Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

This is a song that David wrote for the music leader.

We trust God to help us^[a]

⁵ One night in Gibeon, the Lord showed himself to Solomon in a dream. God said, ‘Ask me to give you whatever you want.’

⁶ Solomon answered, ‘You always showed your faithful love to your servant, my father David. He served you faithfully as a good, honest man. You have continued to show your faithful love to him even now. You have given him a son to rule as king on his throne. ⁷ Lord my God, I am only a young man. I have not learned how to rule well. But you have now made me become king, as my father David was king.^{[a] 8} I am here as your servant to lead the people that you have chosen for yourself. It is a great nation and it has too many people to count. ⁹ So please give me a wise mind that understands things well. Then I will be able to rule your people properly. I will know the difference between right things and wrong things. I will only be able to rule this great nation of your people if you do that for me.’

¹⁰ The Lord God was pleased that Solomon had asked for this. ^11-12 So God said to him, ‘You have not asked me to give you a long life, or to make you very rich. You have not asked me to punish your enemies with death. Instead you have asked for a wise mind so that you can rule well. Because of that, I will give you what you have asked for. Yes, I now give to you a wise mind that understands things well. You will be wiser than anyone who has already lived and wiser than anyone who will live after you.

¹³ I will give you even more than this. I will make you rich and famous, even though you did not ask for that. As long as you live, there will be no other king who is greater than you. ¹⁴ And if you serve me faithfully, I will also give you a long life. But you must obey my rules and my commands, as your father David did.’

Jesus is the light of the world

¹² Jesus spoke to the people again. He said, ‘I am the light of the world.^[a] Those people who become my disciples will never walk in the dark. No, they will have the light that gives life.’

¹³ The Pharisees began to argue with him. They said, ‘You are saying things about yourself. But there is nobody else to agree that these things are true.’

¹⁴ Jesus answered, ‘What I say is true. Even if I do speak about myself, my words are true. I know where I have come from. I also know where I will go. As for you, you do not know where I came from. You do not know where I will go. ¹⁵ You judge in the way that people think. I do not judge anyone. ¹⁶ But if I did judge anyone, I would decide correctly what is right. That is because I am not alone. The Father has sent me, and he is with me. ¹⁷ Your own Law says, “There must be two people to agree that something is true.”^{[b] 18} I speak what is true about myself. The Father, who sent me, also speaks what is true about me.’

¹⁹ Then they asked him, ‘So where is your Father?’ Jesus answered, ‘You do not know either me or my Father. If you really knew me, you would also know my Father.’