Sunday 2 September 2007 DAILY LECTIONARY

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Sunday 2 September 2007 
DAILY LECTIONARY

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1 Kings 8:22-40

Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of all
the assembly of Israel, and spread out his hands to heaven. 23He said,
'O Lord, God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven above or on
earth beneath, keeping covenant and steadfast love for your servants who
walk before you with all their heart, 24the covenant that you kept for
your servant my father David as you declared to him; you promised with
your mouth and have this day fulfilled with your hand. 25Therefore, O
Lord, God of Israel, keep for your servant my father David that which
you promised him, saying, "There shall never fail you a successor before
me to sit on the throne of Israel, if only your children look to their
way, to walk before me as you have walked before me." 26Therefore, O God
of Israel, let your word be confirmed, which you promised to your
servant my father David. 
27 'But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Even heaven and the highest
heaven cannot contain you, much less this house that I have built!
28Have regard to your servant's prayer and his plea, O Lord my God,
heeding the cry and the prayer that your servant prays to you today;
29that your eyes may be open night and day towards this house, the place
of which you said, "My name shall be there", that you may heed the
prayer that your servant prays towards this place. 30Hear the plea of
your servant and of your people Israel when they pray towards this
place; O hear in heaven your dwelling-place; heed and forgive. 
31 'If someone sins against a neighbour and is given an oath to swear,
and comes and swears before your altar in this house, 32then hear in
heaven, and act, and judge your servants, condemning the guilty by
bringing their conduct on their own head, and vindicating the righteous
by rewarding them according to their righteousness. 
33 'When your people Israel, having sinned against you, are defeated
before an enemy but turn again to you, confess your name, pray, and
plead with you in this house, 34then hear in heaven, forgive the sin of
your people Israel, and bring them again to the land that you gave to
their ancestors. 
35 'When heaven is shut up and there is no rain because they have sinned
against you, and then they pray towards this place, confess your name,
and turn from their sin, because you punish* them, 36then hear in
heaven, and forgive the sin of your servants, your people Israel, when
you teach them the good way in which they should walk; and grant rain on
your land, which you have given to your people as an inheritance. 
37 'If there is famine in the land, if there is plague, blight, mildew,
locust, or caterpillar; if their enemy besieges them in any* of their
cities; whatever plague, whatever sickness there is; 38whatever prayer,
whatever plea there is from any individual or from all your people
Israel, all knowing the afflictions of their own hearts so that they
stretch out their hands towards this house; 39then hear in heaven your
dwelling-place, forgive, act, and render to all whose hearts you
know-according to all their ways, for only you know what is in every
human heart- 40so that they may fear you all the days that they live in
the land that you gave to our ancestors.
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1 Timothy 4:7b-16

7Have nothing to do with profane myths and old wives' tales. Train
yourself in godliness, 8for, while physical training is of some value,
godliness is valuable in every way, holding promise for both the present
life and the life to come. 9The saying is sure and worthy of full
acceptance. 10For to this end we toil and struggle,* because we have our
hope set on the living God, who is the Saviour of all people, especially
of those who believe. 
11 These are the things you must insist on and teach. 12Let no one
despise your youth, but set the believers an example in speech and
conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. 13Until I arrive, give attention
to the public reading of scripture,* to exhorting, to teaching. 14Do not
neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you through prophecy
with the laying on of hands by the council of elders.* 15Put these
things into practice, devote yourself to them, so that all may see your
progress. 16Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching;
continue in these things, for in doing this you will save both yourself
and your hearers.
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John 8:47-59

Whoever is from God hears the words of God. The reason you do not hear
them is that you are not from God.' 
48 The Jews answered him, 'Are we not right in saying that you are a
Samaritan and have a demon?' 49Jesus answered, 'I do not have a demon;
but I honour my Father, and you dishonour me. 50Yet I do not seek my own
glory; there is one who seeks it and he is the judge. 51Very truly, I
tell you, whoever keeps my word will never see death.' 52The Jews said
to him, 'Now we know that you have a demon. Abraham died, and so did the
prophets; yet you say, "Whoever keeps my word will never taste death."
53Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? The prophets also
died. Who do you claim to be?' 54Jesus answered, 'If I glorify myself,
my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, he of whom you
say, "He is our God", 55though you do not know him. But I know him; if I
were to say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you. But I do
know him and I keep his word. 56Your ancestor Abraham rejoiced that he
would see my day; he saw it and was glad.' 57Then the Jews said to him,
'You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?'* 58Jesus
said to them, 'Very truly, I tell you, before Abraham was, I am.' 59So
they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went
out of the temple.
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Morning Psalms:  Psalm 148, 149, 150

Psalm 148

Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord from the heavens;
   praise him in the heights! 
2Praise him, all his angels;
   praise him, all his host! 


3Praise him, sun and moon;
   praise him, all you shining stars! 
4Praise him, you highest heavens,
   and you waters above the heavens! 


5Let them praise the name of the Lord,
   for he commanded and they were created. 
6He established them for ever and ever;
   he fixed their bounds, which cannot be passed.* 


7Praise the Lord from the earth,
   you sea monsters and all deeps, 
8fire and hail, snow and frost,
   stormy wind fulfilling his command! 


9Mountains and all hills,
   fruit trees and all cedars! 
10Wild animals and all cattle,
   creeping things and flying birds! 


11Kings of the earth and all peoples,
   princes and all rulers of the earth! 
12Young men and women alike,
   old and young together! 


13Let them praise the name of the Lord,
   for his name alone is exalted;
   his glory is above earth and heaven. 
14He has raised up a horn for his people,
   praise for all his faithful,
   for the people of Israel who are close to him.
Praise the Lord!



Psalm 149

Praise the Lord!
Sing to the Lord a new song,
   his praise in the assembly of the faithful. 
2Let Israel be glad in its Maker;
   let the children of Zion rejoice in their King. 
3Let them praise his name with dancing,
   making melody to him with tambourine and lyre. 
4For the Lord takes pleasure in his people;
   he adorns the humble with victory. 
5Let the faithful exult in glory;
   let them sing for joy on their couches. 
6Let the high praises of God be in their throats
   and two-edged swords in their hands, 
7to execute vengeance on the nations
   and punishment on the peoples, 
8to bind their kings with fetters
   and their nobles with chains of iron, 
9to execute on them the judgement decreed.
   This is glory for all his faithful ones.
Praise the Lord!



Psalm 150

Praise the Lord!
Praise God in his sanctuary;
   praise him in his mighty firmament!* 
2Praise him for his mighty deeds;
   praise him according to his surpassing greatness! 


3Praise him with trumpet sound;
   praise him with lute and harp! 
4Praise him with tambourine and dance;
   praise him with strings and pipe! 
5Praise him with clanging cymbals;
   praise him with loud clashing cymbals! 
6Let everything that breathes praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord!
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Evening Psalms: Psalm 114, 115

Psalm 114

When Israel went out from Egypt,
   the house of Jacob from a people of strange language, 
2Judah became God's* sanctuary,
   Israel his dominion. 


3The sea looked and fled;
   Jordan turned back. 
4The mountains skipped like rams,
   the hills like lambs. 


5Why is it, O sea, that you flee?
   O Jordan, that you turn back? 
6O mountains, that you skip like rams?
   O hills, like lambs? 


7Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord,
   at the presence of the God of Jacob, 
8who turns the rock into a pool of water,
   the flint into a spring of water.



Psalm 115

Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory,
   for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness. 
2Why should the nations say,
   'Where is their God?' 


3Our God is in the heavens;
   he does whatever he pleases. 
4Their idols are silver and gold,
   the work of human hands. 
5They have mouths, but do not speak;
   eyes, but do not see. 
6They have ears, but do not hear;
   noses, but do not smell. 
7They have hands, but do not feel;
   feet, but do not walk;
   they make no sound in their throats. 
8Those who make them are like them;
   so are all who trust in them. 


9O Israel, trust in the Lord!
   He is their help and their shield. 
10O house of Aaron, trust in the Lord!
   He is their help and their shield. 
11You who fear the Lord, trust in the Lord!
   He is their help and their shield. 


12The Lord has been mindful of us; he will bless us;
   he will bless the house of Israel;
   he will bless the house of Aaron; 
13he will bless those who fear the Lord,
   both small and great. 


14May the Lord give you increase,
   both you and your children. 
15May you be blessed by the Lord,
   who made heaven and earth. 


16The heavens are the Lord's heavens,
   but the earth he has given to human beings. 
17The dead do not praise the Lord,
   nor do any that go down into silence. 
18But we will bless the Lord
   from this time on and for evermore.
Praise the Lord!
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