Wednesday 4 July 2007 DAILY LECTIONARY

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Wednesday 4 July 2007 
DAILY LECTIONARY

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1 Samuel 12:1-6,16-25

Samuel said to all Israel, 'I have listened to you in all that you have
said to me, and have set a king over you. See, it is the king who leads
you now; I am old and grey, but my sons are with you. I have led you
from my youth until this day. Here I am; testify against me before the
Lord and before his anointed. Whose ox have I taken? Or whose donkey
have I taken? Or whom have I defrauded? Whom have I oppressed? Or from
whose hand have I taken a bribe to blind my eyes with it? Testify
against me and I will restore it to you.' They said, 'You have not
defrauded us or oppressed us or taken anything from the hand of anyone.'
He said to them, 'The Lord is witness against you, and his anointed is
witness this day, that you have not found anything in my hand.' And they
said, 'He is witness.' 
Samuel said to the people, 'The Lord is witness, who appointed Moses and
Aaron and brought your ancestors up out of the land of Egypt. Now
therefore take your stand and see this great thing that the Lord will do
before your eyes. Is it not the wheat harvest today? I will call upon
the Lord, that he may send thunder and rain; and you shall know and see
that the wickedness that you have done in the sight of the Lord is great
in demanding a king for yourselves.' So Samuel called upon the Lord, and
the Lord sent thunder and rain that day; and all the people greatly
feared the Lord and Samuel. 
All the people said to Samuel, 'Pray to the Lord your God for your
servants, so that we may not die; for we have added to all our sins the
evil of demanding a king for ourselves.' And Samuel said to the people,
'Do not be afraid; you have done all this evil, yet do not turn aside
from following the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart; and do
not turn aside after useless things that cannot profit or save, for they
are useless. For the Lord will not cast away his people, for his great
name's sake, because it has pleased the Lord to make you a people for
himself. Moreover as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against
the Lord by ceasing to pray for you; and I will instruct you in the good
and the right way. Only fear the Lord, and serve him faithfully with all
your heart; for consider what great things he has done for you. But if
you still do wickedly, you shall be swept away, both you and your king.'
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Acts 8:14-25

Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the
word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. The two went down and
prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit (for as yet the
Spirit had not come upon any of them; they had only been baptized in the
name of the Lord Jesus). Then Peter and John laid their hands on them,
and they received the Holy Spirit. Now when Simon saw that the Spirit
was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them
money, saying, 'Give me also this power so that anyone on whom I lay my
hands may receive the Holy Spirit.' But Peter said to him, 'May your
silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain God's gift
with money! You have no part or share in this, for your heart is not
right before God. Repent therefore of this wickedness of yours, and pray
to the Lord that, if possible, the intent of your heart may be forgiven
you. For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and the chains of
wickedness.' Simon answered, 'Pray for me to the Lord, that nothing of
what you have said may happen to me.' 
Now after Peter and John had testified and spoken the word of the Lord,
they returned to Jerusalem, proclaiming the good news to many villages
of the Samaritans.
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Luke 23:1-12

Then the assembly rose as a body and brought Jesus before Pilate. They
began to accuse him, saying, 'We found this man perverting our nation,
forbidding us to pay taxes to the emperor, and saying that he himself is
the Messiah, a king.' Then Pilate asked him, 'Are you the king of the
Jews?' He answered, 'You say so.' Then Pilate said to the chief priests
and the crowds, 'I find no basis for an accusation against this man.'
But they were insistent and said, 'He stirs up the people by teaching
throughout all Judea, from Galilee where he began even to this place.' 
When Pilate heard this, he asked whether the man was a Galilean. And
when he learned that he was under Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him off
to Herod, who was himself in Jerusalem at that time. When Herod saw
Jesus, he was very glad, for he had been wanting to see him for a long
time, because he had heard about him and was hoping to see him perform
some sign. He questioned him at some length, but Jesus gave him no
answer. The chief priests and the scribes stood by, vehemently accusing
him. Even Herod with his soldiers treated him with contempt and mocked
him; then he put an elegant robe on him, and sent him back to Pilate.
That same day Herod and Pilate became friends with each other; before
this they had been enemies.
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Morning Psalms:  Psalm 119:145-176

Psalm 119:145-176

With my whole heart I cry; answer me, O Lord.
   I will keep your statutes. 
I cry to you; save me,
   that I may observe your decrees. 
I rise before dawn and cry for help;
   I put my hope in your words. 
My eyes are awake before each watch of the night,
   that I may meditate on your promise. 
In your steadfast love hear my voice;
   O Lord, in your justice preserve my life. 
Those who persecute me with evil purpose draw near;
   they are far from your law. 
Yet you are near, O Lord,
   and all your commandments are true. 
Long ago I learned from your decrees
   that you have established them for ever. 


Look on my misery and rescue me,
   for I do not forget your law. 
Plead my cause and redeem me;
   give me life according to your promise. 
Salvation is far from the wicked,
   for they do not seek your statutes. 
Great is your mercy, O Lord;
   give me life according to your justice. 
Many are my persecutors and my adversaries,
   yet I do not swerve from your decrees. 
I look at the faithless with disgust,
   because they do not keep your commands. 
Consider how I love your precepts;
   preserve my life according to your steadfast love. 
The sum of your word is truth;
   and every one of your righteous ordinances endures for ever. 


Princes persecute me without cause,
   but my heart stands in awe of your words. 
I rejoice at your word
   like one who finds great spoil. 
I hate and abhor falsehood,
   but I love your law. 
Seven times a day I praise you
   for your righteous ordinances. 
Great peace have those who love your law;
   nothing can make them stumble. 
I hope for your salvation, O Lord,
   and I fulfil your commandments. 
My soul keeps your decrees;
   I love them exceedingly. 
I keep your precepts and decrees,
   for all my ways are before you. 


Let my cry come before you, O Lord;
   give me understanding according to your word. 
Let my supplication come before you;
   deliver me according to your promise. 
My lips will pour forth praise,
   because you teach me your statutes. 
My tongue will sing of your promise,
   for all your commandments are right. 
Let your hand be ready to help me,
   for I have chosen your precepts. 
I long for your salvation, O Lord,
   and your law is my delight. 
Let me live that I may praise you,
   and let your ordinances help me. 
I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek out your servant,
   for I do not forget your commandments.
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Evening Psalms: Psalm 128, 129, 130

Psalm 128

Happy is everyone who fears the Lord,
   who walks in his ways. 
You shall eat the fruit of the labour of your hands;
   you shall be happy, and it shall go well with you. 


Your wife will be like a fruitful vine
   within your house;
your children will be like olive shoots
   around your table. 
Thus shall the man be blessed
   who fears the Lord. 


The Lord bless you from Zion.
   May you see the prosperity of Jerusalem
   all the days of your life. 
May you see your children's children.
   Peace be upon Israel!



Psalm 129

'Often have they attacked me from my youth'
   -let Israel now say- 
'often have they attacked me from my youth,
   yet they have not prevailed against me. 
Those who plough ploughed on my back;
   they made their furrows long.' 
The Lord is righteous;
   he has cut the cords of the wicked. 
May all who hate Zion
   be put to shame and turned back. 
Let them be like the grass on the housetops
   that withers before it grows up, 
with which reapers do not fill their hands
   or binders of sheaves their arms, 
while those who pass by do not say,
   'The blessing of the Lord be upon you!
   We bless you in the name of the Lord!'



Psalm 130

Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord. 
   Lord, hear my voice!
Let your ears be attentive
   to the voice of my supplications! 


If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities,
   Lord, who could stand? 
But there is forgiveness with you,
   so that you may be revered. 


I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,
   and in his word I hope; 
my soul waits for the Lord
   more than those who watch for the morning,
   more than those who watch for the morning. 


O Israel, hope in the Lord!
   For with the Lord there is steadfast love,
   and with him is great power to redeem. 
It is he who will redeem Israel
   from all its iniquities.
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