Saturday in Season after Pentecost

Semicontinuous (Track 1)

FIRST READING

2 Samuel 10:13-19

Verse 13. So Joab and his troops advanced to fight the Arameans, who fled before him. Verse 14. When the Ammonites saw that the Arameans had fled, they too fled before Abishai, and they entered the city. So Joab returned from fighting against the Ammonites and came to Jerusalem. Verse 15. When the Arameans saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they regrouped. Verse 16. Hadadezer sent messengers to bring more Arameans from beyond the Euphrates, and they came to Helam with Shobach the commander of Hadadezer’s army leading them. Verse 17. When this was reported to David, he gathered all Israel, crossed the Jordan, and went to Helam. Then the Arameans arrayed themselves against David and fought against him. Verse 18. But the Arameans fled before Israel, and David killed seven hundred charioteers and forty thousand foot soldiers. He also struck down Shobach the commander of their army, who died there. Verse 19. When all the kings who were subject to Hadadezer saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they made peace with Israel and became subject to them. So the Arameans were afraid to help the Ammonites anymore.

PSALM

Psalm 14

For the choirmaster. Of David. The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt; their acts are vile. There is no one who does good.

The LORD looks down from heaven upon the sons of men to see if any understand, if any seek God.

All have turned away, they have together become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one.

Will the workers of iniquity never learn? They devour my people like bread; they refuse to call upon the LORD.

There they are, overwhelmed with dread, for God is in the company of the righteous.

You sinners frustrate the plans of the oppressed, yet the LORD is their shelter.

Oh, that the salvation of Israel would come from Zion! When the LORD restores His captive people, let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad!

Complementary (Track 2)

FIRST READING

2 Kings 4:38-41

Verse 38. When Elisha returned to Gilgal, there was a famine in the land. As the sons of the prophets were sitting at his feet, he said to his attendant, “Put on the large pot and boil some stew for the sons of the prophets.” Verse 39. One of them went out to the field to gather herbs, and he found a wild vine from which he gathered as many wild gourds as his garment could hold. Then he came back and cut them up into the pot of stew, though no one knew what they were. Verse 40. And they poured it out for the men to eat, but when they tasted the stew they cried out, “There is death in the pot, O man of God!” And they could not eat it. Verse 41. Then Elisha said, “Get some flour.” He threw it into the pot and said, “Pour it out for the people to eat.” And there was nothing harmful in the pot.

PSALM

Psalm 145:10-18

All You have made will give You thanks, O LORD, and Your saints will bless You.

They will tell of the glory of Your kingdom and speak of Your might,

to make known to men Your mighty acts and the glorious splendor of Your kingdom.

Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and Your dominion endures through all generations. The LORD is faithful in all His words and kind in all His actions.

The LORD upholds all who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down.

The eyes of all look to You, and You give them their food in season.

You open Your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing.

The LORD is righteous in all His ways and kind in all His deeds.

The LORD is near to all who call on Him, to all who call out to Him in truth.

SECOND READING

John 4:31-38

Verse 31. Meanwhile the disciples urged Him, “Rabbi, eat something.” Verse 32. But He told them, “I have food to eat that you know nothing about.” Verse 33. So the disciples asked one another, “Could someone have brought Him food?” Verse 34. Jesus explained, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to finish His work. Verse 35. Do you not say, ‘There are still four months until the harvest’? I tell you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are ripe for harvest. Verse 36. Already the reaper draws his wages and gathers a crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may rejoice together. Verse 37. For in this case the saying ‘One sows and another reaps’ is true. Verse 38. I sent you to reap what you have not worked for; others have done the hard work, and now you have taken up their labor.”