Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
The Steadfast Love of God Endures
To the choirmaster. A Maskil[a] of David, when (A)Doeg, the Edomite, came and told Saul, “David has come to the house of Ahimelech.”
52 Why do you boast of evil, O mighty man?
The steadfast love of God endures all the day.
2 Your (B)tongue plots destruction,
like (C)a sharp razor, you (D)worker of deceit.
3 You love evil more than good,
and (E)lying more than speaking what is right. Selah
4 You love all words that devour,
O deceitful tongue.
5 But God will break you down forever;
he will snatch and (F)tear you from your tent;
he will uproot you from (G)the land of the living. Selah
6 The righteous shall (H)see and fear,
and shall (I)laugh at him, saying,
7 “See the man who would not make
God his refuge,
but (J)trusted in the abundance of his riches
and sought refuge in his own destruction!”[b]
Let Justice Roll Down
18 Woe to you who desire (A)the day of the Lord!
Why would you have the day of the Lord?
(B)It is darkness, and not light,
19 (C)as if a man fled from a lion,
and a bear met him,
or went into the house and leaned his hand against the wall,
and a serpent bit him.
20 (D)Is not the day of the Lord darkness, and not light,
and gloom with no brightness in it?
21 (E)“I hate, I despise your feasts,
and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies.
22 (F)Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings,
I will not accept them;
and the peace offerings of your fattened animals,
I will not look upon them.
23 Take away from me the noise of your songs;
to (G)the melody of your harps I will not listen.
24 But let justice roll down like waters,
and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.
25 (H)“Did you bring to me sacrifices and offerings during the forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel? 26 (I)You (J)shall take up Sikkuth your king, and Kiyyun your star-god—your images that you made for yourselves, 27 (K)and I will send you into exile beyond Damascus,” says the Lord, whose name is (L)the God of hosts.
Prayer for Spiritual Strength
14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom (A)every family[a] in heaven and on earth is named, 16 that according to (B)the riches of his glory (C)he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit (D)in your inner being, 17 (E)so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being (F)rooted and (G)grounded in love, 18 may have strength to (H)comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and (I)height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ (J)that surpasses knowledge, that (K)you may be filled with all (L)the fullness of God.
20 (M)Now to (N)him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, (O)according to the power at work within us, 21 (P)to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.