Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
David wrote this psalm when he was in the Judah wilderness.
A morning song[a]
63 God, you are my God.
I want to be near to you.
I need you to give me life,
like a thirsty person in a dry desert.
As a person needs water to live,
that is how I need you.[b]
2 When I have gone into your temple,
I have seen what you are like.
I have seen your great power and your glory.
3 Your faithful love for me is better than life itself.
So I will speak out to praise you.
4 Yes, I will thank you for as long as I live.
I will lift up my hands and I will pray to you.
5 You make me very happy,
better than a feast of good food.
I will sing happy songs to praise you.
6 When I lie on my bed,
I think about you all through the night.
7 You are the one who keeps me safe,
like a bird protects its babies under its wings.
So I sing happy songs.
8 I keep very near to you
and your strong right hand keeps me safe.
9 My enemies are trying to kill me,
but I know that they themselves will die.
They will go down into the deep hole of death.
10 Soldiers will kill them with swords.
Wild dogs will eat their dead bodies.
11 But the king will sing songs to praise God.[c]
Everybody who promises to serve God
will speak aloud to praise him.
But everyone who tells lies
will not be able to say anything!
The people anoint David as king over Israel
2 After some time, David asked the Lord, ‘Should I go up to one of Judah's towns?’
The Lord said to him, ‘Go up.’
David asked, ‘Where should I go?’
The Lord replied, ‘Go to Hebron.’
2 So David went up to Hebron. He took his two wives with him. They were Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail, Nabal's widow, from Carmel. 3 David also took the men who had been with him. Each man took his family. They lived in Hebron and in the towns near there. 4 Then the men of Judah's tribe came to Hebron. They anointed David as king over Judah's people.
David thanks the people of Jabesh Gilead
David heard that the people from Jabesh Gilead had buried Saul's body. 5 So David sent men to them with a message. He said, ‘You were kind to Saul, your master, when you buried his body. So I pray that the Lord will bless you. 6 I pray that the Lord will keep you safe with his faithful love. I too will do good things for you, because of what you have done. 7 Saul, your master, is dead, so you must continue to be strong and brave. The people of Judah have now chosen me to rule them as king.’
25 I have spoken to you with words and stories that are like pictures. But there will be a time when I will not speak like that any more. Instead, I will speak clearly to you about the Father. 26 When that day arrives, you yourselves will ask the Father in my name.[a] I do not say that I will ask the Father on your behalf. 27 I will not need to do that, because the Father himself loves you. He loves you because you love me, and you have believed that I came from God. 28 Yes, I came from the Father, and I came into this world. Now I will leave this world and I will return to the Father.’
29 Jesus' disciples said to him, ‘Now you are speaking clearly. You are not speaking with words that are like pictures! 30 Now we are sure that you know everything. You do not even need to ask people what they are thinking. Because of this, we believe that you came from God.’ 31 Jesus answered them, ‘You say that you believe in me now. 32 But it will happen very soon that all of you will run away to your own homes. Yes, that time has already arrived. You will run away and leave me alone. But I will not really be alone, because the Father is always with me. 33 I have told you these things so that you will have peace. You will be like that because you live together with me. In this world, you will have trouble. But be brave! I have destroyed the power of this world.’
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