Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
63 (0) A psalm of David, when he was in the desert of Y’hudah:
2 (1) O God, you are my God;
I will seek you eagerly.
My heart thirsts for you,
my body longs for you
in a land parched and exhausted,
where no water can be found.
3 (2) I used to contemplate you in the sanctuary,
seeing your power and glory;
4 (3) for your grace is better than life.
My lips will worship you.
5 (4) Yes, I will bless you as long as I live;
in your name I will lift up my hands.
6 (5) I am as satisfied as with rich food;
my mouth praises you with joy on my lips
7 (6) when I remember you on my bed
and meditate on you in the night watches.
8 (7) For you have been my help;
in the shadow of your wings I rejoice;
9 (8) my heart clings to you;
your right hand supports me.
10 (9) But those who seek to destroy my life —
may they go to the lowest parts of the earth.
11 (10) May they be given over to the power of the sword;
may they become prey for jackals.
12 (11) But the king will rejoice in God.
Everyone who swears by him will exult,
for the mouths of liars will be silenced.
55 When Sha’ul saw David go out to fight the P’lishti, he said to Avner, the army’s commander, “Avner, whose son is this boy?” “By your life, O king,” Avner replied, “I don’t know.” 56 The king said, “Find out whose son this boy is.” 57 As David returned from killing the P’lishti, Avner took him and brought him to Sha’ul with the head of the P’lishti in his hand. 58 Sha’ul asked him, “Young man, whose son are you?” David answered, “I am the son of your servant Yishai the Beit-Lachmi.”
18 By the time David had finished speaking to Sha’ul, Y’honatan found himself inwardly drawn by David’s character, so that Y’honatan loved him as he did himself. 2 That day, Sha’ul took David into his service and would not let him go home to his father’s house any more. 3 Y’honatan made a covenant with David, because he loved him as he did himself. 4 Y’honatan removed the cloak he was wearing and gave it to David, his armor too, including his sword, bow and belt. 5 David would go out, and no matter where Sha’ul sent him, he was successful. Sha’ul put him in charge of the fighting men; all the people thought it good, and so did Sha’ul’s servants.
15 The seventh angel sounded his shofar; and there were loud voices in heaven, saying,
“The kingdom of the world
has become the Kingdom
of our Lord and his Messiah,
and he will rule forever and ever!”
16 The twenty-four elders sitting on their thrones in God’s presence fell on their faces and worshipped God, 17 saying,
“We thank you, Adonai,
God of heaven’s armies,[a]
the One who is and was,
that you have taken your power
and have begun to rule.
18 “The Goyim raged.[b]
But now your rage has come,
the time for the dead to be judged,
the time for rewarding your servants the prophets
and your holy people,
those who stand in awe of your name,
both small and great.
It is also the time for destroying
those who destroy the earth.”
19 Then the Temple of God in heaven was opened, and the Ark of the Covenant was seen in his Temple; and there were flashes of lightning, voices, peals of thunder, an earthquake and violent hail.
Copyright © 1998 by David H. Stern. All rights reserved.