Sunday 22 July 2007 DAILY LECTIONARY

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Sunday 22 July 2007 
DAILY LECTIONARY

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1 Samuel 23:7-18

Now it was told Saul that David had come to Keilah. And Saul said, 'God
has given him into my hand; for he has shut himself in by entering a
town that has gates and bars.' Saul summoned all the people to war, to
go down to Keilah, to besiege David and his men. When David learned that
Saul was plotting evil against him, he said to the priest Abiathar,
'Bring the ephod here.' David said, 'O Lord, the God of Israel, your
servant has heard that Saul seeks to come to Keilah, to destroy the city
on my account. And now, will Saul come down as your servant has heard? O
Lord, the God of Israel, I beseech you, tell your servant.' The Lord
said, 'He will come down.' Then David said, 'Will the men of Keilah
surrender me and my men into the hand of Saul?' The Lord said, 'They
will surrender you.' Then David and his men, who were about six hundred,
set out and left Keilah; they wandered wherever they could go. When Saul
was told that David had escaped from Keilah, he gave up the expedition.
David remained in the strongholds in the wilderness, in the hill country
of the Wilderness of Ziph. Saul sought him every day, but the Lord did
not give him into his hand. 
David was in the Wilderness of Ziph at Horesh when he learned that Saul
had come out to seek his life. Saul's son Jonathan set out and came to
David at Horesh; there he strengthened his hand through the Lord. He
said to him, 'Do not be afraid; for the hand of my father Saul shall not
find you; you shall be king over Israel, and I shall be second to you;
my father Saul also knows that this is so.' Then the two of them made a
covenant before the Lord; David remained at Horesh, and Jonathan went
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Romans 11:33-12:2

O the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How
unsearchable are his judgements and how inscrutable his ways! 
'For who has known the mind of the Lord?
   Or who has been his counsellor?' 
'Or who has given a gift to him,
   to receive a gift in return?' 
For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the
glory for ever. Amen. 


I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God,
to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to
God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world,
but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may
discern what is the will of God-what is good and acceptable and perfect.
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Matthew 25:14-30

'For it is as if a man, going on a journey, summoned his slaves and
entrusted his property to them; to one he gave five talents, to another
two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went
away. The one who had received the five talents went off at once and
traded with them, and made five more talents. In the same way, the one
who had the two talents made two more talents. But the one who had
received the one talent went off and dug a hole in the ground and hid
his master's money. After a long time the master of those slaves came
and settled accounts with them. Then the one who had received the five
talents came forward, bringing five more talents, saying, "Master, you
handed over to me five talents; see, I have made five more talents." His
master said to him, "Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have
been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many
things; enter into the joy of your master." And the one with the two
talents also came forward, saying, "Master, you handed over to me two
talents; see, I have made two more talents." His master said to him,
"Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a
few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy
of your master." Then the one who had received the one talent also came
forward, saying, "Master, I knew that you were a harsh man, reaping
where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter seed; so
I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you
have what is yours." But his master replied, "You wicked and lazy slave!
You knew, did you, that I reap where I did not sow, and gather where I
did not scatter? Then you ought to have invested my money with the
bankers, and on my return I would have received what was my own with
interest. So take the talent from him, and give it to the one with the
ten talents. For to all those who have, more will be given, and they
will have an abundance; but from those who have nothing, even what they
have will be taken away. As for this worthless slave, throw him into the
outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."
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Morning Psalms:  Psalm 63:1-11, 98

Psalm 63:1-11

O God, you are my God, I seek you,
   my soul thirsts for you;
my flesh faints for you,
   as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. 
So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary,
   beholding your power and glory. 
Because your steadfast love is better than life,
   my lips will praise you. 
So I will bless you as long as I live;
   I will lift up my hands and call on your name. 


My soul is satisfied as with a rich feast,
   and my mouth praises you with joyful lips 
when I think of you on my bed,
   and meditate on you in the watches of the night; 
for you have been my help,
   and in the shadow of your wings I sing for joy. 
My soul clings to you;
   your right hand upholds me. 


But those who seek to destroy my life
   shall go down into the depths of the earth; 
they shall be given over to the power of the sword,
   they shall be prey for jackals. 
But the king shall rejoice in God;
   all who swear by him shall exult,
   for the mouths of liars will be stopped.



Psalm 98

O sing to the Lord a new song,
   for he has done marvellous things.
His right hand and his holy arm
   have gained him victory. 
The Lord has made known his victory;
   he has revealed his vindication in the sight of the nations. 
He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness
   to the house of Israel.
All the ends of the earth have seen
   the victory of our God. 


Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth;
   break forth into joyous song and sing praises. 
Sing praises to the Lord with the lyre,
   with the lyre and the sound of melody. 
With trumpets and the sound of the horn
   make a joyful noise before the King, the Lord. 


Let the sea roar, and all that fills it;
   the world and those who live in it. 
Let the floods clap their hands;
   let the hills sing together for joy 
at the presence of the Lord, for he is coming
   to judge the earth.
He will judge the world with righteousness,
   and the peoples with equity.
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Evening Psalms: Psalm 103

Psalm 103

Bless the Lord, O my soul,
   and all that is within me,
   bless his holy name. 
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
   and do not forget all his benefits- 
who forgives all your iniquity,
   who heals all your diseases, 
who redeems your life from the Pit,
   who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, 
who satisfies you with good as long as you live
   so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's. 


The Lord works vindication
   and justice for all who are oppressed. 
He made known his ways to Moses,
   his acts to the people of Israel. 
The Lord is merciful and gracious,
   slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. 
He will not always accuse,
   nor will he keep his anger for ever. 
He does not deal with us according to our sins,
   nor repay us according to our iniquities. 
For as the heavens are high above the earth,
   so great is his steadfast love towards those who fear him; 
as far as the east is from the west,
   so far he removes our transgressions from us. 
As a father has compassion for his children,
   so the Lord has compassion for those who fear him. 
For he knows how we were made;
   he remembers that we are dust. 


As for mortals, their days are like grass;
   they flourish like a flower of the field; 
for the wind passes over it, and it is gone,
   and its place knows it no more. 
But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting
   on those who fear him,
   and his righteousness to children's children, 
to those who keep his covenant
   and remember to do his commandments. 


The Lord has established his throne in the heavens,
   and his kingdom rules over all. 
Bless the Lord, O you his angels,
   you mighty ones who do his bidding,
   obedient to his spoken word. 
Bless the Lord, all his hosts,
   his ministers that do his will. 
Bless the Lord, all his works,
   in all places of his dominion.
Bless the Lord, O my soul.
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