Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
51 When David was rebuked by the Prophet Nathan for his great offenses, he did not only acknowledge the same to God, with protestation of his natural corruption and iniquity, but also left a memorial thereof to his posterity. 7 Therefore first he desireth God to forgive his sins, 10 And to renew in him his holy Spirit. 13 With promise that he will not be unmindful of those great graces. 18 Finally, fearing lest God would punish the whole Church for his fault, he requireth that he would rather increase his graces toward the same.
To him that excelleth. A Psalm of David, when the Prophet Nathan [a]came unto him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.
1 Have mercy upon me, O God, [b]according to thy loving-kindness: according to the multitude of thy compassions put away mine iniquities.
2 Wash me [c]thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from mine sin.
3 For I [d]know mine iniquities, and my sin is ever before me.
4 Against thee, against thee only have I sinned, and done evil in thy sight, that thou mayest be just when thou [e]speakest, and pure when thou judgest.
5 Behold, I was born in iniquity, and in sin hath my mother conceived me.
6 Behold, thou [f]lovest truth in the inward affections: therefore hast thou taught me wisdom in the secret of mine heart.
7 Purge me with (A)hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
8 Make me to hear [g]joy and gladness, that the [h]bones, which thou hast broken, may rejoice.
9 Hide thy face from my sins, and put away all mine iniquities.
10 [i]Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.
11 Cast me not away from thy presence, and take not thine holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of thy salvation, and establish me with thy [j]free Spirit.
15 For thus said the [a]Lord God, the Holy one of Israel, In rest and quietness shall ye be saved: in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength, but ye would not.
16 For ye have said, No, but we will flee away upon [b]horses. Therefore shall ye flee. We will ride upon the swiftest. Therefore shall your persecutors be swifter.
17 A thousand as one shall flee at the rebuke of one: at the rebuke of five shall ye flee, till ye be left as a ship mast upon the [c]top of a mountain, and as a beacon upon an hill.
18 Yet therefore will the Lord wait, that he may have [d]mercy upon you, and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have compassion upon you: for the Lord is the God of [e]judgment. Blessed are all they that wait for him.
4 1 He joineth exhortation with threatening, lest they, even as their fathers were be deprived of the rest offered unto them, 11 but that they endeavor to enter into it. 14 And so he beginneth to entreat of Christ’s Priesthood.
1 Let us fear therefore, lest at any time by forsaking the promise of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to be deprived.
2 [a]For unto us was the Gospel preached as also unto them: but the word that they heard, profited not them, because it was not [b]mixed with faith in those that heard it.
3 [c]For we which have believed, do enter into rest, as he said to the other, (A)As I have sworn in my wrath, If they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.
4 For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, (B)And God did rest the seventh day from all his works.
5 And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest.
6 Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter thereinto, and they to whom it was first preached, entered not therein for unbelief’s sake:
7 Again he appointed in David a certain day, by Today, after so long a time, saying, as it is said, (C)This day, if ye hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
8 For if [d]Jesus had given them rest, then would he not after this have spoken of another day.
9 There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.
10 [e]For he that is entered into his rest, hath also ceased from his own works, as God did from his.
11 [f]Let us study therefore to enter into that rest, lest [g]any man fall after the same example of disobedience.
12 [h]For the [i]word of God is [j]lively, and mighty in operation, and sharper than any two edged sword, and entereth through, even unto the dividing asunder of the [k]soul and the [l]spirit, and of the joints, and the marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts, and the intents of the heart.
13 Neither is there any creature, which is not manifest in [m]his sight: but all things are naked and open unto his eyes, with whom we have to do.
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