Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
To the Overcomer upon, Do not destroy, Michtam of David; when Saul sent, and they watched the house to kill him.
1 ¶ Deliver me from my enemies, O my God; defend me from those that rise up against me.
2 Deliver me from the workers of iniquity and save me from bloodthirsty men.
3 For, behold, they lie in wait for my soul; the strong are gathered against me; I am not in rebellion, nor in sin, O LORD.
4 They run and prepare themselves when I have committed no iniquity; awake to help me and behold.
5 Thou, therefore, O LORD God of the hosts, the God of Israel, awake to visit all the Gentiles; be not merciful to any rebellious workers of iniquity. Selah.
6 They will return at evening; they will bark like dogs and go round about outside the city.
7 Behold, they belch out with their mouth; swords are in their lips; for who, say they, doth hear?
8 ¶ But thou, O LORD, shalt laugh at them; thou shalt have all the Gentiles in derision.
9 I will reserve his strength unto thee, for God is my defence.
10 The God of my mercy shall meet me on the way; God shall let me see my desire upon my enemies.
11 Slay them not lest my people forget; scatter them by thy power and bring them down, O Lord our shield.
12 For the sin of their mouth and the words of their lips, let them even be taken in their pride; they shall be subject to weakness and to a curse.
13 Consume them in wrath, consume them that they may not be and let them know that God rules in Jacob unto the ends of the earth. Selah.
14 And at evening let them return and let them bark like dogs and go round about outside the city.
15 Let them wander up and down for food and murmur if they are not satisfied.
16 But I will sing of thy power; I will sing aloud of thy mercy in the morning, for thou hast been my defence and refuge in the day of my trouble.
17 Unto thee, O my strength, will I sing, for God is my defence and the God of my mercy.
14 So Jehu, the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi, conspired against Joram. (Now Joram was keeping Ramothgilead, with all Israel, because of Hazael, king of Syria.
15 But King Joram was returned to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds which the Syrians had given him, when he fought with Hazael, king of Syria.) And Jehu said, If it is your desire, then do not let anyone go forth nor escape out of the city to tell the news in Jezreel.
16 ¶ So Jehu rode and went to Jezreel, for Joram lay there. And Ahaziah, king of Judah, was come down to see Joram.
17 And the watchman, who stood in the tower of Jezreel, spied the company of Jehu as he came and said, I see a company. And Joram said, Take a horseman and send to meet them and let him say unto them, Is there peace?
18 So one on horseback went to meet him and said, Thus saith the king, Is there peace? And Jehu said, What hast thou to do with peace? Turn behind me. And the watchman gave notice, saying, The messenger came to them, but he does not return.
19 Then he sent out another on horseback, who came to them, and said, Thus saith the king, Is there peace? And Jehu answered, What hast thou to do with peace? Turn behind me.
20 And the watchman gave notice again, saying, He also came unto them and does not return, and the pace of him who is coming is like the pace of Jehu, the son of Nimshi, for he comes impetuously.
21 And Joram said, Make ready. And his chariot was made ready. And Joram, king of Israel, and Ahaziah, king of Judah, went out, each in his chariot, and they went out to meet Jehu and found him in the portion of Naboth of Jezreel.
22 And when Joram saw Jehu, he said, Is there peace, Jehu? And he answered, What peace, so long as the fornications of thy mother Jezebel and her witchcrafts are so many?
23 Then Joram turned his hands and fled and said to Ahaziah, There is treachery, O Ahaziah.
24 But Jehu drew his bow with his full strength and smote Jehoram between his arms, and the arrow went out at his heart, and he sunk down in his chariot.
25 Then said Jehu to Bidkar, his captain, Take him and cast him in the edge of the portion of the field of Naboth of Jezreel. Remember that when thou and I went together after Ahab, his father, the LORD pronounced this sentence upon him, saying,
26 Surely I have seen yesterday the blood of Naboth and the blood of his sons, said the LORD, and I will requite thee in this portion, said the LORD. Now, therefore, take and cast him into the portion, according to the word of the LORD.
11 ¶ Therefore remember that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who were called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh, which is made by hands,
12 that at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world,
13 but now in Christ Jesus ye who at another time were far off are made near by the blood of the Christ.
14 ¶ For he is our peace, who of both has made one, breaking down the middle wall of separation,
15 abolishing in his flesh the enmity, which was the law of commandments in the order of rites, to edify in himself the two in one new man, making peace,
16 and to reconcile both with God by the cross {Gr. stauros – stake} in one body, having slain the enmity thereby;
17 and he came and preached peace unto you who were afar off and to those that were near.
18 For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.
19 Now therefore ye are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints and of the household of God,
20 and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone,
21 in whom all the building fitly framed together grows unto a holy temple in the Lord,
22 in whom ye also are being built together for the habitation of God in the Spirit.
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