Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
A Prayer for Protection
A prayer of David.
17 Lord, hear ·me begging for fairness [a just cause];
·listen [pay attention] to my cry for help.
·Pay attention [Bend your ear] to my prayer,
because ·I speak the truth [L my lips are not deceitful].
2 ·You will judge that I am right [L My judgment/vindication will come from before you];
your eyes can see what is ·true [virtuous].
3 You have examined my heart;
you have ·tested me all [or visited me at] night.
You ·questioned [tested] me without finding anything wrong;
·I have not sinned with my mouth [L my mouth has not transgressed].
4 ·I have obeyed your commands [L As for the deeds of people, by the word of your lips],
·so I have not done what evil people do [I have kept away from the ways of the violent].
5 ·I have done what you told me [L My steps have held fast to your paths];
·I have not failed [L My feet have not slipped].
6 I call to you,
·and [L for] you answer me, O God.
·Listen [L Extend your ear] to me now,
and hear what I say.
7 Your ·love [loyalty; covenant love] is wonderful.
·By your power [L At your right hand] you save those who ·trust [find their refuge in] you
from ·their enemies [those who rise up against them].
8 Protect me as ·you would protect your own [or the apple/L pupil of your] eye.
Hide me under the shadow of your wings.
9 Keep me from the wicked who ·attack [mistreat] me,
from my enemies who surround me.
10 They ·are selfish [close their callous hearts]
and ·brag about themselves [L their mouths speak proudly].
11 They have ·chased [tracked] me until they have surrounded me.
They ·plan [L set their eyes] to throw me to the ground.
12 They are like lions ready to ·kill [tear up prey];
like lions, they sit in ·hiding [ambush; cover].
13 Lord, rise up, ·face [confront] the enemy, and ·throw them down [subdue them].
·Save [Rescue; T Deliver] me from the wicked with your sword.
14 Lord, save me by your ·power [L hand] from mortals,
from mortals whose ·reward [portion] in the world is in this life.
·They have plenty of food [L Your stores have filled their bellies].
·They have many sons [or Their sons have plenty]
and leave ·much money [L their surplus] to their children.
15 ·Because I have lived right [In righteousness], I will see your face.
When I wake up, I will see your likeness and be satisfied.
David Counts the Israelites(A)
21 ·Satan was against [or An adversary opposed] Israel, and he ·caused [incited] David to ·count [take a census of; C doing so implied trust in themselves rather than in God] the people of Israel. 2 So David said to Joab and the commanders of the troops, “Go and ·count [take a census of] all the Israelites from Beersheba to Dan [C the whole expanse of Israel from south to north]. Then tell me so I will know how many there are.”
3 But Joab said, “May the Lord give the ·nation [or army] a hundred times more people. My ·master [lord] the king, ·all the Israelites are [L are they not all…?] your servants. Why do you want to do this, my master? ·You will make Israel guilty of sin [Why should you bring guilt/judgment to Israel?].”
4 But the ·king commanded [king’s word/edict prevailed despite] Joab, so Joab left and went through all Israel. Then he returned to Jerusalem. 5 Joab gave the ·list [number] of the ·people [soldiers; warriors] to David. There were one million one hundred thousand men in all of Israel who could use the sword, and there were four hundred seventy thousand men in Judah who could use the sword. 6 But Joab did not count the tribes of Levi and Benjamin, because he ·didn’t like [was repulsed/disgusted/distressed by] King David’s order. 7 David had done something ·God had said was wrong [that displeased/offended God], so God ·punished [attacked; struck] Israel [C taking a census of the army indicated confidence in military strength].
8 Then David said to God, “I have sinned greatly by what I have done! Now, I beg you to ·forgive me, [take away the guilt/iniquity of] your servant, because I have been very foolish.”
9 The Lord said to Gad, who was David’s ·seer [prophet], 10 “Go and tell David, ‘·This is what the Lord says [T Thus says the Lord]: I offer you three ·choices [L things]. Choose one of them and I will ·do it [inflict it on you].’”
11 So Gad went to David and said to him, “·This is what the Lord says [T Thus says the Lord]: ‘·Choose for yourself [Take your choice:] 12 three years of ·hunger [famine]. Or choose three months of ·running from [being swept away by] your enemies as they ·chase [overtake] you with their swords. Or choose three days of ·punishment from [L the sword of] the Lord, in which a ·terrible disease [plague; pestilence] will spread through the ·country [land]. The angel of the Lord will go through Israel ·destroying [ravaging] the people.’ Now, David, decide ·which of these things [what answer] I should ·tell [give] the Lord who sent me.”
13 David said to Gad, “I am in ·great trouble [deep distress; a desperate situation]. Let ·the Lord punish me [L me fall into the hand of the Lord], because the Lord is very merciful. Don’t let ·my punishment come from [L me fall into the hand of] human beings.”
14 So the Lord sent a ·terrible disease [plague; pestilence] on Israel, and seventy thousand people died. 15 God sent an angel to destroy Jerusalem, but when the angel ·started [was about/preparing] to destroy it, the Lord saw it and ·felt very sorry about the terrible things that had happened [L relented regarding the disaster/calamity]. So he said to the angel who was destroying, “That is enough! ·Put down your arm [L Withhold your hand]!” The angel of the Lord was then standing at the threshing floor of ·Araunah [or Ornan; or Aravna; 2 Sam. 24:16] the Jebusite.
16 David looked up and saw the angel of the Lord ·in the sky [L standing between earth and heaven], with his drawn sword in this hand ·pointing toward [extended over] Jerusalem. Then David and the ·elders [leaders] bowed facedown on the ground. They were wearing ·rough cloth [sackcloth; burlap; C a sign of grief or repentance]. 17 David said to God, “·I am [L Am not I…?] the one who sinned and did wrong. I gave the order for the ·people to be counted [census]. ·These people only followed me like sheep. They did nothing wrong. [L These sheep—what have they done?] Lord my God, please ·punish [L let your hand fall on] me and my ·family [L father’s house], but ·stop the terrible disease that is killing [lift the plague from] your people.”
Jesus Is Our Helper
2 My ·dear children [L little children; C a term of endearment], I write ·this letter [L these things] to you so you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have a ·helper [counselor; advocate; Rom. 8:34] in the presence of the Father—Jesus Christ, ·the One who does what is right [or the Righteous One]. 2 He ·died in our place to take away [is the atoning sacrifice/T propitiation for] our sins [C his death pays the penalty and removes God’s anger from us; 4:10; Rom. 3:25; Heb. 2:17], and not only our sins but the sins of ·all people [L the whole world].
3 We ·can be sure [know] that we know ·God [L him] if we ·obey [keep] his commands. 4 Anyone who says, “I know ·God [L him],” but does not ·obey [keep] ·God’s [L his] commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person. 5 But if someone ·obeys [keeps] ·God’s teaching [L his word], then in that person ·God’s love [or love for God] has ·truly reached its goal [been fulfilled/perfected/completed]. This is how we can be sure we are ·living in God [L in him]: 6 Whoever says that he ·lives [abides; remains] in God must ·live [L walk] as ·Jesus lived [L he walked].
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