Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
A Prayer for the King
For the director of music. A psalm of David.
20 May the Lord answer you in times of trouble.
May the God of Jacob protect you.
2 May he send you help from his Temple
and support you from Mount Zion.
3 May he remember all your offerings
and accept all your sacrifices. Selah
4 May he give you what you want
and make all your plans succeed,
5 and we will shout for joy when you succeed,
and we will raise a flag in the name of our God.
May the Lord give you all that you ask for.
6 Now I know the Lord helps his appointed king.
He answers him from his holy heaven
and saves him with his strong right hand.
7 Some trust in chariots, others in horses,
but we trust the Lord our God.
8 They are overwhelmed and defeated,
but we march forward and win.
9 Lord, save the king!
Answer us when we call for help.
15 The day before Saul came, the Lord had told Samuel: 16 “About this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin. Appoint him to lead my people Israel. He will save my people from the Philistines. I have seen the suffering of my people, and I have listened to their cry.”
17 When Samuel first saw Saul, the Lord said to Samuel, “This is the man I told you about. He will organize my people.”
18 Saul approached Samuel at the gate and said, “Please tell me where the seer’s house is.”
19 Samuel answered, “I am the seer. Go with me to the place of worship. Today you and your servant are to eat with me. Tomorrow morning I will answer all your questions and send you home. 20 Don’t worry about the donkeys you lost three days ago, because they have been found. Soon all the wealth of Israel will belong to you and your family.”
21 Saul answered, “But I am from the tribe of Benjamin, the smallest tribe in Israel. And my family group is the smallest in the tribe of Benjamin. Why are you saying such things?”
22 Then Samuel took Saul and his servant into a large room and gave them a choice place at the table. About thirty guests were there. 23 Samuel said to the cook, “Bring the meat I gave you, the portion I told you to set aside.”
24 So the cook took the thigh and put it on the table in front of Saul. Samuel said, “This is the meat saved for you. Eat it, because it was set aside for you for this special time. As I said, ‘I had invited the people.’” So Saul ate with Samuel that day.
25 After they finished eating, they came down from the place of worship and went to the town. Then Samuel talked with Saul on the roof[a] of his house. 26 At dawn they got up, and Samuel called to Saul on the roof. He said, “Get up, and I will send you on your way.” So Saul got up and went out of the house with Samuel. 27 As Saul, his servant, and Samuel were getting near the edge of the city, Samuel said to Saul, “Tell the servant to go on ahead of us, but you stay, because I have a message from God for you.”
Christ Became like Humans
5 God did not choose angels to be the rulers of the new world that was coming, which is what we have been talking about. 6 It is written in the Scriptures,
“Why are people even important to you?
Why do you take care of human beings?
7 You made them a little lower than the angels
and crowned them with glory and honor.[a]
8 You put all things under their control.” Psalm 8:4–6
When God put everything under their control, there was nothing left that they did not rule. Still, we do not yet see them ruling over everything. 9 But we see Jesus, who for a short time was made lower than the angels. And now he is wearing a crown of glory and honor because he suffered and died. And by God’s grace, he died for everyone.
The Holy Bible, New Century Version®. Copyright © 2005 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.