Tuesday 18 September 2007 DAILY LECTIONARY

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Tuesday 18 September 2007 
DAILY LECTIONARY

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1 Kings 21:17-29

Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying: 18Go down
to meet King Ahab of Israel, who rules* in Samaria; he is now in the
vineyard of Naboth, where he has gone to take possession. 19You shall
say to him, 'Thus says the Lord: Have you killed, and also taken
possession?' You shall say to him, 'Thus says the Lord: In the place
where dogs licked up the blood of Naboth, dogs will also lick up your
blood.' 
20 Ahab said to Elijah, 'Have you found me, O my enemy?' He answered, 'I
have found you. Because you have sold yourself to do what is evil in the
sight of the Lord, 21I will bring disaster on you; I will consume you,
and will cut off from Ahab every male, bond or free, in Israel; 22and I
will make your house like the house of Jeroboam son of Nebat, and like
the house of Baasha son of Ahijah, because you have provoked me to anger
and have caused Israel to sin. 23Also concerning Jezebel the Lord said,
"The dogs shall eat Jezebel within the bounds of Jezreel." 24Anyone
belonging to Ahab who dies in the city the dogs shall eat; and anyone of
his who dies in the open country the birds of the air shall eat.' 
25 (Indeed, there was no one like Ahab, who sold himself to do what was
evil in the sight of the Lord, urged on by his wife Jezebel. 26He acted
most abominably in going after idols, as the Amorites had done, whom the
Lord drove out before the Israelites.) 
27 When Ahab heard those words, he tore his clothes and put sackcloth
over his bare flesh; he fasted, lay in the sackcloth, and went about
dejectedly. 28Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite:
29'Have you seen how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he has
humbled himself before me, I will not bring the disaster in his days;
but in his son's days I will bring the disaster on his house.'
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1 Corinthians 1:20-31

Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater
of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21For
since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom,
God decided, through the foolishness of our proclamation, to save those
who believe. 22For Jews demand signs and Greeks desire wisdom, 23but we
proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling-block to Jews and foolishness to
Gentiles, 24but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks,
Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25For God's foolishness
is wiser than human wisdom, and God's weakness is stronger than human
strength. 
26 Consider your own call, brothers and sisters:* not many of you were
wise by human standards,* not many were powerful, not many were of noble
birth. 27But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise;
God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28God chose
what is low and despised in the world, things that are not, to reduce to
nothing things that are, 29so that no one* might boast in the presence
of God. 30He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, who became for
us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification and redemption,
31in order that, as it is written, 'Let the one who boasts, boast in*
the Lord.'
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Matthew 4:12-17

Now when Jesus* heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to
Galilee. 13He left Nazareth and made his home in Capernaum by the lake,
in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, 14so that what had been spoken
through the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: 
15'Land of Zebulun, land of Naphtali,
   on the road by the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles- 
16the people who sat in darkness
   have seen a great light,
and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death
   light has dawned.' 
17From that time Jesus began to proclaim, 'Repent, for the kingdom of
heaven has come near.'*
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Morning Psalms:  Psalm 61, 62

Psalm 61

Hear my cry, O God;
   listen to my prayer. 
2From the end of the earth I call to you,
   when my heart is faint. 


Lead me to the rock
   that is higher than I; 
3for you are my refuge,
   a strong tower against the enemy. 


4Let me abide in your tent for ever,
   find refuge under the shelter of your wings.
          Selah 
5For you, O God, have heard my vows;
   you have given me the heritage of those who fear your name. 


6Prolong the life of the king;
   may his years endure to all generations! 
7May he be enthroned for ever before God;
   appoint steadfast love and faithfulness to watch over him! 


8So I will always sing praises to your name,
   as I pay my vows day after day.



Psalm 62

For God alone my soul waits in silence;
   from him comes my salvation. 
2He alone is my rock and my salvation,
   my fortress; I shall never be shaken. 


3How long will you assail a person,
   will you batter your victim, all of you,
   as you would a leaning wall, a tottering fence? 
4Their only plan is to bring down a person of prominence.
   They take pleasure in falsehood;
they bless with their mouths,
   but inwardly they curse.
          Selah 


5For God alone my soul waits in silence,
   for my hope is from him. 
6He alone is my rock and my salvation,
   my fortress; I shall not be shaken. 
7On God rests my deliverance and my honour;
   my mighty rock, my refuge is in God. 


8Trust in him at all times, O people;
   pour out your heart before him;
   God is a refuge for us.
          Selah 


9Those of low estate are but a breath,
   those of high estate are a delusion;
in the balances they go up;
   they are together lighter than a breath. 
10Put no confidence in extortion,
   and set no vain hopes on robbery;
   if riches increase, do not set your heart on them. 


11Once God has spoken;
   twice have I heard this:
that power belongs to God, 
12   and steadfast love belongs to you, O Lord.
For you repay to all
   according to their work.
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Evening Psalms: Psalm 68:1-36

Psalm 68:1-36

Let God rise up, let his enemies be scattered;
   let those who hate him flee before him. 
2As smoke is driven away, so drive them away;
   as wax melts before the fire,
   let the wicked perish before God. 
3But let the righteous be joyful;
   let them exult before God;
   let them be jubilant with joy. 


4Sing to God, sing praises to his name;
   lift up a song to him who rides upon the clouds*-
his name is the Lord-
   be exultant before him. 


5Father of orphans and protector of widows
   is God in his holy habitation. 
6God gives the desolate a home to live in;
   he leads out the prisoners to prosperity,
   but the rebellious live in a parched land. 


7O God, when you went out before your people,
   when you marched through the wilderness,
          Selah 
8the earth quaked, the heavens poured down rain
   at the presence of God, the God of Sinai,
   at the presence of God, the God of Israel. 
9Rain in abundance, O God, you showered abroad;
   you restored your heritage when it languished; 
10your flock found a dwelling in it;
   in your goodness, O God, you provided for the needy. 


11The Lord gives the command;
   great is the company of those* who bore the tidings: 
12   'The kings of the armies, they flee, they flee!'
The women at home divide the spoil, 
13   though they stay among the sheepfolds-
the wings of a dove covered with silver,
   its pinions with green gold. 
14When the Almighty* scattered kings there,
   snow fell on Zalmon. 


15O mighty mountain, mountain of Bashan;
   O many-peaked mountain, mountain of Bashan! 
16Why do you look with envy, O many-peaked mountain,
   at the mount that God desired for his abode,
   where the Lord will reside for ever? 


17With mighty chariotry, twice ten thousand,
   thousands upon thousands,
   the Lord came from Sinai into the holy place.* 
18You ascended the high mount,
   leading captives in your train
   and receiving gifts from people,
even from those who rebel against the Lord God's abiding there. 
19Blessed be the Lord,
   who daily bears us up;
   God is our salvation.
          Selah 
20Our God is a God of salvation,
   and to God, the Lord, belongs escape from death. 


21But God will shatter the heads of his enemies,
   the hairy crown of those who walk in their guilty ways. 
22The Lord said,
   'I will bring them back from Bashan,
I will bring them back from the depths of the sea, 
23so that you may bathe* your feet in blood,
   so that the tongues of your dogs may have their share from the foe.' 


24Your solemn processions are seen,* O God,
   the processions of my God, my King, into the sanctuary- 
25the singers in front, the musicians last,
   between them girls playing tambourines: 
26'Bless God in the great congregation,
   the Lord, O you who are of Israel's fountain!' 
27There is Benjamin, the least of them, in the lead,
   the princes of Judah in a body,
   the princes of Zebulun, the princes of Naphtali. 


28Summon your might, O God;
   show your strength, O God, as you have done for us before. 
29Because of your temple at Jerusalem
   kings bear gifts to you. 
30Rebuke the wild animals that live among the reeds,
   the herd of bulls with the calves of the peoples.
Trample* under foot those who lust after tribute;
   scatter the peoples who delight in war.* 
31Let bronze be brought from Egypt;
   let Ethiopia* hasten to stretch out its hands to God. 


32Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth;
   sing praises to the Lord,
          Selah 
33O rider in the heavens, the ancient heavens;
   listen, he sends out his voice, his mighty voice. 
34Ascribe power to God,
   whose majesty is over Israel;
   and whose power is in the skies. 
35Awesome is God in his* sanctuary,
   the God of Israel;
   he gives power and strength to his people. 


Blessed be God!
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