Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
77 1 The Prophet in the Name of the Church rehearseth the greatness of his affliction, and his grievous temptations, 6 Whereby he was driven to this end to consider his former conversation, 11 and the continual course of God’s works in the preservation of his servants, and so he confirmeth his faith against these temptations.
For the excellent Musician (A)Jeduthun. A Psalm committed to Asaph.
1 My [a]voice came to God, when I cried: my voice came to God; and he heard me.
2 In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord: [b]my sore ran and ceased not in the night: my soul refused comfort.
11 I remembered the works of the Lord: certainly I remembered thy wonders of old.
12 I did also meditate all thy works, and did devise of thine acts, saying,
13 Thy way, O God, is [a]in the Sanctuary: who is so great a [b]God, as our God!
14 Thou art the God that doest wonders; thou hast declared thy power among the people.
15 Thou hast redeemed thy people with thine arm, even the sons of Jacob and Joseph. Selah.
16 The [c]waters saw thee, O God: the waters saw thee, and were afraid: yea, the depths trembled.
17 The clouds poured out water: the heavens gave a [d]sound: yea, thine arrows went abroad.
18 The voice of thy thunder was round about; the lightnings lightened the world: the earth trembled and shook.
19 Thy way is in the sea, and thy paths in the great waters, and thy footsteps are not [e]known.
20 Thou didst lead thy people like sheep by the hand of Moses and Aaron.
The Second Book of the Kings
1 2 Ahaziah by a fall falleth sick, and consulteth with Baal-Zebub. 3 He is reproved by Elijah. 10 The captains over fifty were sent to Elijah, whereof two were burnt with fire from heaven by his prayer. 17 Ahaziah dieth, and Jehoram his brother succeedeth him.
1 Then Moab rebelled against Israel after the death of Ahab:
2 And [a]Ahaziah fell through the lattice window in his upper chamber which was in Samaria: so he was sick: then he sent messengers, to whom he said, Go, and inquire of [b]Baal-Zebub the god of Ekron, if I shall recover of this my disease.
3 Then the Angel of the Lord said to Elijah the Tishbite, Arise, and go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and say unto them, [c]Is it not because there is no God in Israel, that ye go to inquire of Baal-Zebub the god of Ekron?
4 Wherefore thus saith the Lord, Thou shalt not come down from the bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt die the death. So Elijah departed.
5 And the messengers returned unto him, to whom he said, Why are ye now returned?
6 And they answered him, There came a man and met us, and said unto us, Go, and return unto the king which sent you, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord, [d]Is it not because there is no God in Israel, that thou sendest to inquire of Baal-Zebub the God of Ekron? Therefore thou shalt not come down from the bed, on which thou art gone up, but shalt die the death.
7 And he said unto them, What manner of man was he which came and met you, and told you these words?
8 And they said unto him, He was an [e]hairy man, and girded with a girdle of leather about his loins. Then said he, It is Elijah the Tishbite.
9 Therefore the King sent unto him a captain over fifty with his fifty men, who went up unto him: for behold, he sat on the top [f]of a mountain, and he said unto him, O man of God, the king hath commanded that thou come down.
10 But Elijah answered, and said to the captain over the fifty, If that I be a man of God, let fire come down from the heaven, and devour thee and thy fifty. [g]So fire came down from the heaven and devoured him and his fifty.
11 Again also he sent unto him another captain over fifty with his fifty. Who spake, and said unto him, [h]O man of God, thus the King commandeth, Come down quickly.
12 But Elijah answered, and said unto them, [i]If I be a man of God, let fire come down from the heaven and devour thee and thy fifty. So fire came down from the heaven, and devoured him and his fifty.
8 [a]But even then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them, which by nature are not gods:
9 But now seeing ye know God, yea, rather are known of God, how turn ye again unto impotent and [b]beggarly rudiments, whereunto as from the beginning ye will be in bondage [c]again?
10 Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years.
11 I am in fear of you, lest I have bestowed on you labor in vain.
12 [d]Be ye as I (for I am even as you) brethren, I beseech you: ye have not hurt me at all.
13 And ye know, how through [e]infirmity of the flesh, I preached the Gospel unto you at the first.
14 And the [f]trial of me which was in my flesh, ye despised not, neither abhorred: but ye received me as an Angel of God, yea, as [g]Christ Jesus.
15 [h]What was then your felicity? for I bear you record, that if it had been possible, ye would have plucked out your own eyes, and have given them unto me.
16 Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?
17 They are jealous over you [i]amiss: yea, they would exclude you, [j]that ye should altogether love them.
18 But it is a good thing to love [k]earnestly always in a good thing, and not only when I am present with you,
19 My little children, of whom I travail in birth again, until Christ be formed in you.
20 And I would I were with you now, that I might [l]change my voice: for I am in doubt of you.
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