Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

To the chief Musician. Upon the Gittith. Of the sons of Korah. A Psalm.

84 How amiable are thy tabernacles, O Jehovah of hosts!

² My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of Jehovah; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.

³ Yea, the sparrow hath found a house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she layeth her young, thine altars, O Jehovah of hosts, my King and my God.

⁴ Blessed are they that dwell in thy house: they will be constantly praising thee. Selah.

⁵ Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee,—they, in whose heart are the highways.

⁶ Passing through the valley of Baca, they make it a well-spring; yea, the early rain covereth it with blessings.

⁷ They go from strength to strength: [each one] will appear before God in Zion.

⁸ Jehovah, God of hosts, hear my prayer; give ear, O God of Jacob. Selah.

⁹ Behold, O God our shield, and look upon the face of thine anointed.

¹⁰ For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather stand at the threshold of the house of my God, than dwell in the tents of wickedness.

¹¹ For Jehovah Elohim is a sun and shield: Jehovah will give grace and glory; no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.

¹² Jehovah of hosts, blessed is the man that confideth in thee!

5 And Hiram king of Tyre sent his servants to Solomon; for he had heard that they had anointed him king in the place of his father; for Hiram always loved David.

² And Solomon sent to Hiram, saying,

³ Thou knowest that David my father could not build a house unto the name of Jehovah his God, because of the wars which were about him on every side, until Jehovah put them under the soles of his feet.

⁴ But now Jehovah my God has given me rest on every side: there is neither adversary nor evil event.

⁵ And behold, I purpose to build a house unto the name of Jehovah my God, as Jehovah spoke to David my father saying, Thy son, whom I will set upon thy throne in thy stead, he shall build a house unto my name.

⁶ And now command that they hew me cedar-trees out of Lebanon; and my servants shall be with thy servants; and I will give thee hire for thy servants according to all that thou shalt say; for thou knowest that there is not among us any that are experienced in cutting timber like to the Zidonians.

⁷ And it came to pass when Hiram heard the words of Solomon, that he rejoiced greatly, and said, Blessed be Jehovah this day, who has given to David a wise son over this great people.

⁸ And Hiram sent to Solomon, saying, I have heard the things which thou sentest to me for: I will do all thy desire concerning timber of cedar, and concerning timber of cypress.

⁹ My servants shall bring [them] down from Lebanon to the sea; and I will convey them by sea [in] rafts to the place that thou shalt appoint me, and will cause them to be broken up there, and thou shalt receive them. And thou shalt accomplish my desire in giving food for my household.

¹⁰ So Hiram gave Solomon cedar-trees and cypress-trees [according to] all his desire.

¹¹ And Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand measures of wheat as food for his household, and twenty measures of beaten oil: thus gave Solomon to Hiram year by year.

¹² And Jehovah gave Solomon wisdom as he promised him. And there was peace between Hiram and Solomon; and they two made a league.

⁵ And he said to them, Who among you shall have a friend, and shall go to him at midnight and say to him, Friend, let me have three loaves,

⁶ since a friend of mine on a journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him;

⁷ and he within answering should say, Do not disturb me; the door is already shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise up to give [it] thee?

⁸ —I say to you, Although he will not get up and give [them] to him because he is his friend, because of his shamelessness, at any rate, he will rise and give him as many as he wants.

⁹ And *I* say to you, Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you.

¹⁰ For every one that asks receives; and he that seeks finds; and to him that knocks it will be opened.

¹¹ But of whom of you that is a father shall a son ask bread, and [the father] shall give him a stone? or also a fish, and instead of a fish shall give him a serpent?

¹² or if also he shall ask an egg, shall give him a scorpion?

¹³ If therefore *ye*, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much rather shall the Father who is of heaven give [the] Holy Spirit to them that ask him?