Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

A Psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness of Judah.

¹ ¶ O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee; my soul thirsts for thee; my flesh longs for thee in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water;

² in this manner I beheld thee in holiness when I beheld thy power and thy glory.

³ ¶ Because thy mercy is better than life, my lips shall praise thee.

⁴ Thus will I bless thee in my life; in thy name shall I lift up my hands.

⁵ My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness, and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips

⁶ When I remember thee upon my bed and meditate on thee in the night watches.

⁷ ¶ Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice.

⁸ My soul has followed hard after thee; thy right hand has upheld me.

⁹ But those that sought my soul, to destroy it, descended into the lower parts of the earth.

¹⁰ They shall be slain by the sword; they shall be a portion for foxes.

¹¹ But the king shall rejoice in God; every one that swears by him shall be praised; for the mouth of those that speak lies shall be stopped.

2 ¶ And it came to pass after this that David enquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah? And the LORD said unto him, Go up. And David said, Where shall I go up? And he said, Unto Hebron.

² So David went up there with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail, who had been the wife of Nabal of Carmel.

³ And David brought up his men that were with him, each one with his household, and they dwelt in the cities of Hebron.

⁴ And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. And they told David, saying, The men of Jabeshgilead buried Saul.

⁵ And David sent messengers unto the men of Jabeshgilead and said unto them, Blessed shall ye be of the LORD that ye have showed this mercy unto your lord, even unto Saul and have buried him.

⁶ And now the LORD show mercy and truth unto you; and I also will requite you this kindness because ye have done this thing.

⁷ Therefore, now let your hands be strengthened and be ye valiant; for your master Saul is dead, and also the house of Judah have anointed me king over them.

²⁵ I have spoken these things unto you in proverbs, but the hour comes when I shall no longer speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall show you plainly of the Father.

²⁶ In that day ye shall ask in my name, and I do not say unto you that I will ask the Father for you;

²⁷ for the Father himself loves you because ye have loved me and have believed that I came out from God.

²⁸ ¶ I came forth from the Father and am come into the world; again, I leave the world and go to the Father.

²⁹ His disciples said unto him, Behold, now thou speakest plainly and speakest no proverb.

³⁰ Now we understand that thou knowest all things and needest not that anyone should ask thee; by this we believe that thou didst come forth from God.

³¹ Jesus answered them, Do ye now believe?

³² Behold, the hour comes and is now come, that ye shall be scattered, each one to his own, and shall leave me alone; and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me.

³³ These things I have spoken unto you that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation; but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.