, ‘He has a demon!’ 34 The Son of Man has come eating and drinking; and you say, ‘Aha! A glutton and a drunkard! A friend of tax-collectors and sinners!’ 35 Well, the proof of wisdom is in all the kinds of people it produces.”
Copyright © 1998 by David H. Stern. All rights reserved.