Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Prayer for Rescue from Enemies.
For the music director; set to [a]Al-tashheth. A [b]Mikhtam of David, [c]when Saul sent men and they watched the house in order to kill him.
59 (A)Rescue me from my enemies, my God;
[d](B)Set me securely on high away from those who rise up against me.
2 Rescue me from (C)those who practice injustice,
And save me from (D)men of bloodshed.
3 For behold, they (E)have [e]set an ambush for my [f]life;
[g]Fierce men (F)attack me,
(G)Not for my wrongdoing nor for my sin, Lord,
4 [h](H)For no guilt of mine, they run and take their stand against me.
(I)Stir Yourself to [i]help me, and see!
5 You, (J)Lord God of armies, the God of Israel,
Awake to [j](K)punish all the nations;
(L)Do not be gracious to any who deal treacherously in wrongdoing. Selah
6 They (M)return at evening, they howl like a (N)dog,
And prowl around the city.
7 Behold, they (O)gush forth with their mouths;
(P)Swords are in their lips,
For, they say, “(Q)Who hears?”
8 But You, Lord, (R)laugh at them;
You (S)scoff at all the nations.
9 Because of [k]his (T)strength I will watch for You,
For God is my (U)refuge.
10 [l]My God (V)in His faithfulness will meet me;
God will let me (W)look triumphantly upon my enemies.
11 Do not kill them, (X)or my people will forget;
[m](Y)Scatter them by Your power and bring them down,
Lord, (Z)our shield.
12 [n]On account of the (AA)sin of their mouths and the words of their lips,
May they even be (AB)caught in their pride,
And on account of (AC)curses and lies which they tell.
13 [o](AD)Destroy them in wrath, [p]destroy them so that they will no longer exist;
So that people may (AE)know that God [q]rules in Jacob,
To the ends of the earth. Selah
14 They (AF)return at evening, they howl like a dog,
And prowl around the city.
15 They (AG)wander about [r]for food
And [s]murmur if they are not satisfied.
16 But as for me, I will (AH)sing of Your strength;
Yes, I will (AI)joyfully sing of Your faithfulness in the (AJ)morning,
For You have been my (AK)refuge
And a (AL)place of refuge on the day of my distress.
17 (AM)My strength, I will sing praises to You;
For God is my (AN)refuge, the [t]God who shows me favor.
Jehu Assassinates Jehoram (Joram)
14 So Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi conspired against Joram. (A)Now Joram [a]with all Israel was [b]defending Ramoth-gilead against Hazael king of Aram, 15 but (B)King [c]Joram had returned to Jezreel to have himself healed of the wounds which the Arameans had [d]inflicted on him when he fought Hazael king of Aram. So Jehu said to the other men, “If this is your [e]intent, then let no [f]one escape from the city to go tell about it in Jezreel.” 16 Then Jehu rode in a chariot and went to Jezreel, since Joram was lying there recovering. (C)And Ahaziah the king of Judah had come down to see Joram.
17 Now the watchman was standing on the tower in Jezreel and he saw the [g]company of Jehu as he came, and he said, “I see a [h]company.” And [i]Joram said, “Take a horseman and send him to meet them and have him [j]ask, ‘Is your intention peace?’” 18 So a horseman went to meet him and said, “This is what the king says: ‘Is your intention peace?’” But Jehu said, “[k](D)How is peace any business of yours? Turn and follow me.” And the watchman [l]reported, “The messenger came to them, but he did not return.” 19 Then he sent a second horseman, and he came to them and said, “This is what the king says: ‘Is your intention peace?’” And Jehu [m]answered, “[n]How is peace any business of yours? Turn and follow me.” 20 And the watchman [o]reported, “He came up to them, but he did not return; and (E)the [p]driving is like the driving of (F)Jehu the son of Nimshi, for he drives furiously.”
21 Then [q]Joram said, “[r]Get ready.” And they [s]made his chariot ready. (G)Then [t]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 on the [u](H)property of Naboth the Jezreelite. 22 When [v]Joram saw Jehu, he said, “Is your intention peace, Jehu?” And he [w]answered, “What ‘peace,’ (I)so long as your mother Jezebel’s acts of prostitution and witchcraft are so many?” 23 So [x]Joram [y]turned back and fled, and he said to Ahaziah, “(J)There is treachery, Ahaziah!” 24 Then (K)Jehu [z]drew his bow with his full strength and [aa]shot [ab]Joram between his arms; and the arrow went [ac]through his heart, and he sank in his chariot. 25 And Jehu said to Bidkar his officer, “Pick him up and (L)throw him on the [ad]property of the field of Naboth the Jezreelite; for remember, when [ae]you and I were riding together after his father Ahab, that the (M)Lord brought this (N)pronouncement against him: 26 ‘(O)I have certainly seen yesterday the blood of Naboth and the blood of his sons,’ declares the Lord, ‘and (P)I will repay you on this [af]property,’ declares the Lord. Now then, pick him up and throw him on the [ag]property, in accordance with the word of the Lord.”
11 Therefore remember that (A)previously (B)you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called “(C)Uncircumcision” by the so-called “(D)Circumcision” which is performed in the flesh by human hands— 12 remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, [a](E)excluded from [b]the people of Israel, and strangers to (F)the covenants of the promise, having (G)no hope and (H)without God in the world. 13 But now in (I)Christ Jesus you who (J)previously were (K)far away [c]have (L)been brought near [d](M)by the blood of Christ. 14 For He Himself is (N)our peace, (O)who made both groups into one and broke down the [e]barrier of the dividing wall, 15 [f]by (P)abolishing [g]in His flesh the hostility, which is (Q)the Law composed of commandments expressed in ordinances, so that in Himself He might [h](R)make the two (S)one new person, in this way establishing (T)peace; 16 and that He might (U)reconcile them both in (V)one body to God through the cross, [i]by it having (W)put to death the hostility. 17 And (X)He came and preached (Y)peace to you who were (Z)far away, and peace to those who were (AA)near; 18 for through Him we both have (AB)our access in (AC)one Spirit to (AD)the Father. 19 So then you are no longer (AE)strangers and foreigners, but you are (AF)fellow citizens with the [j]saints, and are of (AG)God’s household, 20 having been (AH)built on (AI)the foundation of (AJ)the apostles and prophets, (AK)Christ Jesus Himself being the (AL)cornerstone, 21 (AM)in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into (AN)a holy [k]temple in the Lord, 22 in whom you also are being (AO)built together into a (AP)dwelling of God in the Spirit.
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