Sunday 4 July 2021 DAILY LECTIONARY

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Sunday 4 July 2021
DAILY LECTIONARY

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1 Samuel 14:36-45

Then Saul said, ‘Let us go down after the Philistines by night and
despoil them until the morning light; let us not leave one of them.’
They said, ‘Do whatever seems good to you.’ But the priest said,
‘Let us draw near to God here.’ So Saul inquired of God, ‘Shall
I go down after the Philistines? Will you give them into the hand of
Israel?’ But he did not answer him that day. Saul said, ‘Come
here, all you leaders of the people; and let us find out how this sin
has arisen today. For as the Lord lives who saves Israel, even if it
is in my son Jonathan, he shall surely die!’ But there was no one
among all the people who answered him. He said to all Israel, ‘You
shall be on one side, and I and my son Jonathan will be on the other
side.’ The people said to Saul, ‘Do what seems good to you.’
Then Saul said, ‘O Lord God of Israel, why have you not answered
your servant today? If this guilt is in me or in my son Jonathan, O
Lord God of Israel, give Urim; but if this guilt is in your people
Israel, give Thummim.’ And Jonathan and Saul were indicated by the
lot, but the people were cleared. Then Saul said, ‘Cast the lot
between me and my son Jonathan.’ And Jonathan was taken. 
Then Saul said to Jonathan, ‘Tell me what you have done.’ Jonathan
told him, ‘I tasted a little honey with the tip of the staff that
was in my hand; here I am, I will die.’ Saul said, ‘God do so to
me and more also; you shall surely die, Jonathan!’ Then the people
said to Saul, ‘Shall Jonathan die, who has accomplished this great
victory in Israel? Perish the thought! As the Lord lives, not one hair
of his head shall fall to the ground; for he has worked with God
today.’ So the people ransomed Jonathan, and he did not die.
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Romans 5:1-11

Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God
through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained access to
this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the
glory of God. And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings,
knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces
character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint
us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the
Holy Spirit that has been given to us. 
For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the
ungodly. Indeed, rarely will anyone die for a righteous
person—though perhaps for a good person someone might actually dare
to die. But God proves his love for us in that while we still were
sinners Christ died for us. Much more surely then, now that we have
been justified by his blood, will we be saved through him from the
wrath of God. For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God
through the death of his Son, much more surely, having been
reconciled, will we be saved by his life. But more than that, we even
boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now
received reconciliation.
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Matthew 22:1-14

Once more Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying: ‘The kingdom of
heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding banquet for his
son. He sent his slaves to call those who had been invited to the
wedding banquet, but they would not come. Again he sent other slaves,
saying, “Tell those who have been invited: Look, I have prepared my
dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and
everything is ready; come to the wedding banquet.” But they made
light of it and went away, one to his farm, another to his business,
while the rest seized his slaves, maltreated them, and killed them.
The king was enraged. He sent his troops, destroyed those murderers,
and burned their city. Then he said to his slaves, “The wedding is
ready, but those invited were not worthy. Go therefore into the main
streets, and invite everyone you find to the wedding banquet.” Those
slaves went out into the streets and gathered all whom they found,
both good and bad; so the wedding hall was filled with guests. 
‘But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there
who was not wearing a wedding robe, and he said to him, “Friend, how
did you get in here without a wedding robe?” And he was speechless.
Then the king said to the attendants, “Bind him hand and foot, and
throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and
gnashing of teeth.” For many are called, but few are chosen.’
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Morning Psalms:  Psalm 146, 147

Psalm 146

Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord, O my soul! 
I will praise the Lord as long as I live;
   I will sing praises to my God all my life long. 

Do not put your trust in princes,
   in mortals, in whom there is no help. 
When their breath departs, they return to the earth;
   on that very day their plans perish. 

Happy are those whose help is the God of Jacob,
   whose hope is in the Lord their God, 
who made heaven and earth,
   the sea, and all that is in them;
who keeps faith for ever; 
   who executes justice for the oppressed;
   who gives food to the hungry. 

The Lord sets the prisoners free; 
   the Lord opens the eyes of the blind.
The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down;
   the Lord loves the righteous. 
The Lord watches over the strangers;
   he upholds the orphan and the widow,
   but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin. 

The Lord will reign for ever,
   your God, O Zion, for all generations.
Praise the Lord!

Psalm 147

Praise the Lord!
How good it is to sing praises to our God;
   for he is gracious, and a song of praise is fitting. 
The Lord builds up Jerusalem;
   he gathers the outcasts of Israel. 
He heals the broken-hearted,
   and binds up their wounds. 
He determines the number of the stars;
   he gives to all of them their names. 
Great is our Lord, and abundant in power;
   his understanding is beyond measure. 
The Lord lifts up the downtrodden;
   he casts the wicked to the ground. 

Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving;
   make melody to our God on the lyre. 
He covers the heavens with clouds,
   prepares rain for the earth,
   makes grass grow on the hills. 
He gives to the animals their food,
   and to the young ravens when they cry. 
His delight is not in the strength of the horse,
   nor his pleasure in the speed of a runner; 
but the Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him,
   in those who hope in his steadfast love. 

Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem!
   Praise your God, O Zion! 
For he strengthens the bars of your gates;
   he blesses your children within you. 
He grants peace within your borders;
   he fills you with the finest of wheat. 
He sends out his command to the earth;
   his word runs swiftly. 
He gives snow like wool;
   he scatters frost like ashes. 
He hurls down hail like crumbs—
   who can stand before his cold? 
He sends out his word, and melts them;
   he makes his wind blow, and the waters flow. 
He declares his word to Jacob,
   his statutes and ordinances to Israel. 
He has not dealt thus with any other nation;
   they do not know his ordinances.
Praise the Lord!
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Evening Psalms: Psalm 111, 112, 113

Psalm 111

Praise the Lord!
I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart,
   in the company of the upright, in the congregation. 
Great are the works of the Lord,
   studied by all who delight in them. 
Full of honour and majesty is his work,
   and his righteousness endures for ever. 
He has gained renown by his wonderful deeds;
   the Lord is gracious and merciful. 
He provides food for those who fear him;
   he is ever mindful of his covenant. 
He has shown his people the power of his works,
   in giving them the heritage of the nations. 
The works of his hands are faithful and just;
   all his precepts are trustworthy. 
They are established for ever and ever,
   to be performed with faithfulness and uprightness. 
He sent redemption to his people;
   he has commanded his covenant for ever.
   Holy and awesome is his name. 
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;
   all those who practise it have a good understanding.
   His praise endures for ever.

Psalm 112

Praise the Lord!
   Happy are those who fear the Lord,
   who greatly delight in his commandments. 
Their descendants will be mighty in the land;
   the generation of the upright will be blessed. 
Wealth and riches are in their houses,
   and their righteousness endures for ever. 
They rise in the darkness as a light for the upright;
   they are gracious, merciful, and righteous. 
It is well with those who deal generously and lend,
   who conduct their affairs with justice. 
For the righteous will never be moved;
   they will be remembered for ever. 
They are not afraid of evil tidings;
   their hearts are firm, secure in the Lord. 
Their hearts are steady, they will not be afraid;
   in the end they will look in triumph on their foes. 
They have distributed freely, they have given to the poor;
   their righteousness endures for ever;
   their horn is exalted in honour. 
The wicked see it and are angry;
   they gnash their teeth and melt away;
   the desire of the wicked comes to nothing.

Psalm 113

Praise the Lord!
Praise, O servants of the Lord;
   praise the name of the Lord. 

Blessed be the name of the Lord
   from this time on and for evermore. 
>From the rising of the sun to its setting
   the name of the Lord is to be praised. 
The Lord is high above all nations,
   and his glory above the heavens. 

Who is like the Lord our God,
   who is seated on high, 
who looks far down
   on the heavens and the earth? 
He raises the poor from the dust,
   and lifts the needy from the ash heap, 
to make them sit with princes,
   with the princes of his people. 
He gives the barren woman a home,
   making her the joyous mother of children.
Praise the Lord!
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