Saturday 29 December 2007 DAILY LECTIONARY

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Saturday 29 December 2007 
DAILY LECTIONARY

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2 Samuel 23:13-17b

Towards the beginning of harvest three of the thirty* chiefs went down
to join David at the cave of Adullam, while a band of Philistines was
encamped in the valley of Rephaim. 14David was then in the stronghold;
and the garrison of the Philistines was then at Bethlehem. 15David said
longingly, 'O that someone would give me water to drink from the well of
Bethlehem that is by the gate!' 16Then the three warriors broke through
the camp of the Philistines, drew water from the well of Bethlehem that
was by the gate, and brought it to David. But he would not drink of it;
he poured it out to the Lord, 17for he said, 'The Lord forbid that I
should do this. Can I drink the blood of the men who went at the risk of
their lives?' Therefore he would not drink it. The three warriors did
these things. 
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2 John 1:1-13

The elder to the elect lady and her children, whom I love in the truth,
and not only I but also all who know the truth, 2because of the truth
that abides in us and will be with us for ever: 
3 Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us from God the Father and from*
Jesus Christ, the Father's Son, in truth and love. 
Truth and Love4 I was overjoyed to find some of your children walking in
the truth, just as we have been commanded by the Father. 5But now, dear
lady, I ask you, not as though I were writing you a new commandment, but
one we have had from the beginning, let us love one another. 6And this
is love, that we walk according to his commandments; this is the
commandment just as you have heard it from the beginning-you must walk
in it. 
7 Many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess
that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh; any such person is the deceiver
and the antichrist! 8Be on your guard, so that you do not lose what we*
have worked for, but may receive a full reward. 9Everyone who does not
abide in the teaching of Christ, but goes beyond it, does not have God;
whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. 10Do not
receive into the house or welcome anyone who comes to you and does not
bring this teaching; 11for to welcome is to participate in the evil
deeds of such a person. 
Final Greetings12 Although I have much to write to you, I would rather
not use paper and ink; instead I hope to come to you and talk with you
face to face, so that our joy may be complete. 
13 The children of your elect sister send you their greetings.*
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John 2:1-11

On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother
of Jesus was there. 2Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to
the wedding. 3When the wine gave out, the mother of Jesus said to him,
'They have no wine.' 4And Jesus said to her, 'Woman, what concern is
that to you and to me? My hour has not yet come.' 5His mother said to
the servants, 'Do whatever he tells you.' 6Now standing there were six
stone water-jars for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding
twenty or thirty gallons. 7Jesus said to them, 'Fill the jars with
water.' And they filled them up to the brim. 8He said to them, 'Now draw
some out, and take it to the chief steward.' So they took it. 9When the
steward tasted the water that had become wine, and did not know where it
came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the
steward called the bridegroom 10and said to him, 'Everyone serves the
good wine first, and then the inferior wine after the guests have become
drunk. But you have kept the good wine until now.' 11Jesus did this, the
first of his signs, in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory; and his
disciples believed in him.
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Morning Psalms:  Psalm 18:1-20

Psalm 18:1-20

I love you, O Lord, my strength. 
2The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer,
   my God, my rock in whom I take refuge,
   my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. 
3I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised;
   so I shall be saved from my enemies. 


4The cords of death encompassed me;
   the torrents of perdition assailed me; 
5the cords of Sheol entangled me;
   the snares of death confronted me. 


6In my distress I called upon the Lord;
   to my God I cried for help.
>From his temple he heard my voice,
   and my cry to him reached his ears. 


7Then the earth reeled and rocked;
   the foundations also of the mountains trembled
   and quaked, because he was angry. 
8Smoke went up from his nostrils,
   and devouring fire from his mouth;
   glowing coals flamed forth from him. 
9He bowed the heavens, and came down;
   thick darkness was under his feet. 
10He rode on a cherub, and flew;
   he came swiftly upon the wings of the wind. 
11He made darkness his covering around him,
   his canopy thick clouds dark with water. 
12Out of the brightness before him
   there broke through his clouds
   hailstones and coals of fire. 
13The Lord also thundered in the heavens,
   and the Most High uttered his voice.* 
14And he sent out his arrows, and scattered them;
   he flashed forth lightnings, and routed them. 
15Then the channels of the sea were seen,
   and the foundations of the world were laid bare
at your rebuke, O Lord,
   at the blast of the breath of your nostrils. 


16He reached down from on high, he took me;
   he drew me out of mighty waters. 
17He delivered me from my strong enemy,
   and from those who hated me;
   for they were too mighty for me. 
18They confronted me in the day of my calamity;
   but the Lord was my support. 
19He brought me out into a broad place;
   he delivered me, because he delighted in me. 


20The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness;
   according to the cleanness of my hands he recompensed me.
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Evening Psalms:  Psalm 18:21-50

Psalm 18:21-50

For I have kept the ways of the Lord,
   and have not wickedly departed from my God. 
22For all his ordinances were before me,
   and his statutes I did not put away from me. 
23I was blameless before him,
   and I kept myself from guilt. 
24Therefore the Lord has recompensed me according to my righteousness,
   according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight. 


25With the loyal you show yourself loyal;
   with the blameless you show yourself blameless; 
26with the pure you show yourself pure;
   and with the crooked you show yourself perverse. 
27For you deliver a humble people,
   but the haughty eyes you bring down. 
28It is you who light my lamp;
   the Lord, my God, lights up my darkness. 
29By you I can crush a troop,
   and by my God I can leap over a wall. 
30This God-his way is perfect;
   the promise of the Lord proves true;
   he is a shield for all who take refuge in him. 


31For who is God except the Lord?
   And who is a rock besides our God?- 
32the God who girded me with strength,
   and made my way safe. 
33He made my feet like the feet of a deer,
   and set me secure on the heights. 
34He trains my hands for war,
   so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze. 
35You have given me the shield of your salvation,
   and your right hand has supported me;
   your help* has made me great. 
36You gave me a wide place for my steps under me,
   and my feet did not slip. 
37I pursued my enemies and overtook them;
   and did not turn back until they were consumed. 
38I struck them down, so that they were not able to rise;
   they fell under my feet. 
39For you girded me with strength for the battle;
   you made my assailants sink under me. 
40You made my enemies turn their backs to me,
   and those who hated me I destroyed. 
41They cried for help, but there was no one to save them;
   they cried to the Lord, but he did not answer them. 
42I beat them fine, like dust before the wind;
   I cast them out like the mire of the streets. 


43You delivered me from strife with the peoples;*
   you made me head of the nations;
   people whom I had not known served me. 
44As soon as they heard of me they obeyed me;
   foreigners came cringing to me. 
45Foreigners lost heart,
   and came trembling out of their strongholds. 


46The Lord lives! Blessed be my rock,
   and exalted be the God of my salvation, 
47the God who gave me vengeance
   and subdued peoples under me; 
48who delivered me from my enemies;
   indeed, you exalted me above my adversaries;
   you delivered me from the violent. 


49For this I will extol you, O Lord, among the nations,
   and sing praises to your name. 
50Great triumphs he gives to his king,
   and shows steadfast love to his anointed,
   to David and his descendants for ever.
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