Friday 9 August 2024 DAILY LECTIONARY

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Friday 9 August 2024  
DAILY LECTIONARY

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Judges 9:1-16,19-21

Now Abimelech son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem to his mother’s
kinsfolk and said to them and to the whole clan of his mother’s
family, ‘Say in the hearing of all the lords of Shechem, “Which is
better for you, that all seventy of the sons of Jerubbaal rule over
you, or that one rule over you?” Remember also that I am your bone
and your flesh.’ So his mother’s kinsfolk spoke all these words on
his behalf in the hearing of all the lords of Shechem; and their
hearts inclined to follow Abimelech, for they said, ‘He is our
brother.’ They gave him seventy pieces of silver out of the temple
of Baal-berith with which Abimelech hired worthless and reckless
fellows, who followed him. He went to his father’s house at Ophrah,
and killed his brothers the sons of Jerubbaal, seventy men, on one
stone; but Jotham, the youngest son of Jerubbaal, survived, for he hid
himself. Then all the lords of Shechem and all Beth-millo came
together, and they went and made Abimelech king, by the oak of the
pillar* at Shechem.
 When it was told to Jotham, he went and stood on the top of Mount
Gerizim, and cried aloud and said to them, ‘Listen to me, you lords
of Shechem, so that God may listen to you. 
The trees once went out
   to anoint a king over themselves.
So they said to the olive tree,
   “Reign over us.” 
The olive tree answered them,
   “Shall I stop producing my rich oil
     by which gods and mortals are honoured,
     and go to sway over the trees?” 
Then the trees said to the fig tree,
   “You come and reign over us.” 
But the fig tree answered them,
   “Shall I stop producing my sweetness
     and my delicious fruit,
     and go to sway over the trees?” 
Then the trees said to the vine,
   “You come and reign over us.” 
But the vine said to them,
   “Shall I stop producing my wine
     that cheers gods and mortals,
     and go to sway over the trees?” 
So all the trees said to the bramble,
   “You come and reign over us.” 
And the bramble said to the trees,
   “If in good faith you are anointing me king over you,
     then come and take refuge in my shade;
   but if not, let fire come out of the bramble
     and devour the cedars of Lebanon.”

 ‘Now therefore, if you acted in good faith and honour when you
made Abimelech king, and if you have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his
house, and have done to him as his actions deserved— if, I say, you
have acted in good faith and honour towards Jerubbaal and towards his
house this day, then rejoice in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in
you; but if not, let fire come out from Abimelech, and devour the
lords of Shechem, and Beth-millo; and let fire come out from the lords
of Shechem, and from Beth-millo, and devour Abimelech.’ Then Jotham
ran away and fled, going to Beer, where he remained for fear of his
brother Abimelech.
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Acts 4:13-31

Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John and realized that
they were uneducated and ordinary men, they were amazed and recognized
them as companions of Jesus. When they saw the man who had been cured
standing beside them, they had nothing to say in opposition. So they
ordered them to leave the council while they discussed the matter with
one another. They said, ‘What will we do with them? For it is
obvious to all who live in Jerusalem that a notable sign has been done
through them; we cannot deny it. But to keep it from spreading further
among the people, let us warn them to speak no more to anyone in this
name.’ So they called them and ordered them not to speak or teach at
all in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered them, ‘Whether
it is right in God’s sight to listen to you rather than to God, you
must judge; for we cannot keep from speaking about what we have seen
and heard.’ After threatening them again, they let them go, finding
no way to punish them because of the people, for all of them praised
God for what had happened. For the man on whom this sign of healing
had been performed was more than forty years old.
 After they were released, they went to their friends* and reported
what the chief priests and the elders had said to them. When they
heard it, they raised their voices together to God and said,
‘Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth, the sea, and
everything in them, it is you who said by the Holy Spirit through our
ancestor David, your servant:*
“Why did the Gentiles rage,
   and the peoples imagine vain things? 
The kings of the earth took their stand,
   and the rulers have gathered together
     against the Lord and against his Messiah.”* 
For in this city, in fact, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the
Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, gathered together against your
holy servant* Jesus, whom you anointed, to do whatever your hand and
your plan had predestined to take place. And now, Lord, look at their
threats, and grant to your servants* to speak your word with all
boldness, while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and
wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant* Jesus.’
When they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together
was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke
the word of God with boldness.
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John 2:2-12

Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. When the
wine gave out, the mother of Jesus said to him, ‘They have no
wine.’ And Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, what concern is that to you
and to me? My hour has not yet come.’ His mother said to the
servants, ‘Do whatever he tells you.’ Now standing there were six
stone water-jars for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding
twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus said to them, ‘Fill the jars with
water.’ And they filled them up to the brim. He said to them, ‘Now
draw some out, and take it to the chief steward.’ So they took it.
When the steward tasted the water that had become wine, and did not
know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water
knew), the steward called the bridegroom and said to him, ‘Everyone
serves the good wine first, and then the inferior wine after the
guests have become drunk. But you have kept the good wine until
now.’ Jesus did this, the first of his signs, in Cana of Galilee,
and revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.

 After this he went down to Capernaum with his mother, his brothers,
and his disciples; and they remained there for a few days.

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Morning Psalms:  Psalm 88

Psalm 88

O Lord, God of my salvation,
   when, at night, I cry out in your presence, 
let my prayer come before you;
   incline your ear to my cry. 

For my soul is full of troubles,
   and my life draws near to Sheol. 
I am counted among those who go down to the Pit;
   I am like those who have no help, 
like those forsaken among the dead,
   like the slain that lie in the grave,
like those whom you remember no more,
   for they are cut off from your hand. 
You have put me in the depths of the Pit,
   in the regions dark and deep. 
Your wrath lies heavy upon me,
   and you overwhelm me with all your waves.
          Selah 

You have caused my companions to shun me;
   you have made me a thing of horror to them.
I am shut in so that I cannot escape; 
   my eye grows dim through sorrow.
Every day I call on you, O Lord;
   I spread out my hands to you. 
Do you work wonders for the dead?
   Do the shades rise up to praise you?
          Selah 
Is your steadfast love declared in the grave,
   or your faithfulness in Abaddon? 
Are your wonders known in the darkness,
   or your saving help in the land of forgetfulness? 

But I, O Lord, cry out to you;
   in the morning my prayer comes before you. 
O Lord, why do you cast me off?
   Why do you hide your face from me? 
Wretched and close to death from my youth up,
   I suffer your terrors; I am desperate.* 
Your wrath has swept over me;
   your dread assaults destroy me. 
They surround me like a flood all day long;
   from all sides they close in on me. 
You have caused friend and neighbour to shun me;
   my companions are in darkness.
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Evening Psalms:  Psalm 91, 92

Psalm 91

You who live in the shelter of the Most High,
   who abide in the shadow of the Almighty,* 
will say to the Lord, ‘My refuge and my fortress;
   my God, in whom I trust.’ 
For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler
   and from the deadly pestilence; 
he will cover you with his pinions,
   and under his wings you will find refuge;
   his faithfulness is a shield and buckler. 
You will not fear the terror of the night,
   or the arrow that flies by day, 
or the pestilence that stalks in darkness,
   or the destruction that wastes at noonday. 

A thousand may fall at your side,
   ten thousand at your right hand,
   but it will not come near you. 
You will only look with your eyes
   and see the punishment of the wicked. 

Because you have made the Lord your refuge,*
   the Most High your dwelling-place, 
no evil shall befall you,
   no scourge come near your tent. 

For he will command his angels concerning you
   to guard you in all your ways. 
On their hands they will bear you up,
   so that you will not dash your foot against a stone. 
You will tread on the lion and the adder,
   the young lion and the serpent you will trample under foot. 

Those who love me, I will deliver;
   I will protect those who know my name. 
When they call to me, I will answer them;
   I will be with them in trouble,
   I will rescue them and honour them. 
With long life I will satisfy them,
   and show them my salvation.

Psalm 92

It is good to give thanks to the Lord,
   to sing praises to your name, O Most High; 
to declare your steadfast love in the morning,
   and your faithfulness by night, 
to the music of the lute and the harp,
   to the melody of the lyre. 
For you, O Lord, have made me glad by your work;
   at the works of your hands I sing for joy. 

How great are your works, O Lord!
   Your thoughts are very deep! 
The dullard cannot know,
   the stupid cannot understand this: 
though the wicked sprout like grass
   and all evildoers flourish,
they are doomed to destruction for ever, 
   but you, O Lord, are on high for ever. 
For your enemies, O Lord,
   for your enemies shall perish;
   all evildoers shall be scattered. 

But you have exalted my horn like that of the wild ox;
   you have poured over me* fresh oil. 
My eyes have seen the downfall of my enemies;
   my ears have heard the doom of my evil assailants. 

The righteous flourish like the palm tree,
   and grow like a cedar in Lebanon. 
They are planted in the house of the Lord;
   they flourish in the courts of our God. 
In old age they still produce fruit;
   they are always green and full of sap, 
showing that the Lord is upright;
   he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.
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