Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

To the chief Musician. On Mahalath: an instruction. Of David.

53 The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God! They have corrupted themselves, and have done abominable iniquity: there is none that doeth good.

² God looked down from the heavens upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, that did seek God.

³ Every one of them is gone back, they are together become corrupt: there is none that doeth good, not even one.

⁴ Have the workers of iniquity no knowledge, eating up my people [as] they eat bread? they call not upon God.

⁵ There were they in great fear, where no fear was; for God scattereth the bones of him that encampeth against thee. Thou hast put [them] to shame, for God hath despised them.

⁶ Oh that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion! When God turneth again the captivity of his people, Jacob shall be glad, Israel shall rejoice.

²⁴ And Saul said to Samuel, I have sinned, for I have transgressed the commandment of Jehovah, and thy words; for I feared the people, and hearkened to their voice.

²⁵ And now, I pray thee, forgive my sin, and turn again with me, that I may worship Jehovah.

²⁶ And Samuel said to Saul, I will not turn again with thee; for thou hast rejected the word of Jehovah, and Jehovah has rejected thee from being king over Israel.

²⁷ And as Samuel turned to go away, [Saul] laid hold upon the skirt of his mantle, and it rent.

²⁸ Then Samuel said to him, Jehovah has rent the kingdom of Israel from thee to-day, and has given it to thy neighbour, who is better than thou.

²⁹ And also the Hope of Israel will not lie nor repent; for he is not a man, that he should repent.

³⁰ And he said, I have sinned; honour me now, I pray thee, before the elders of my people, and before Israel, and turn again with me, that I may worship Jehovah thy God.

³¹ So Samuel turned again after Saul; and Saul worshipped Jehovah.

⁴³ For there is no good tree which produces corrupt fruit, nor a corrupt tree which produces good fruit;

⁴⁴ for every tree is known by its own fruit, for figs are not gathered from thorns, nor grapes vintaged from a bramble.

⁴⁵ The good man, out of the good treasure of his heart, brings forth good; and the wicked [man] out of the wicked, brings forth what is wicked: for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.