Friday 20 August 2010 DAILY LECTIONARY

[Daily Lectionary]

 Friday 20 August 2010 
DAILY LECTIONARY
 
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Job 2:1-13
 
One day the heavenly beings* came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan* also came among them to present himself before the Lord. The Lord said to Satan,* ‘Where have you come from?’ Satan* answered the Lord, ‘From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.’ The Lord said to Satan,* ‘Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man who fears God and turns away from evil. He still persists in his integrity, although you incited me against him, to destroy him for no reason.’ Then Satan* answered the Lord, ‘Skin for skin! All that people have they will give to save their lives.* But stretch out your hand now and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse you to your face.’ The Lord said to Satan,* ‘Very well, he is in your power; only spare his life.’
 
 So Satan* went out from the presence of the Lord, and inflicted loathsome sores on Job from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. Job* took a potsherd with which to scrape himself, and sat among the ashes.
 
 Then his wife said to him, ‘Do you still persist in your integrity? Curse* God, and die.’ But he said to her, ‘You speak as any foolish woman would speak. Shall we receive the good at the hand of God, and not receive the bad?’ In all this Job did not sin with his lips.
 Now when Job’s three friends heard of all these troubles that had come upon him, each of them set out from his home—Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. They met together to go and console and comfort him. When they saw him from a distance, they did not recognize him, and they raised their voices and wept aloud; they tore their robes and threw dust in the air upon their heads. They sat with him on the ground for seven days and seven nights, and no one spoke a word to him, for they saw that his suffering was very great.
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Acts 9:1-9
 
Meanwhile Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any who belonged to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. Now as he was going along and approaching Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?’ He asked, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ The reply came, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But get up and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.’ The men who were travelling with him stood speechless because they heard the voice but saw no one. Saul got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing; so they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. For three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.
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John 6:27-40
 
Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For it is on him that God the Father has set his seal.’ Then they said to him, ‘What must we do to perform the works of God?’ Jesus answered them, ‘This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.’ So they said to him, ‘What sign are you going to give us then, so that we may see it and believe you? What work are you performing? Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, “He gave them bread from heaven to eat.” ’ Then Jesus said to them, ‘Very truly, I tell you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is that which* comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.’ They said to him, ‘Sir, give us this bread always.’
 
 Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe. Everything that the Father gives me will come to me, and anyone who comes to me I will never drive away; for I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. This is indeed the will of my Father, that all who see the Son and believe in him may have eternal life; and I will raise them up on the last day.’
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Morning Psalms: Psalm 140, 142
 
Psalm 140
 
Deliver me, O Lord, from evildoers;
   protect me from those who are violent,
who plan evil things in their minds
   and stir up wars continually.
They make their tongue sharp as a snake’s,
   and under their lips is the venom of vipers.
          Selah
 
 
Guard me, O Lord, from the hands of the wicked;
   protect me from the violent
   who have planned my downfall.
The arrogant have hidden a trap for me,
   and with cords they have spread a net;*
   along the road they have set snares for me.
          Selah
 
 
I say to the Lord, ‘You are my God;
   give ear, O Lord, to the voice of my supplications.’
O Lord, my Lord, my strong deliverer,
   you have covered my head in the day of battle.
Do not grant, O Lord, the desires of the wicked;
   do not further their evil plot.*
          Selah
 
 
Those who surround me lift up their heads;*
   let the mischief of their lips overwhelm them!
Let burning coals fall on them!
   Let them be flung into pits, no more to rise!
Do not let the slanderer be established in the land;
   let evil speedily hunt down the violent!
 
 
I know that the Lord maintains the cause of the needy,
   and executes justice for the poor.
Surely the righteous shall give thanks to your name;
   the upright shall live in your presence.
 
 
Psalm 142
 
With my voice I cry to the Lord;
   with my voice I make supplication to the Lord.
I pour out my complaint before him;
   I tell my trouble before him.
When my spirit is faint,
   you know my way.
 
 
In the path where I walk
   they have hidden a trap for me.
Look on my right hand and see—
   there is no one who takes notice of me;
no refuge remains to me;
   no one cares for me.
 
 
I cry to you, O Lord;
   I say, ‘You are my refuge,
   my portion in the land of the living.’
Give heed to my cry,
   for I am brought very low.
 
 
Save me from my persecutors,
   for they are too strong for me.
Bring me out of prison,
   so that I may give thanks to your name.
The righteous will surround me,
   for you will deal bountifully with me.
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Evening Psalms: Psalm 141, 143
 
Psalm 141
 
I call upon you, O Lord; come quickly to me;
   give ear to my voice when I call to you.
Let my prayer be counted as incense before you,
   and the lifting up of my hands as an evening sacrifice.
 
 
Set a guard over my mouth, O Lord;
   keep watch over the door of my lips.
Do not turn my heart to any evil,
   to busy myself with wicked deeds
in company with those who work iniquity;
   do not let me eat of their delicacies.
 
 
Let the righteous strike me;
   let the faithful correct me.
Never let the oil of the wicked anoint my head,*
   for my prayer is continually* against their wicked deeds.
When they are given over to those who shall condemn them,
   then they shall learn that my words were pleasant.
Like a rock that one breaks apart and shatters on the land,
   so shall their bones be strewn at the mouth of Sheol.*
 
 
But my eyes are turned towards you, O God, my Lord;
   in you I seek refuge; do not leave me defenceless.
Keep me from the trap that they have laid for me,
   and from the snares of evildoers.
Let the wicked fall into their own nets,
   while I alone escape.
 
 
Psalm 143
 
Hear my prayer, O Lord;
   give ear to my supplications in your faithfulness;
   answer me in your righteousness.
Do not enter into judgement with your servant,
   for no one living is righteous before you.
 
 
For the enemy has pursued me,
   crushing my life to the ground,
   making me sit in darkness like those long dead.
Therefore my spirit faints within me;
   my heart within me is appalled.
 
 
I remember the days of old,
   I think about all your deeds,
   I meditate on the works of your hands.
I stretch out my hands to you;
   my soul thirsts for you like a parched land.
          Selah
 
 
Answer me quickly, O Lord;
   my spirit fails.
Do not hide your face from me,
   or I shall be like those who go down to the Pit.
Let me hear of your steadfast love in the morning,
   for in you I put my trust.
Teach me the way I should go,
   for to you I lift up my soul.
 
 
Save me, O Lord, from my enemies;
   I have fled to you for refuge.*
Teach me to do your will,
   for you are my God.
Let your good spirit lead me
   on a level path.
 
 
For your name’s sake, O Lord, preserve my life.
   In your righteousness bring me out of trouble.
In your steadfast love cut off my enemies,
   and destroy all my adversaries,
   for I am your servant.
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