Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

¹² The sinful man plans against him who is right with God. And he grinds his teeth at him. ¹³ The Lord laughs at him because He sees his day is coming. ¹⁴ The sinful have taken up their sword and their bow, to bring down the poor and those in need, and to kill those whose ways are right. ¹⁵ Their sword will cut into their own heart, and their bows will be broken.

¹⁶ The few things that the man right with God has is better than the riches of many sinful men. ¹⁷ For the arms of the sinful will be broken. But the Lord holds up those who are right with Him. ¹⁸ The Lord knows the days of those who are without blame. And what is theirs will last forever. ¹⁹ They will not be ashamed in the time of trouble. And in days when there is no food they will have enough. ²⁰ But the sinful will be lost forever. Those who hate the Lord will be like the beauty of the fields. They will be gone. Like smoke they will be gone. ²¹ The sinful ask for something, but do not return it. But those who are right with God are kind and give. ²² For those who are made happy by Him will be given the land. But those who are being punished by Him will be cut off.

¹⁴ In the morning, David wrote a letter to Joab, and sent it by Uriah. ¹⁵ He had written in the letter, “Put Uriah in the front of the hardest battle and come away from him, so that he may be killed.” ¹⁶ So while Joab was watching the city, he sent Uriah to the place where he knew there were soldiers with strength of heart. ¹⁷ The men of the city went out and fought against Joab. Some of David’s servants were killed. And Uriah the Hittite died also. ¹⁸ Then Joab sent a man with news to David to tell him all about the war. ¹⁹ Joab told the man, “When you have finished telling the king all about the war, ²⁰ the king might become angry. He might say to you, ‘Why did you go so near the city to fight? Did you not know that they would shoot from the wall? ²¹ Who killed Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? Did not a woman throw a grinding stone on him from the wall so that he died at Thebez? Why did you go so near the wall?’ Then you should say, ‘Your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.’”

¹⁰ The Lord gives me a reason to be full of joy. It is because you are able to care for me again. I know you wanted to before but you did not have a way to help me. ¹¹ I am not saying I need anything. I have learned to be happy with whatever I have. ¹² I know how to get along with little and how to live when I have much. I have learned the secret of being happy at all times. If I am full of food and have all I need, I am happy. If I am hungry and need more, I am happy. ¹³ I can do all things because Christ gives me the strength.

¹⁴ It was kind of you to help me when I was in trouble. ¹⁵ You Philippians also know that when I first preached the Good News, you were the only church that helped me. It was when I left for the country of Macedonia. ¹⁶ Even while I was in the city of Thessalonica you helped me more than once. ¹⁷ It is not that I want to receive the gift. I want you to get the pay that is coming to you later. ¹⁸ I have everything I need and more than enough. I am taken care of because Epaphroditus brought your gift. It is a sweet gift. It is a gift that cost you something. It is the kind of gift God is so pleased with. ¹⁹ And my God will give you everything you need because of His great riches in Christ Jesus. ²⁰ Now may our God and Father be honored forever. Let it be so.