Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Psalm 63
Comfort and Assurance in God’s Presence
A Psalm of David, when he was in the Wilderness of Judah.
1 O God, you are my God; I seek you;
my soul thirsts for you;
my flesh faints for you,
as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.(A)
2 So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary,
beholding your power and glory.(B)
3 Because your steadfast love is better than life,
my lips will praise you.(C)
4 So I will bless you as long as I live;
I will lift up my hands and call on your name.(D)
5 My soul is satisfied as with a rich feast,[a]
and my mouth praises you with joyful lips(E)
6 when I think of you on my bed
and meditate on you in the watches of the night,(F)
7 for you have been my help,
and in the shadow of your wings I sing for joy.(G)
8 My soul clings to you;
your right hand upholds me.(H)
David Anointed King of Judah
2 After this David inquired of the Lord, “Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah?” The Lord said to him, “Go up.” David said, “To which shall I go up?” He said, “To Hebron.”(A) 2 So David went up there, along with his two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel.(B) 3 David brought up the men who were with him, every one with his household, and they settled in the towns of Hebron.(C) 4 Then the people of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah.
When they told David, “It was the people of Jabesh-gilead who buried Saul,”(D) 5 David sent messengers to the people of Jabesh-gilead and said to them, “May you be blessed by the Lord, because you showed this loyalty to Saul your lord and buried him!(E) 6 Now may the Lord show steadfast love and faithfulness to you! And I, too, will reward you because you have done this thing. 7 Therefore let your hands be strong and be valiant, for Saul your lord is dead, and the house of Judah has anointed me king over them.”
Peace for the Disciples
25 “I have said these things to you in figures of speech. The hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures but will tell you plainly of the Father. 26 On that day you will ask in my name. I do not say to you that I will ask the Father on your behalf, 27 for the Father himself loves you because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God.[a](A) 28 I came from the Father and have come into the world; again, I am leaving the world and am going to the Father.”(B)
29 His disciples said, “Yes, now you are speaking plainly, not in any figure of speech! 30 Now we know that you know all things and do not need to have anyone question you; by this we believe that you came from God.”(C) 31 Jesus answered them, “Do you now believe? 32 The hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, each one to his home, and you will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone because the Father is with me.(D) 33 I have said this to you so that in me you may have peace. In the world you face persecution, but take courage: I have conquered the world!”(E)
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.