Wednesday 18 July 2007 DAILY LECTIONARY

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Wednesday 18 July 2007 
DAILY LECTIONARY

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1 Samuel 20:1-23

David fled from Naioth in Ramah. He came before Jonathan and said, 'What
have I done? What is my guilt? And what is my sin against your father
that he is trying to take my life?' He said to him, 'Perish the thought!
You shall not die. My father does nothing either great or small without
disclosing it to me; and why should my father hide this from me? Never!'
But David also swore, 'Your father knows well that you like me; and he
thinks, "Do not let Jonathan know this, or he will be grieved." But
truly, as the Lord lives and as you yourself live, there is but a step
between me and death.' Then Jonathan said to David, 'Whatever you say, I
will do for you.' David said to Jonathan, 'Tomorrow is the new moon, and
I should not fail to sit with the king at the meal; but let me go, so
that I may hide in the field until the third evening. If your father
misses me at all, then say, "David earnestly asked leave of me to run to
Bethlehem his city; for there is a yearly sacrifice there for all the
family." If he says, "Good!" it will be well with your servant; but if
he is angry, then know that evil has been determined by him. Therefore
deal kindly with your servant, for you have brought your servant into a
sacred covenant with you. But if there is guilt in me, kill me yourself;
why should you bring me to your father?' Jonathan said, 'Far be it from
you! If I knew that it was decided by my father that evil should come
upon you, would I not tell you?' Then David said to Jonathan, 'Who will
tell me if your father answers you harshly?' Jonathan replied to David,
'Come, let us go out into the field.' So they both went out into the
field. 
Jonathan said to David, 'By the Lord, the God of Israel! When I have
sounded out my father, about this time tomorrow, or on the third day, if
he is well disposed towards David, shall I not then send and disclose it
to you? But if my father intends to do you harm, the Lord do so to
Jonathan, and more also, if I do not disclose it to you, and send you
away, so that you may go in safety. May the Lord be with you, as he has
been with my father. If I am still alive, show me the faithful love of
the Lord; but if I die, never cut off your faithful love from my house,
even if the Lord were to cut off every one of the enemies of David from
the face of the earth.' Thus Jonathan made a covenant with the house of
David, saying, 'May the Lord seek out the enemies of David.' Jonathan
made David swear again by his love for him; for he loved him as he loved
his own life. 
Jonathan said to him, 'Tomorrow is the new moon; you will be missed,
because your place will be empty. On the day after tomorrow, you shall
go a long way down; go to the place where you hid yourself earlier, and
remain beside the stone there. I will shoot three arrows to the side of
it, as though I shot at a mark. Then I will send the boy, saying, "Go,
find the arrows." If I say to the boy, "Look, the arrows are on this
side of you, collect them", then you are to come, for, as the Lord
lives, it is safe for you and there is no danger. But if I say to the
young man, "Look, the arrows are beyond you", then go; for the Lord has
sent you away. As for the matter about which you and I have spoken, the
Lord is witness between you and me for ever.'
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Acts 12:18-25

When morning came, there was no small commotion among the soldiers over
what had become of Peter. When Herod had searched for him and could not
find him, he examined the guards and ordered them to be put to death.
Then he went down from Judea to Caesarea and stayed there. 
Now Herod was angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon. So they came to
him in a body; and after winning over Blastus, the king's chamberlain,
they asked for a reconciliation, because their country depended on the
king's country for food. On an appointed day Herod put on his royal
robes, took his seat on the platform, and delivered a public address to
them. The people kept shouting, 'The voice of a god, and not of a
mortal!' And immediately, because he had not given the glory to God, an
angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died. 
But the word of God continued to advance and gain adherents. Then after
completing their mission Barnabas and Saul returned to Jerusalem and
brought with them John, whose other name was Mark. 
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Mark 2:13-22

Jesus went out again beside the lake; the whole crowd gathered around
him, and he taught them. As he was walking along, he saw Levi son of
Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, 'Follow me.' And
he got up and followed him. 
And as he sat at dinner in Levi's house, many tax-collectors and sinners
were also sitting with Jesus and his disciples-for there were many who
followed him. When the scribes of the Pharisees saw that he was eating
with sinners and tax-collectors, they said to his disciples, 'Why does
he eat with tax-collectors and sinners?' When Jesus heard this, he said
to them, 'Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who
are sick; I have come to call not the righteous but sinners.' 
Now John's disciples and the Pharisees were fasting; and people came and
said to him, 'Why do John's disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees
fast, but your disciples do not fast?' Jesus said to them, 'The
wedding-guests cannot fast while the bridegroom is with them, can they?
As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. The
days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then
they will fast on that day. 
'No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old cloak; otherwise, the
patch pulls away from it, the new from the old, and a worse tear is
made. And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise, the wine
will burst the skins, and the wine is lost, and so are the skins; but
one puts new wine into fresh wineskins.'
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Morning Psalms:  Psalm 38

Psalm 38

O Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger,
   or discipline me in your wrath. 
For your arrows have sunk into me,
   and your hand has come down on me. 


There is no soundness in my flesh
   because of your indignation;
there is no health in my bones
   because of my sin. 
For my iniquities have gone over my head;
   they weigh like a burden too heavy for me. 


My wounds grow foul and fester
   because of my foolishness; 
I am utterly bowed down and prostrate;
   all day long I go around mourning. 
For my loins are filled with burning,
   and there is no soundness in my flesh. 
I am utterly spent and crushed;
   I groan because of the tumult of my heart. 


O Lord, all my longing is known to you;
   my sighing is not hidden from you. 
My heart throbs, my strength fails me;
   as for the light of my eyes-it also has gone from me. 
My friends and companions stand aloof from my affliction,
   and my neighbours stand far off. 


Those who seek my life lay their snares;
   those who seek to hurt me speak of ruin,
   and meditate treachery all day long. 


But I am like the deaf, I do not hear;
   like the mute, who cannot speak. 
Truly, I am like one who does not hear,
   and in whose mouth is no retort. 


But it is for you, O Lord, that I wait;
   it is you, O Lord my God, who will answer. 
For I pray, 'Only do not let them rejoice over me,
   those who boast against me when my foot slips.' 


For I am ready to fall,
   and my pain is ever with me. 
I confess my iniquity;
   I am sorry for my sin. 
Those who are my foes without cause are mighty,
   and many are those who hate me wrongfully. 
Those who render me evil for good
   are my adversaries because I follow after good. 


Do not forsake me, O Lord;
   O my God, do not be far from me; 
make haste to help me,
   O Lord, my salvation.
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Evening Psalms: Psalm 119:25-48

Psalm 119:25-48

My soul clings to the dust;
   revive me according to your word. 
When I told of my ways, you answered me;
   teach me your statutes. 
Make me understand the way of your precepts,
   and I will meditate on your wondrous works. 
My soul melts away for sorrow;
   strengthen me according to your word. 
Put false ways far from me;
   and graciously teach me your law. 
I have chosen the way of faithfulness;
   I set your ordinances before me. 
I cling to your decrees, O Lord;
   let me not be put to shame. 
I run the way of your commandments,
   for you enlarge my understanding. 


Teach me, O Lord, the way of your statutes,
   and I will observe it to the end. 
Give me understanding, that I may keep your law
   and observe it with my whole heart. 
Lead me in the path of your commandments,
   for I delight in it. 
Turn my heart to your decrees,
   and not to selfish gain. 
Turn my eyes from looking at vanities;
   give me life in your ways. 
Confirm to your servant your promise,
   which is for those who fear you. 
Turn away the disgrace that I dread,
   for your ordinances are good. 
See, I have longed for your precepts;
   in your righteousness give me life. 


Let your steadfast love come to me, O Lord,
   your salvation according to your promise. 
Then I shall have an answer for those who taunt me,
   for I trust in your word. 
Do not take the word of truth utterly out of my mouth,
   for my hope is in your ordinances. 
I will keep your law continually,
   for ever and ever. 
I shall walk at liberty,
   for I have sought your precepts. 
I will also speak of your decrees before kings,
   and shall not be put to shame; 
I find my delight in your commandments,
   because I love them. 
I revere your commandments, which I love,
   and I will meditate on your statutes. 
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