1 Samuel 18, Romans 16, Lamentations 3, Psalm 34

1 Samuel 18,

1 After David had finished talking with Saul, Jonathan became one in spirit with David, and he loved him as himself.
 
2 From that day Saul kept David with him and did not let him return to his father's house.
 
3 And Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself.
 
4 Jonathan took off the robe he was wearing and gave it to David, along with his tunic, and even his sword, his bow and his belt.
 
5 Whatever Saul sent him to do, David did it so successfully that Saul gave him a high rank in the army. This pleased all the people, and Saul's officers as well.
 
6 When the men were returning home after David had killed the Philistine, the women came out from all the towns of Israel to meet King Saul with singing and dancing, with joyful songs and with tambourines and lutes.
 
7 As they danced, they sang: "Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands."
 
8 Saul was very angry; this refrain galled him. "They have credited David with tens of thousands," he thought, "but me with only thousands. What more can he get but the kingdom?"
 
9 And from that time on Saul kept a jealous eye on David.
 
10 The next day an evil spirit from God came forcefully upon Saul. He was prophesying in his house, while David was playing the harp, as he usually did. Saul had a spear in his hand
 
11 and he hurled it, saying to himself, "I'll pin David to the wall." But David eluded him twice.
 
12 Saul was afraid of David, because the LORD was with David but had left Saul.
 
13 So he sent David away from him and gave him command over a thousand men, and David led the troops in their campaigns.
 
14 In everything he did he had great success, because the LORD was with him.
 
15 When Saul saw how successful he was, he was afraid of him.
 
16 But all Israel and Judah loved David, because he led them in their campaigns.
 
17 Saul said to David, "Here is my older daughter Merab. I will give her to you in marriage; only serve me bravely and fight the battles of the LORD." For Saul said to himself, "I will not raise a hand against him. Let the Philistines do that!"
 
18 But David said to Saul, "Who am I, and what is my family or my father's clan in Israel, that I should become the king's son-in-law?
 
19 So when the time came for Merab, Saul's daughter, to be given to David, she was given in marriage to Adriel of Meholah.
 
20 Now Saul's daughter Michal was in love with David, and when they told Saul about it, he was pleased.
 
21 "I will give her to him," he thought, "so that she may be a snare to him and so that the hand of the Philistines may be against him." So Saul said to David, "Now you have a second opportunity to become my son-in-law."
 
22 Then Saul ordered his attendants: "Speak to David privately and say, 'Look, the king is pleased with you, and his attendants all like you; now become his son-in-law.' "
 
23 They repeated these words to David. But David said, "Do you think it is a small matter to become the king's son-in-law? I'm only a poor man and little known."
 
24 When Saul's servants told him what David had said,
 
25 Saul replied, "Say to David, 'The king wants no other price for the bride than a hundred Philistine foreskins, to take revenge on his enemies.' " Saul's plan was to have David fall by the hands of the Philistines.
 
26 When the attendants told David these things, he was pleased to become the king's son-in-law. So before the allotted time elapsed,
 
27 David and his men went out and killed two hundred Philistines. He brought their foreskins and presented the full number to the king so that he might become the king's son-in-law. Then Saul gave him his daughter Michal in marriage.
 
28 When Saul realized that the LORD was with David and that his daughter Michal loved David,
 
29 Saul became still more afraid of him, and he remained his enemy the rest of his days.
 
30 The Philistine commanders continued to go out to battle, and as often as they did, David met with more success than the rest of Saul's officers, and his name became well known.
 

Romans 16,

1 I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant of the church in Cenchrea.
 
2 I ask you to receive her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints and to give her any help she may need from you, for she has been a great help to many people, including me.
 
3 Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus.
 
4 They risked their lives for me. Not only I but all the churches of the Gentiles are grateful to them.
 
5 Greet also the church that meets at their house. Greet my dear friend Epenetus, who was the first convert to Christ in the province of Asia.
 
6 Greet Mary, who worked very hard for you.
 
7 Greet Andronicus and Junias, my relatives who have been in prison with me. They are outstanding among the apostles, and they were in Christ before I was.
 
8 Greet Ampliatus, whom I love in the Lord.
 
9 Greet Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ, and my dear friend Stachys.
 
10 Greet Apelles, tested and approved in Christ. Greet those who belong to the household of Aristobulus.
 
11 Greet Herodion, my relative. Greet those in the household of Narcissus who are in the Lord.
 
12 Greet Tryphena and Tryphosa, those women who work hard in the Lord. Greet my dear friend Persis, another woman who has worked very hard in the Lord.
 
13 Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord, and his mother, who has been a mother to me, too.
 
14 Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas and the brothers with them.
 
15 Greet Philologus, Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas and all the saints with them.
 
16 Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ send greetings.
 
17 I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them.
 
18 For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people.
 
19 Everyone has heard about your obedience, so I am full of joy over you; but I want you to be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil.
 
20 The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.
 
21 Timothy, my fellow worker, sends his greetings to you, as do Lucius, Jason and Sosipater, my relatives.
 
22 I, Tertius, who wrote down this letter, greet you in the Lord.
 
23 Gaius, whose hospitality I and the whole church here enjoy, sends you his greetings. Erastus, who is the city's director of public works, and our brother Quartus send you their greetings.
 
24 NONE
 
25 Now to him who is able to establish you by my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery hidden for long ages past,
 
26 but now revealed and made known through the prophetic writings by the command of the eternal God, so that all nations might believe and obey him-
 
27 to the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ! Amen.
 

Lamentations 3,

1 I am the man who has seen affliction by the rod of his wrath.
 
2 He has driven me away and made me walk in darkness rather than light;
 
3 indeed, he has turned his hand against me again and again, all day long.
 
4 He has made my skin and my flesh grow old and has broken my bones.
 
5 He has besieged me and surrounded me with bitterness and hardship.
 
6 He has made me dwell in darkness like those long dead.
 
7 He has walled me in so I cannot escape; he has weighed me down with chains.
 
8 Even when I call out or cry for help, he shuts out my prayer.
 
9 He has barred my way with blocks of stone; he has made my paths crooked.
 
10 Like a bear lying in wait, like a lion in hiding,
 
11 he dragged me from the path and mangled me and left me without help.
 
12 He drew his bow and made me the target for his arrows.
 
13 He pierced my heart with arrows from his quiver.
 
14 I became the laughingstock of all my people; they mock me in song all day long.
 
15 He has filled me with bitter herbs and sated me with gall.
 
16 He has broken my teeth with gravel; he has trampled me in the dust.
 
17 I have been deprived of peace; I have forgotten what prosperity is.
 
18 So I say, "My splendor is gone and all that I had hoped from the LORD."
 
19 I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall.
 
20 I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me.
 
21 Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope:
 
22 Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.
 
23 They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
 
24 I say to myself, "The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him."
 
25 The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him;
 
26 it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD.
 
27 It is good for a man to bear the yoke while he is young.
 
28 Let him sit alone in silence, for the LORD has laid it on him.
 
29 Let him bury his face in the dust-there may yet be hope.
 
30 Let him offer his cheek to one who would strike him, and let him be filled with disgrace.
 
31 For men are not cast off by the Lord forever.
 
32 Though he brings grief, he will show compassion, so great is his unfailing love.
 
33 For he does not willingly bring affliction or grief to the children of men.
 
34 To crush underfoot all prisoners in the land,
 
35 to deny a man his rights before the Most High,
 
36 to deprive a man of justice-would not the Lord see such things?
 
37 Who can speak and have it happen if the Lord has not decreed it?
 
38 Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that both calamities and good things come?
 
39 Why should any living man complain when punished for his sins?
 
40 Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the LORD.
 
41 Let us lift up our hearts and our hands to God in heaven, and say:
 
42 "We have sinned and rebelled and you have not forgiven.
 
43 "You have covered yourself with anger and pursued us; you have slain without pity.
 
44 You have covered yourself with a cloud so that no prayer can get through.
 
45 You have made us scum and refuse among the nations.
 
46 "All our enemies have opened their mouths wide against us.
 
47 We have suffered terror and pitfalls, ruin and destruction."
 
48 Streams of tears flow from my eyes because my people are destroyed.
 
49 My eyes will flow unceasingly, without relief,
 
50 until the LORD looks down from heaven and sees.
 
51 What I see brings grief to my soul because of all the women of my city.
 
52 Those who were my enemies without cause hunted me like a bird.
 
53 They tried to end my life in a pit and threw stones at me;
 
54 the waters closed over my head, and I thought I was about to be cut off.
 
55 I called on your name, O LORD, from the depths of the pit.
 
56 You heard my plea: "Do not close your ears to my cry for relief."
 
57 You came near when I called you, and you said, "Do not fear."
 
58 O Lord, you took up my case; you redeemed my life.
 
59 You have seen, O LORD, the wrong done to me. Uphold my cause!
 
60 You have seen the depth of their vengeance, all their plots against me.
 
61 O LORD, you have heard their insults, all their plots against me-
 
62 what my enemies whisper and mutter against me all day long.
 
63 Look at them! Sitting or standing, they mock me in their songs.
 
64 Pay them back what they deserve, O LORD, for what their hands have done.
 
65 Put a veil over their hearts, and may your curse be on them!
 
66 Pursue them in anger and destroy them from under the heavens of the LORD.
 

Psalm 34

1 I will extol the LORD at all times; his praise will always be on my lips.
 
2 My soul will boast in the LORD; let the afflicted hear and rejoice.
 
3 Glorify the LORD with me; let us exalt his name together.
 
4 I sought the LORD, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.
 
5 Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame.
 
6 This poor man called, and the LORD heard him; he saved him out of all his troubles.
 
7 The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them.
 
8 Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.
 
9 Fear the LORD, you his saints, for those who fear him lack nothing.
 
10 The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.
 
11 Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD.
 
12 Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days,
 
13 keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies.
 
14 Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.
 
15 The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their cry;
 
16 the face of the LORD is against those who do evil, to cut off the memory of them from the earth.
 
17 The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles.
 
18 The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
 
19 A righteous man may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from them all;
 
20 he protects all his bones, not one of them will be broken.
 
21 Evil will slay the wicked; the foes of the righteous will be condemned.
 
22 The LORD redeems his servants; no one will be condemned who takes refuge in him.