Open Word

Semicontinuous (Track 1)

FIRST READING

1 Samuel 2:1-10

Verse 1. At that time Hannah prayed: “My heart rejoices in the LORD; my horn is exalted in the LORD. My mouth speaks boldly against my enemies, for I rejoice in Your salvation. Verse 2. There is no one holy like the LORD. Indeed, there is no one besides You! And there is no Rock like our God. Verse 3. Do not boast so proudly, or let arrogance come from your mouth, for the LORD is a God who knows, and by Him actions are weighed. Verse 4. The bows of the mighty are broken, but the feeble are equipped with strength. Verse 5. The well-fed hire themselves out for food, but the starving hunger no more. The barren woman gives birth to seven, but she who has many sons pines away. Verse 6. The LORD brings death and gives life; He brings down to Sheol and raises up. Verse 7. The LORD sends poverty and wealth; He humbles and He exalts. Verse 8. He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap. He seats them among princes and bestows on them a throne of honor. For the foundations of the earth are the LORD’s, and upon them He has set the world. Verse 9. He guards the steps of His faithful ones, but the wicked perish in darkness; for by his own strength shall no man prevail. Verse 10. Those who oppose the LORD will be shattered. He will thunder from heaven against them. The LORD will judge the ends of the earth and will give power to His king. He will exalt the horn of His anointed.”

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.

Complementary (Track 2)

FIRST READING

Leviticus 24:5-9

Verse 5. You are also to take fine flour and bake twelve loaves, using two-tenths of an ephah for each loaf, Verse 6. and set them in two rows — six per row — on the table of pure gold before the LORD. Verse 7. And you are to place pure frankincense near each row, so that it may serve as a memorial portion for the bread, a food offering to the LORD. Verse 8. Every Sabbath day the bread is to be set out before the LORD on behalf of the Israelites as a permanent covenant. Verse 9. It belongs to Aaron and his sons, who are to eat it in a holy place; for it is to him a most holy part of the food offerings to the LORD — his portion forever.”

PSALM

Psalm 81:1-10

For the choirmaster. According to Gittith. Of Asaph. Sing for joy to God our strength; make a joyful noise to the God of Jacob.

Lift up a song, strike the tambourine, play the sweet-sounding harp and lyre.

Sound the ram’s horn at the New Moon, and at the full moon on the day of our Feast.

For this is a statute for Israel, an ordinance of the God of Jacob.

He ordained it as a testimony for Joseph when he went out over the land of Egypt, where I heard an unfamiliar language:

“I relieved his shoulder of the burden; his hands were freed from the basket.

You called out in distress, and I rescued you; I answered you from the cloud of thunder; I tested you at the waters of Meribah.

Hear, O My people, and I will warn you: O Israel, if only you would listen to Me!

There must be no strange god among you, nor shall you bow to a foreign god.

I am the LORD your God, who brought you up out of Egypt. Open wide your mouth, and I will fill it.

SECOND READING

John 7:19-24

Verse 19. Has not Moses given you the law? Yet not one of you keeps it. Why are you trying to kill Me?” Verse 20. “You have a demon,” the crowd replied. “Who is trying to kill You?” Verse 21. Jesus answered them, “I did one miracle, and you are all amazed. Verse 22. But because Moses gave you circumcision, you circumcise a boy on the Sabbath (not that it is from Moses, but from the patriarchs.) Verse 23. If a boy can be circumcised on the Sabbath so that the law of Moses will not be broken, why are you angry with Me for making the whole man well on the Sabbath? Verse 24. Stop judging by outward appearances, and start judging justly.”