Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

Prayer for Rescue from Persecutors.

For the music director; set to ^[a]Al-tashheth. A ^[b]Mikhtam of David, ^[c]when he fled from Saul in the cave.

David Is Grief-stricken

¹⁹ Then ^(A)Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said, “Please let me run and bring the king news ^(B)that the Lord has ^[a]freed him from the hand of his enemies!” ²⁰ But Joab said to him, “You are not the man to bring news this day, but you shall bring news another day; however, you shall bring no news this day, because the king’s son is dead.” ²¹ Then Joab said to the Cushite, “Go, tell the king what you have seen.” So the Cushite bowed to Joab and ran. ²² However, Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said once more to Joab, “But whatever happens, please let me also run after the Cushite.” And Joab said, “Why would you run, my son, since ^(C)you will have no messenger’s reward for going?” ²³ “But whatever happens,” he said, “I will run.” So he said to him, “Run.” Then Ahimaaz ran by way of the plain and passed by the Cushite.

²⁴ Now ^(D)David was sitting between the two gates; and ^(E)the watchman went to the roof of the gate by the wall, and raised his eyes and looked; and behold, a man was running by himself. ²⁵ So the watchman called out and told the king. And the king said, “If he is by himself there is good news in his mouth.” And he came nearer and nearer. ²⁶ Then the watchman saw another man running; and the watchman called to the gatekeeper and said, “Behold, another man is running by himself.” And the king said, “This one also is bringing good news.” ²⁷ The watchman said, “I ^[b]think the running form of the first one ^(F)is like the running form of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok.” And the king said, “^(G)This is a good man, and he is coming with good news.”

²⁸ Then Ahimaaz called out and said to the king, “^[c]All is well.” And ^(H)he prostrated himself before the king with his face to the ground. And he said, “^(I)Blessed is the Lord your God, who has turned over the men who raised their hands against my lord the king.” ²⁹ But the king said, “^(J)Is it well with the young man Absalom?” And Ahimaaz answered, “When Joab sent the king’s servant, and your servant, I saw a great commotion, but ^(K)I did not know what it was.” ³⁰ Then the king said, “Turn aside and stand here.” So he turned aside and stood still.

³¹ Then behold, the Cushite arrived, and the Cushite said, “Let my lord the king receive good news, for ^(L)the Lord has ^[d]freed you this day from the hand of all those who rose up against you.” ³² Then the king said to the Cushite, “^(M)Is it well with the young man Absalom?” And the Cushite answered, “^(N)May the enemies of my lord the king, and all who rise up against you for evil, be like that young man!”

^33 [e]Then the king trembled and went up to the chamber over the gate and wept. And this is what he said as he walked: “^(O)My son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! ^(P)If only I had died instead of you, Absalom, my son, my son!”

^14 (A)Therefore, ^(B)beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be ^(C)found ^(D)spotless and blameless by Him, at peace, ¹⁵ and regard the ^(E)patience of our Lord as salvation; just as also ^(F)our beloved brother Paul, ^(G)according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you, ¹⁶ as also in all his letters, speaking in them of ^(H)these things, ^(I)in which there are some things that are hard to understand, which the untaught and ^(J)unstable distort, as they do also ^(K)the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction. ¹⁷ You therefore, ^(L)beloved, knowing this beforehand, ^(M)be on your guard so that you are not carried away by ^(N)the error of ^[a](O)unscrupulous people and ^(P)lose your own ^[b]firm commitment, ¹⁸ but grow in the grace and ^(Q)knowledge of our ^(R)Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. ^(S)To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.