Open Word

FIRST READING

Judges 2:16-23

Verse 16. Then the LORD raised up judges, who saved them from the hands of those who plundered them. Verse 17. Israel, however, did not listen to their judges. Instead, they prostituted themselves with other gods and bowed down to them. They quickly turned from the way of their fathers, who had walked in obedience to the LORD’s commandments; they did not do as their fathers had done. Verse 18. Whenever the LORD raised up a judge for the Israelites, He was with that judge and saved them from the hands of their enemies while the judge was still alive; for the LORD was moved to pity by their groaning under those who oppressed them and afflicted them. Verse 19. But when the judge died, the Israelites became even more corrupt than their fathers, going after other gods to serve them and bow down to them. They would not give up their evil practices and stubborn ways. Verse 20. So the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and He said, “Because this nation has transgressed the covenant I laid down for their fathers and has not heeded My voice, Verse 21. I will no longer drive out before them any of the nations Joshua left when he died. Verse 22. In this way I will test whether Israel will keep the way of the LORD by walking in it as their fathers did.” Verse 23. That is why the LORD had left those nations in place and had not driven them out immediately by delivering them into the hand of Joshua.

PSALM

Psalm 139:1-6, 13-18

For the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. O LORD, You have searched me and known me.

You know when I sit and when I rise; You understand my thoughts from afar.

You search out my path and my lying down; You are aware of all my ways.

Even before a word is on my tongue, You know all about it, O LORD.

You hem me in behind and before; You have laid Your hand upon me.

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.

For You formed my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother’s womb.

I praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Marvelous are Your works, and I know this very well.

My frame was not hidden from You when I was made in secret, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.

Your eyes saw my unformed body; all my days were written in Your book and ordained for me before one of them came to be.

How precious to me are Your thoughts, O God, how vast is their sum!

If I were to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand; and when I awake, I am still with You.

SECOND READING

Acts 13:16-25

Verse 16. Paul stood up, motioned with his hand, and began to speak: “Men of Israel and you Gentiles who fear God, listen to me! Verse 17. The God of the people of Israel chose our fathers. He made them into a great people during their stay in Egypt, and with an uplifted arm He led them out of that land. Verse 18. He endured their conduct for about forty years in the wilderness. Verse 19. And having vanquished seven nations in Canaan, He gave their land to His people as an inheritance. Verse 20. All this took about 450 years. After this, God gave them judges until the time of Samuel the prophet. Verse 21. Then the people asked for a king, and God gave them Saul son of Kish, from the tribe of Benjamin, who ruled forty years. Verse 22. After removing Saul, He raised up David as their king and testified about him: ‘I have found David son of Jesse a man after My own heart; he will carry out My will in its entirety.’ Verse 23. From the descendants of this man, God has brought to Israel the Savior Jesus, as He promised. Verse 24. Before the arrival of Jesus, John preached a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. Verse 25. As John was completing his course, he said, ‘Who do you suppose I am? I am not that One. But there is One coming after me whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.’