Friday 6 December 2024 DAILY LECTIONARY

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Friday 6 December 2024  
DAILY LECTIONARY

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Isaiah 3:8-15

For Jerusalem has stumbled
   and Judah has fallen,
because their speech and their deeds are against the Lord,
   defying his glorious presence. 

The look on their faces bears witness against them;
   they proclaim their sin like Sodom,
   they do not hide it.
Woe to them!
   For they have brought evil on themselves. 
Tell the innocent how fortunate they are,
   for they shall eat the fruit of their labours. 
Woe to the guilty! How unfortunate they are,
   for what their hands have done shall be done to them. 
My people—children are their oppressors,
   and women rule over them.
O my people, your leaders mislead you,
   and confuse the course of your paths. 

The Lord rises to argue his case;
   he stands to judge the peoples. 
The Lord enters into judgement
   with the elders and princes of his people:
It is you who have devoured the vineyard;
   the spoil of the poor is in your houses. 
What do you mean by crushing my people,
   by grinding the face of the poor? says the Lord God of hosts.
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1 Thessalonians 4:1-12

Finally, brothers and sisters,* we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus
that, as you learned from us how you ought to live and to please God
(as, in fact, you are doing), you should do so more and more. For you
know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. For this is
the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from
fornication; that each one of you knows how to control your own body*
in holiness and honour, not with lustful passion, like the Gentiles
who do not know God; that no one wrongs or exploits a brother or
sister* in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these
things, just as we have already told you beforehand and solemnly
warned you. For God did not call us to impurity but in holiness.
Therefore whoever rejects this rejects not human authority but God,
who also gives his Holy Spirit to you.

 Now concerning love of the brothers and sisters,* you do not need to
have anyone write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God
to love one another; and indeed you do love all the brothers and
sisters* throughout Macedonia. But we urge you, beloved,* to do so
more and more, to aspire to live quietly, to mind your own affairs,
and to work with your hands, as we directed you, so that you may
behave properly towards outsiders and be dependent on no one.

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Luke 20:41-21:4

Then he said to them, ‘How can they say that the Messiah* is
David’s son? For David himself says in the book of Psalms,
“The Lord said to my Lord,
‘Sit at my right hand, 
   until I make your enemies your footstool.’ ” 
David thus calls him Lord; so how can he be his son?’
 In the hearing of all the people he said to the* disciples,
‘Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and
love to be greeted with respect in the market-places, and to have the
best seats in the synagogues and places of honour at banquets. They
devour widows’ houses and for the sake of appearance say long
prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.’
He looked up and saw rich people putting their gifts into the
treasury; he also saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. He
said, ‘Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of
them; for all of them have contributed out of their abundance, but she
out of her poverty has put in all she had to live on.’
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Morning Psalms:  Psalm 16, 17

Psalm 16

Protect me, O God, for in you I take refuge. 
I say to the Lord, ‘You are my Lord;
   I have no good apart from you.’*

As for the holy ones in the land, they are the noble,
   in whom is all my delight. 

Those who choose another god multiply their sorrows;*
   their drink-offerings of blood I will not pour out
   or take their names upon my lips. 

The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup;
   you hold my lot. 
The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
   I have a goodly heritage. 

I bless the Lord who gives me counsel;
   in the night also my heart instructs me. 
I keep the Lord always before me;
   because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. 

Therefore my heart is glad, and my soul rejoices;
   my body also rests secure. 
For you do not give me up to Sheol,
   or let your faithful one see the Pit. 

You show me the path of life.
   In your presence there is fullness of joy;
   in your right hand are pleasures for evermore.

Psalm 17

Hear a just cause, O Lord; attend to my cry;
   give ear to my prayer from lips free of deceit. 
>From you let my vindication come;
   let your eyes see the right. 

If you try my heart, if you visit me by night,
   if you test me, you will find no wickedness in me;
   my mouth does not transgress. 
As for what others do, by the word of your lips
   I have avoided the ways of the violent. 
My steps have held fast to your paths;
   my feet have not slipped. 

I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God;
   incline your ear to me, hear my words. 
Wondrously show your steadfast love,
   O saviour of those who seek refuge
   from their adversaries at your right hand. 

Guard me as the apple of the eye;
   hide me in the shadow of your wings, 
from the wicked who despoil me,
   my deadly enemies who surround me. 
They close their hearts to pity;
   with their mouths they speak arrogantly. 
They track me down;* now they surround me;
   they set their eyes to cast me to the ground. 
They are like a lion eager to tear,
   like a young lion lurking in ambush. 

Rise up, O Lord, confront them, overthrow them!
   By your sword deliver my life from the wicked, 
from mortals—by your hand, O Lord—
   from mortals whose portion in life is in this world.
May their bellies be filled with what you have stored up for them;
   may their children have more than enough;
   may they leave something over to their little ones. 

As for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness;
   when I awake I shall be satisfied, beholding your likeness.
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Evening Psalms: Psalm 22

Psalm 22

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
   Why are you so far from helping me, from the words of my
groaning? 
O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer;
   and by night, but find no rest. 

Yet you are holy,
   enthroned on the praises of Israel. 
In you our ancestors trusted;
   they trusted, and you delivered them. 
To you they cried, and were saved;
   in you they trusted, and were not put to shame. 

But I am a worm, and not human;
   scorned by others, and despised by the people. 
All who see me mock at me;
   they make mouths at me, they shake their heads; 
‘Commit your cause to the Lord; let him deliver—
   let him rescue the one in whom he delights!’ 

Yet it was you who took me from the womb;
   you kept me safe on my mother’s breast. 
On you I was cast from my birth,
   and since my mother bore me you have been my God. 
Do not be far from me,
   for trouble is near
   and there is no one to help. 

Many bulls encircle me,
   strong bulls of Bashan surround me; 
they open wide their mouths at me,
   like a ravening and roaring lion. 

I am poured out like water,
   and all my bones are out of joint;
my heart is like wax;
   it is melted within my breast; 
my mouth* is dried up like a potsherd,
   and my tongue sticks to my jaws;
   you lay me in the dust of death. 

For dogs are all around me;
   a company of evildoers encircles me.
My hands and feet have shrivelled;* 
I can count all my bones.
They stare and gloat over me; 
they divide my clothes among themselves,
   and for my clothing they cast lots. 

But you, O Lord, do not be far away!
   O my help, come quickly to my aid! 
Deliver my soul from the sword,
   my life* from the power of the dog! 
   Save me from the mouth of the lion! 

>From the horns of the wild oxen you have rescued* me. 
I will tell of your name to my brothers and sisters;*
   in the midst of the congregation I will praise you: 
You who fear the Lord, praise him!
   All you offspring of Jacob, glorify him;
   stand in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel! 
For he did not despise or abhor
   the affliction of the afflicted;
he did not hide his face from me,*
   but heard when I* cried to him. 

>From you comes my praise in the great congregation;
   my vows I will pay before those who fear him. 
The poor* shall eat and be satisfied;
   those who seek him shall praise the Lord.
   May your hearts live for ever! 

All the ends of the earth shall remember
   and turn to the Lord;
and all the families of the nations
   shall worship before him.* 
For dominion belongs to the Lord,
   and he rules over the nations. 

To him,* indeed, shall all who sleep in* the earth bow down;
   before him shall bow all who go down to the dust,
   and I shall live for him.* 
Posterity will serve him;
   future generations will be told about the Lord, 
and* proclaim his deliverance to a people yet unborn,
   saying that he has done it.
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