Open Word

Semicontinuous (Track 1)

FIRST READING

Joshua 6:1-16, 20

Verse 1. Now Jericho was tightly shut up because of the Israelites. No one went out and no one came in. Verse 2. And the LORD said to Joshua, “Behold, I have delivered Jericho into your hand, along with its king and its mighty men of valor. Verse 3. March around the city with all the men of war, circling the city one time. Do this for six days. Verse 4. Have seven priests carry seven rams’ horns in front of the ark. Then on the seventh day, march around the city seven times, while the priests blow the horns. Verse 5. And when there is a long blast of the ram’s horn and you hear its sound, have all the people give a mighty shout. Then the wall of the city will collapse and all your people will charge straight into the city. ” Verse 6. So Joshua son of Nun summoned the priests and said, “Take up the ark of the covenant and have seven priests carry seven rams’ horns in front of the ark of the LORD.” Verse 7. And he told the people, “Advance and march around the city, with the armed troops going ahead of the ark of the LORD.” Verse 8. After Joshua had spoken to the people, seven priests carrying seven rams’ horns before the LORD advanced and blew the horns, and the ark of the covenant of the LORD followed them. Verse 9. While the horns continued to sound, the armed troops marched ahead of the priests who blew the horns, and the rear guard followed the ark. Verse 10. But Joshua had commanded the people: “Do not give a battle cry or let your voice be heard; do not let one word come out of your mouth until the day I tell you to shout. Then you are to shout!” Verse 11. So he had the ark of the LORD carried around the city, circling it once. And the people returned to the camp and spent the night there. Verse 12. Joshua got up early the next morning, and the priests took the ark of the LORD. Verse 13. And the seven priests carrying seven rams’ horns kept marching ahead of the ark of the LORD and blowing the horns. The armed troops went in front of them and the rear guard followed the ark of the LORD, while the horns kept sounding. Verse 14. So on the second day they marched around the city once and returned to the camp. They did this for six days. Verse 15. Then on the seventh day, they got up at dawn and marched around the city seven times in the same manner. That was the only day they circled the city seven times. Verse 16. After the seventh time around, the priests blew the horns, and Joshua commanded the people, “Shout! For the LORD has given you the city! Verse 20. So when the rams’ horns sounded, the people shouted. When they heard the blast of the horn, the people gave a great shout, and the wall collapsed. Then all the people charged straight into the city and captured it.

PSALM

Psalm 128

A song of ascents. Blessed are all who fear the LORD, who walk in His ways!

For when you eat the fruit of your labor, blessings and prosperity will be yours.

Your wife will be like a fruitful vine flourishing within your house, your sons like olive shoots sitting around your table.

In this way indeed shall blessing come to the man who fears the LORD.

May the LORD bless you from Zion, that you may see the prosperity of Jerusalem all the days of your life,

that you may see your children’s children. Peace be upon Israel!

Complementary (Track 2)

FIRST READING

Lamentations 2:13-17

Verse 13. What can I say for you? To what can I compare you, O Daughter of Jerusalem? To what can I liken you, that I may console you, O Virgin Daughter of Zion? For your wound is as deep as the sea. Who can ever heal you? Verse 14. The visions of your prophets were empty and deceptive; they did not expose your guilt to ward off your captivity. The burdens they envisioned for you were empty and misleading. Verse 15. All who pass by clap their hands at you in scorn. They hiss and shake their heads at the Daughter of Jerusalem: “Is this the city that was called the perfection of beauty, the joy of all the earth?” Verse 16. All your enemies open their mouths against you. They hiss and gnash their teeth, saying, “We have swallowed her up. This is the day for which we have waited. We have lived to see it!” Verse 17. The LORD has done what He planned; He has accomplished His decree, which He ordained in days of old; He has overthrown you without pity. He has let the enemy gloat over you and exalted the horn of your foes.

PSALM

Psalm 5

For the choirmaster, to be accompanied by flutes. A Psalm of David. Give ear to my words, O LORD; consider my groaning.

Attend to the sound of my cry, my King and my God, for to You I pray.

In the morning, O LORD, You hear my voice; at daybreak I lay my plea before You and wait in expectation.

For You are not a God who delights in wickedness; no evil can dwell with You.

The boastful cannot stand in Your presence; You hate all workers of iniquity.

You destroy those who tell lies; the LORD abhors the man of bloodshed and deceit.

But I will enter Your house by the abundance of Your loving devotion; in reverence I will bow down toward Your holy temple.

Lead me, O LORD, in Your righteousness because of my enemies; make straight Your way before me.

For not a word they speak can be trusted; destruction lies within them. Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit.

Declare them guilty, O God; let them fall by their own devices. Drive them out for their many transgressions, for they have rebelled against You.

But let all who take refuge in You rejoice; let them ever shout for joy. May You shelter them, that those who love Your name may rejoice in You.

For surely You, O LORD, bless the righteous; You surround them with the shield of Your favor.

SECOND READING

Acts 13:1-12

Verse 1. Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen ( who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch ), and Saul. Verse 2. While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Verse 3. And after they had fasted and prayed, they laid their hands on them and sent them off. Verse 4. So Barnabas and Saul, sent forth by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia and sailed from there to Cyprus. Verse 5. When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues. And John was with them as their helper. Verse 6. They traveled through the whole island as far as Paphos, where they found a Jewish sorcerer and false prophet named Bar-Jesus, Verse 7. an attendant of the proconsul, Sergius Paulus. The proconsul, a man of intelligence, summoned Barnabas and Saul because he wanted to hear the word of God. Verse 8. But Elymas the sorcerer (for that is what his name means) opposed them and tried to turn the proconsul from the faith. Verse 9. Then Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked directly at Elymas Verse 10. and said, “O child of the devil and enemy of all righteousness, you are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery! Will you never stop perverting the straight ways of the Lord? Verse 11. Now look, the hand of the Lord is against you, and for a time you will be blind and unable to see the light of the sun.” Immediately mist and darkness came over him, and he groped about, seeking someone to lead him by the hand. Verse 12. When the proconsul saw what had happened, he believed, for he was astonished at the teaching about the Lord.