Friday 7 July 2023 DAILY LECTIONARY

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Friday 7 July 2023 
DAILY LECTIONARY

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1 Samuel 13:19-14:15

Now there was no blacksmith to be found throughout all the land of
Israel; for the Philistines said, ‘The Hebrews must not make swords
or spears for themselves’; so all the Israelites went down to the
Philistines to sharpen their ploughshares, mattocks, axes, or sickles;
The charge was two-thirds of a shekel for the ploughshares and for the
mattocks, and one-third of a shekel for sharpening the axes and for
setting the goads. So on the day of the battle neither sword nor spear
was to be found in the possession of any of the people with Saul and
Jonathan; but Saul and his son Jonathan had them. 
Now a garrison of the Philistines had gone out to the pass of
Michmash. 
One day Jonathan son of Saul said to the young man who carried his
armour, ‘Come, let us go over to the Philistine garrison on the
other side.’ But he did not tell his father. Saul was staying in the
outskirts of Gibeah under the pomegranate tree that is at Migron; the
troops that were with him were about six hundred men, along with
Ahijah son of Ahitub, Ichabod’s brother, son of Phinehas son of Eli,
the priest of the Lord in Shiloh, carrying an ephod. Now the people
did not know that Jonathan had gone. In the pass, by which Jonathan
tried to go over to the Philistine garrison, there was a rocky crag on
one side and a rocky crag on the other; the name of one was Bozez, and
the name of the other Seneh. One crag rose on the north in front of
Michmash, and the other on the south in front of Geba. 
Jonathan said to the young man who carried his armour, ‘Come, let us
go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised; it may be that the
Lord will act for us; for nothing can hinder the Lord from saving by
many or by few.’ His armour-bearer said to him, ‘Do all that your
mind inclines to. I am with you; as your mind is, so is mine.’ Then
Jonathan said, ‘Now we will cross over to those men and will show
ourselves to them. If they say to us, “Wait until we come to you”,
then we will stand still in our place, and we will not go up to them.
But if they say, “Come up to us”, then we will go up; for the Lord
has given them into our hand. That will be the sign for us.’ So both
of them showed themselves to the garrison of the Philistines; and the
Philistines said, ‘Look, Hebrews are coming out of the holes where
they have hidden themselves.’ The men of the garrison hailed
Jonathan and his armour-bearer, saying, ‘Come up to us, and we will
show you something.’ Jonathan said to his armour-bearer, ‘Come up
after me; for the Lord has given them into the hand of Israel.’ Then
Jonathan climbed up on his hands and feet, with his armour-bearer
following after him. The Philistines fell before Jonathan, and his
armour-bearer, coming after him, killed them. In that first slaughter
Jonathan and his armour-bearer killed about twenty men within an area
about half a furrow long in an acre of land. There was a panic in the
camp, in the field, and among all the people; the garrison and even
the raiders trembled; the earth quaked; and it became a very great
panic.
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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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Luke 23:26-31

As they led him away, they seized a man, Simon of Cyrene, who was
coming from the country, and they laid the cross on him, and made him
carry it behind Jesus. A great number of the people followed him, and
among them were women who were beating their breasts and wailing for
him. But Jesus turned to them and said, ‘Daughters of Jerusalem, do
not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. For
the days are surely coming when they will say, “Blessed are the
barren, and the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never
nursed.” Then they will begin to say to the mountains, “Fall on
us”; and to the hills, “Cover us.” For if they do this when the
wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?’
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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, 143:1-12

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 143:1-12

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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