Wednesday in Season after Pentecost

Semicontinuous (Track 1)

FIRST READING

1 Chronicles 10:1-14

Verse 1. Now the Philistines fought against Israel, and the men of Israel fled before them, and many fell slain on Mount Gilboa. Verse 2. The Philistines followed hard after Saul and his sons, and they killed Saul’s sons Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchishua. Verse 3. When the battle intensified against Saul, the archers overtook him and wounded him. Verse 4. Then Saul said to his armor-bearer, “Draw your sword and run me through with it, or these uncircumcised men will come and torture me!” But his armor-bearer was terrified and refused to do it. So Saul took his own sword and fell on it. Verse 5. When his armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he too fell on his own sword and died. Verse 6. So Saul died together with his three sons and all his house. Verse 7. When all the Israelites in the valley saw that the army had fled and that Saul and his sons had died, they abandoned their cities and ran away. So the Philistines came and occupied their cities. Verse 8. The next day, when the Philistines came to strip the dead, they found Saul and his sons fallen on Mount Gilboa. Verse 9. They stripped Saul, cut off his head, took his armor, and sent messengers throughout the land of the Philistines to proclaim the news in the temple of their idols and among their people. Verse 10. They put his armor in the temple of their gods and hung his head in the temple of Dagon. Verse 11. When all the people of Jabesh-gilead heard about everything the Philistines had done to Saul, Verse 12. all their men of valor set out and retrieved the bodies of Saul and his sons and brought them to Jabesh. And they buried their bones under the oak in Jabesh and fasted seven days. Verse 13. So Saul died for his unfaithfulness to the LORD, because he did not keep the word of the LORD and even consulted a medium for guidance, Verse 14. and he failed to inquire of the LORD. So the LORD put him to death and turned the kingdom over to David son of Jesse.

PSALM

Psalm 18:1-6, 43-50

For the choirmaster. Of David the servant of the LORD, who sang this song to the LORD on the day the LORD had delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. He said: I love You, O LORD, my strength.

The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer. My God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised; so shall I be saved from my enemies.

The cords of death encompassed me; the torrents of chaos overwhelmed me.

The cords of Sheol entangled me; the snares of death confronted me.

In my distress I called upon the LORD; I cried to my God for help. From His temple He heard my voice, and my cry for His help reached His ears.

You have delivered me from the strife of the people; You have made me the head of nations; a people I had not known shall serve me.

When they hear me, they obey me; foreigners cower before me.

Foreigners lose heart and come trembling from their strongholds.

The LORD lives, and blessed be my Rock! And may the God of my salvation be exalted—

the God who avenges me and subdues nations beneath me,

who delivers me from my enemies. You exalt me above my foes; You rescue me from violent men.

Therefore I will praise You, O LORD, among the nations; I will sing praises to Your name.

Great salvation He brings to His king. He shows loving devotion to His anointed, to David and his descendants forever.

Complementary (Track 2)

FIRST READING

2 Kings 20:1-11

Verse 1. In those days Hezekiah became mortally ill. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz came to him and said, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Put your house in order, for you are about to die; you will not recover.’” Verse 2. Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD, saying, Verse 3. “Please, O LORD, remember how I have walked before You faithfully and with wholehearted devotion; I have done what is good in Your sight.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly. Verse 4. Before Isaiah had left the middle courtyard, the word of the LORD came to him, saying, Verse 5. “Go back and tell Hezekiah the leader of My people that this is what the LORD, the God of your father David, says: ‘I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears. I will surely heal you. On the third day from now you will go up to the house of the LORD. Verse 6. I will add fifteen years to your life. And I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria. I will defend this city for My sake and for the sake of My servant David.’” Verse 7. Then Isaiah said, “Prepare a poultice of figs.” So they brought it and applied it to the boil, and Hezekiah recovered. Verse 8. Now Hezekiah had asked Isaiah, “What will be the sign that the LORD will heal me and that I will go up to the house of the LORD on the third day?” Verse 9. And Isaiah had replied, “This will be a sign to you from the LORD that He will do what He has promised: Would you like the shadow to go forward ten steps, or back ten steps?” Verse 10. “It is easy for the shadow to lengthen ten steps,” answered Hezekiah, “but not for it to go back ten steps.” Verse 11. So Isaiah the prophet called out to the LORD, and He brought the shadow back the ten steps it had descended on the stairway of Ahaz.

PSALM

Psalm 88

A song. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. For the choirmaster. According to Mahalath Leannoth. A Maskil of Heman the Ezrahite. O LORD, the God of my salvation, day and night I cry out before You.

May my prayer come before You; incline Your ear to my cry.

For my soul is full of troubles, and my life draws near to Sheol.

I am counted among those descending to the Pit. I am like a man without strength.

I am forsaken among the dead, like the slain who lie in the grave, whom You remember no more, who are cut off from Your care.

You have laid me in the lowest Pit, in the darkest of the depths.

Your wrath weighs heavily upon me; all Your waves have submerged me.

You have removed my friends from me; You have made me repulsive to them; I am confined and cannot escape.

My eyes grow dim with grief. I call to You daily, O LORD; I spread out my hands to You.

Do You work wonders for the dead? Do departed spirits rise up to praise You?

Can Your loving devotion be proclaimed in the grave, Your faithfulness in Abaddon ?

Will Your wonders be known in the darkness, or Your righteousness in the land of oblivion?

But to You, O LORD, I cry for help; in the morning my prayer comes before You.

Why, O LORD, do You reject me? Why do You hide Your face from me?

From my youth I was afflicted and near death. I have borne Your terrors; I am in despair.

Your wrath has swept over me; Your terrors have destroyed me.

All day long they engulf me like water; they enclose me on every side.

You have removed my beloved and my friend; darkness is my closest companion.

SECOND READING

Mark 9:14-29

Verse 14. When they returned to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them, and scribes arguing with them. Verse 15. As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were filled with awe and ran to greet Him. Verse 16. “What are you disputing with them?” He asked. Verse 17. Someone in the crowd replied, “Teacher, I brought You my son, who has a spirit that makes him mute. Verse 18. Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth, and becomes rigid. I asked Your disciples to drive it out, but they were unable.” Verse 19. “O unbelieving generation!” Jesus replied. “How long must I remain with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy to Me.” Verse 20. So they brought him, and seeing Jesus, the spirit immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth. Verse 21. Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has this been with him?” “From childhood,” he said. Verse 22. “It often throws him into the fire or into the water, trying to kill him. But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” Verse 23. “If You can?” echoed Jesus. “All things are possible to him who believes!” Verse 24. Immediately the boy’s father cried out, “I do believe; help my unbelief!” Verse 25. When Jesus saw that a crowd had come running, He rebuked the unclean spirit. “You deaf and mute spirit,” He said, “I command you to come out and never enter him again.” Verse 26. After shrieking and convulsing him violently, the spirit came out. The boy became like a corpse, so that many said, “He is dead.” Verse 27. But Jesus took him by the hand and helped him to his feet, and he stood up. Verse 28. After Jesus had gone into the house, His disciples asked Him privately, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?” Verse 29. Jesus answered, “This kind cannot come out, except by prayer.”