Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Psalm 38[a]
Prayer of a Sinner in Great Peril
1 A psalm of David. For remembrance.[b]
2 O Lord, do not punish me in your anger
or chastise me in your wrath.
3 For your arrows[c] have pierced me deeply,
and your hand has come down upon me.
4 No portion of my body[d] has been unscathed
as a result of your anger;
my bones have become weak
as a result of my sins.
5 My iniquities tower far above my head;[e]
they are a burden too heavy to bear.
6 My wounds are fetid and fester
because of my folly.
7 I am bowed down and bent over,
as I spend each day in sorrow.
8 My loins are filled with searing pain;
no part of my body[f] is unafflicted.
9 I am numb and completely crushed,
and I groan in anguish of heart.[g]
10 O Lord, all my longing is known to you,
and my sighs are not hidden from you.
11 My heart throbs, and my strength is spent;
even the light has faded from my eyes.
12 My friends and companions stay away from my affliction,
and my neighbors keep their distance.
13 Those who seek my life set traps;
those who wish me harm threaten violence
and plot treachery all day long.[h]
14 [i]But I am like a man who cannot hear,
like one who cannot open his mouth.
15 I am like one who hears nothing
and has no answer to offer.
16 I place my hope in you, O Lord;
you, O Lord, my God, will answer for me.
17 For I prayed, “Never let them gloat over me
or exult should my foot slip.”
18 I am at the point of exhaustion,
and my grief is with me constantly.
19 I acknowledge my iniquity,
and I sincerely grieve for my sin.
20 [j]Numerous and strong are my enemies without cause;
many are those who hate me without good reason.[k]
21 Those who repay my good deeds with evil
oppose me because I follow a path of righteousness.
22 Do not abandon me, O Lord;
my God, do not remain far from me.
23 Come quickly to my aid,
O Lord, my Savior.
Chapter 24
David Spares Saul’s Life. 1 David went up from there and dwelt in the strongholds of En-gedi. 2 When Saul returned from pursuing after the Philistines, he was told, “David is in the desert in En-gedi.” 3 Saul took three thousand chosen men from out of all of Israel, and he went out and sought David and his men on the rocks of the wild goats.
4 He came to the sheepfolds along the way, and there was a cave there. Saul entered it to relieve himself, and David and his men stayed in the recesses of the cave. 5 David’s men said to him, “This is the day that the Lord spoke of when he said, ‘I will deliver your enemy into your hands, you may do to him as you see fit.’ ” David got up and secretly cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. 6 But David’s conscience began to bother him because he had cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. 7 He said to his men, “The Lord forbid that I should do such a thing to my lord, lifting my hand against the Lord’s anointed, for he is the Lord’s anointed.” 8 [a]With these words David rebuked his servants, and he would not let them rise up against Saul.
Saul rose from the cave and went on his way. 9 David also arose and left the cave. He cried out after Saul saying, “My lord, the king.” Saul looked back and saw David bowed down, face to the ground, lying prostrate. 10 David said to Saul, “Why do you listen to men who say, ‘David is trying to harm you?’ 11 Behold, you have seen for yourself today how the Lord delivered you into my hands in the cave. Some urged me to kill you, but I spared you. I said, ‘I will not raise up my hand against my lord, for he is an anointed one of the Lord.’ 12 Look, my father, see the corner of your robe in my hand. I cut off the corner of your robe, but I did not kill you. So see and understand that I am not guilty of wrongdoing or rebellion. I have not wronged you, but yet you hunt me to take my life. 13 May the Lord be the judge between me and you. May the Lord take my vengeance upon you, but I will not raise my hand against you. 14 As the old proverb states, ‘Evil deeds come from evil doers,’ but I will not raise my hand against you. 15 Against whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom do you pursue? After a dead dog? After a flea? 16 May the Lord be a judge and decide between me and you. May he examine my cause and plead it; may he deliver me out of your hands.”
17 Saul’s Apology to David. When David had finished saying these things to Saul, Saul said, “Is that your voice, my son, David?” And Saul cried out and wept. 18 He said to David, “You are more righteous than I am, for you have treated me well, but I have treated you poorly. 19 Today you have revealed to me how you have treated me well, for the Lord had delivered me into your hands, but you did not kill me. 20 When a man finds his enemy, does he allow him to walk away unharmed? May the Lord richly reward you for what you have done to me today. 21 Truly, now I know that the kingdom of Israel will be firmly placed in your hands. 22 Now swear to me by the Lord that you will not cut off my descendants after me, nor will you eliminate my name from my father’s family.”
23 David swore an oath to Saul, and Saul returned to his home. David and his men went up into the stronghold.
The Lord’s Supper, Sign of Unity[a]
17 Do You Despise the Church of God? Now in giving you this instruction I cannot praise you, because your meetings tend to do more harm than good. 18 To begin with, when you come together in your assembly, I hear that there are divisions among you, and to some extent I am inclined to believe it. 19 There must be such factions among you so that it will become clear to you which groups should be trusted.
20 [b]When you do assemble, it is not to eat the Lord’s supper, 21 for each of you goes ahead with his own supper, and one goes hungry while another has too much to drink. 22 Do you not have homes in which you can eat and drink? Or do you have such contempt for the Church of God that you humiliate those who have nothing? What should I say to you? Should I praise you? In this matter, I cannot praise you.
27 God’s Judgment on the Community.[a] Therefore, anyone who eats the bread and drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner is guilty of an offense against the body and blood of the Lord. 28 Everyone should examine himself about eating the bread and drinking from the cup. 29 For a person who eats and drinks without discerning the body of the Lord is eating and drinking judgment on himself.
30 That is why many of you are weak and ill, and a number of you have fallen asleep. 31 If we were to examine ourselves, we would not be condemned. 32 However, when we are judged by the Lord, he is disciplining us to save us from being condemned together with the world.
33 Practical Conclusion. Therefore, brethren, when you come together for the meal, wait for one another.
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