Friday 13 July 2007 DAILY LECTIONARY

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Friday 13 July 2007 
DAILY LECTIONARY

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1 Samuel 17:17-30

Jesse said to his son David, 'Take for your brothers an ephah of this
parched grain and these ten loaves, and carry them quickly to the camp
to your brothers; also take these ten cheeses to the commander of their
thousand. See how your brothers fare, and bring some token from them.' 
Now Saul, and they, and all the men of Israel, were in the valley of
Elah, fighting with the Philistines. David rose early in the morning,
left someone in charge of the sheep, took the provisions, and went as
Jesse had commanded him. He came to the encampment as the army was going
forth to the battle line, shouting the war cry. Israel and the
Philistines drew up for battle, army against army. David left the things
in charge of the keeper of the baggage, ran to the ranks, and went and
greeted his brothers. As he talked with them, the champion, the
Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, came up out of the ranks of the
Philistines, and spoke the same words as before. And David heard him. 
All the Israelites, when they saw the man, fled from him and were very
much afraid. The Israelites said, 'Have you seen this man who has come
up? Surely he has come up to defy Israel. The king will greatly enrich
the man who kills him, and will give him his daughter and make his
family free in Israel.' David said to the men who stood by him, 'What
shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine, and takes away the
reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he
should defy the armies of the living God?' The people answered him in
the same way, 'So shall it be done for the man who kills him.' 
His eldest brother Eliab heard him talking to the men; and Eliab's anger
was kindled against David. He said, 'Why have you come down? With whom
have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your presumption
and the evil of your heart; for you have come down just to see the
battle.' David said, 'What have I done now? It was only a question.' He
turned away from him towards another and spoke in the same way; and the
people answered him again as before.
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Acts 10:34-48

Then Peter began to speak to them: 'I truly understand that God shows no
partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is
right is acceptable to him. You know the message he sent to the people
of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ-he is Lord of all. That
message spread throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism
that John announced: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy
Spirit and with power; how he went about doing good and healing all who
were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. We are witnesses to
all that he did both in Judea and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by
hanging him on a tree; but God raised him on the third day and allowed
him to appear, not to all the people but to us who were chosen by God as
witnesses, and who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.
He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the
one ordained by God as judge of the living and the dead. All the
prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives
forgiveness of sins through his name.' 
While Peter was still speaking, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who heard
the word. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were
astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on
the Gentiles, for they heard them speaking in tongues and extolling God.
Then Peter said, 'Can anyone withhold the water for baptizing these
people who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?' So he ordered
them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they invited him
to stay for several days.
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Mark 1:1-13

The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. 
As it is written in the prophet Isaiah,
'See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you,
   who will prepare your way; 
the voice of one crying out in the wilderness:
   "Prepare the way of the Lord,
   make his paths straight" ', 
John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of
repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And people from the whole Judean
countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and
were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Now
John was clothed with camel's hair, with a leather belt around his
waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. He proclaimed, 'The one who is
more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down
and untie the thong of his sandals. I have baptized you with water; but
he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.' 
In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by
John in the Jordan. And just as he was coming up out of the water, he
saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him.
And a voice came from heaven, 'You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I
am well pleased.' 
And the Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. He was in
the wilderness for forty days, tempted by Satan; and he was with the
wild beasts; and the angels waited on him.
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Morning Psalms:  Psalm 16, 17

Psalm 16

Protect me, O God, for in you I take refuge. 
I say to the Lord, 'You are my Lord;
   I have no good apart from you.'


As for the holy ones in the land, they are the noble,
   in whom is all my delight. 


Those who choose another god multiply their sorrows;
   their drink-offerings of blood I will not pour out
   or take their names upon my lips. 


The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup;
   you hold my lot. 
The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
   I have a goodly heritage. 


I bless the Lord who gives me counsel;
   in the night also my heart instructs me. 
I keep the Lord always before me;
   because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. 


Therefore my heart is glad, and my soul rejoices;
   my body also rests secure. 
For you do not give me up to Sheol,
   or let your faithful one see the Pit. 


You show me the path of life.
   In your presence there is fullness of joy;
   in your right hand are pleasures for evermore.



Psalm 17

Hear a just cause, O Lord; attend to my cry;
   give ear to my prayer from lips free of deceit. 
>From you let my vindication come;
   let your eyes see the right. 


If you try my heart, if you visit me by night,
   if you test me, you will find no wickedness in me;
   my mouth does not transgress. 
As for what others do, by the word of your lips
   I have avoided the ways of the violent. 
My steps have held fast to your paths;
   my feet have not slipped. 


I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God;
   incline your ear to me, hear my words. 
Wondrously show your steadfast love,
   O saviour of those who seek refuge
   from their adversaries at your right hand. 


Guard me as the apple of the eye;
   hide me in the shadow of your wings, 
from the wicked who despoil me,
   my deadly enemies who surround me. 
They close their hearts to pity;
   with their mouths they speak arrogantly. 
They track me down; now they surround me;
   they set their eyes to cast me to the ground. 
They are like a lion eager to tear,
   like a young lion lurking in ambush. 


Rise up, O Lord, confront them, overthrow them!
   By your sword deliver my life from the wicked, 
from mortals-by your hand, O Lord-
   from mortals whose portion in life is in this world.
May their bellies be filled with what you have stored up for them;
   may their children have more than enough;
   may they leave something over to their little ones. 


As for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness;
   when I awake I shall be satisfied, beholding your likeness.
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Evening Psalms: Psalm 22

Psalm 22

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
   Why are you so far from helping me, from the words of my groaning? 
O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer;
   and by night, but find no rest. 


Yet you are holy,
   enthroned on the praises of Israel. 
In you our ancestors trusted;
   they trusted, and you delivered them. 
To you they cried, and were saved;
   in you they trusted, and were not put to shame. 


But I am a worm, and not human;
   scorned by others, and despised by the people. 
All who see me mock at me;
   they make mouths at me, they shake their heads; 
'Commit your cause to the Lord; let him deliver-
   let him rescue the one in whom he delights!' 


Yet it was you who took me from the womb;
   you kept me safe on my mother's breast. 
On you I was cast from my birth,
   and since my mother bore me you have been my God. 
Do not be far from me,
   for trouble is near
   and there is no one to help. 


Many bulls encircle me,
   strong bulls of Bashan surround me; 
they open wide their mouths at me,
   like a ravening and roaring lion. 


I am poured out like water,
   and all my bones are out of joint;
my heart is like wax;
   it is melted within my breast; 
my mouth is dried up like a potsherd,
   and my tongue sticks to my jaws;
   you lay me in the dust of death. 


For dogs are all around me;
   a company of evildoers encircles me.
My hands and feet have shrivelled; 
I can count all my bones.
They stare and gloat over me; 
they divide my clothes among themselves,
   and for my clothing they cast lots. 


But you, O Lord, do not be far away!
   O my help, come quickly to my aid! 
Deliver my soul from the sword,
   my life from the power of the dog! 
   Save me from the mouth of the lion! 


>From the horns of the wild oxen you have rescued me. 
I will tell of your name to my brothers and sisters;
   in the midst of the congregation I will praise you: 
You who fear the Lord, praise him!
   All you offspring of Jacob, glorify him;
   stand in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel! 
For he did not despise or abhor
   the affliction of the afflicted;
he did not hide his face from me,
   but heard when I cried to him. 


>From you comes my praise in the great congregation;
   my vows I will pay before those who fear him. 
The poor shall eat and be satisfied;
   those who seek him shall praise the Lord.
   May your hearts live for ever! 


All the ends of the earth shall remember
   and turn to the Lord;
and all the families of the nations
   shall worship before him. 
For dominion belongs to the Lord,
   and he rules over the nations. 


To him, indeed, shall all who sleep in the earth bow down;
   before him shall bow all who go down to the dust,
   and I shall live for him. 
Posterity will serve him;
   future generations will be told about the Lord, 
and proclaim his deliverance to a people yet unborn,
   saying that he has done it.
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