Thursday in Season after Pentecost

Semicontinuous (Track 1)

FIRST READING

Job 36:1-16

Verse 1. And Elihu continued: Verse 2. “Bear with me a little longer, and I will show you that there is more to be said on God’s behalf. Verse 3. I get my knowledge from afar, and I will ascribe justice to my Maker. Verse 4. For truly my words are free of falsehood; one perfect in knowledge is with you. Verse 5. Indeed, God is mighty, but He despises no one; He is mighty in strength of understanding. Verse 6. He does not keep the wicked alive, but He grants justice to the afflicted. Verse 7. He does not take His eyes off the righteous, but He enthrones them with kings and exalts them forever. Verse 8. And if men are bound with chains, caught in cords of affliction, Verse 9. then He tells them their deeds and how arrogantly they have transgressed. Verse 10. He opens their ears to correction and commands that they turn from iniquity. Verse 11. If they obey and serve Him, then they end their days in prosperity and their years in happiness. Verse 12. But if they do not obey, then they perish by the sword and die without knowledge. Verse 13. The godless in heart harbor resentment; even when He binds them, they do not cry for help. Verse 14. They die in their youth, among the male shrine prostitutes. Verse 15. God rescues the afflicted by their affliction and opens their ears in oppression. Verse 16. Indeed, He drew you from the jaws of distress to a spacious and broad place, to a table full of richness.

PSALM

Psalm 104:1-9, 24, 35b

Bless the LORD, O my soul! O LORD my God, You are very great; You are clothed with splendor and majesty.

He wraps Himself in light as with a garment; He stretches out the heavens like a tent,

laying the beams of His chambers in the waters above, making the clouds His chariot, walking on the wings of the wind.

He makes the winds His messengers, flames of fire His servants.

He set the earth on its foundations, never to be moved.

You covered it with the deep like a garment; the waters stood above the mountains.

At Your rebuke the waters fled; at the sound of Your thunder they hurried away —

the mountains rose and the valleys sank to the place You assigned for them —

You set a boundary they cannot cross, that they may never again cover the earth.

How many are Your works, O LORD! In wisdom You have made them all; the earth is full of Your creatures.

Bless the LORD, O my soul. Hallelujah!

Complementary (Track 2)

FIRST READING

Genesis 14:17-24

Verse 17. After Abram returned from defeating Chedorlaomer and the kings allied with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet him in the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley). Verse 18. Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine — since he was priest of God Most High — Verse 19. and he blessed Abram and said: “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth, Verse 20. and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand.” Then Abram gave Melchizedek a tenth of everything. Verse 21. The king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the people, but take the goods for yourself.” Verse 22. But Abram replied to the king of Sodom, “I have raised my hand to the LORD God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth, Verse 23. that I will not accept even a thread, or a strap of a sandal, or anything that belongs to you, lest you should say, ‘I have made Abram rich.’ Verse 24. I will accept nothing but what my men have eaten and the share for the men who went with me— Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre. They may take their portion.”

PSALM

Psalm 91:9-16

Because you have made the LORD your dwelling— my refuge, the Most High—

no evil will befall you, no plague will approach your tent.

For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.

They will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.

You will tread on the lion and cobra; you will trample the young lion and serpent.

“Because he loves Me, I will deliver him; because he knows My name, I will protect him.

When he calls out to Me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble. I will deliver him and honor him.

With long life I will satisfy him and show him My salvation.”

SECOND READING

Romans 15:7-13

Verse 7. Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring glory to God. Verse 8. For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the circumcised on behalf of God’s truth, to confirm the promises made to the patriarchs, Verse 9. so that the Gentiles may glorify God for His mercy. As it is written: “Therefore I will praise You among the Gentiles; I will sing hymns to Your name.” Verse 10. Again, it says: “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His people.” Verse 11. And again: “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and extol Him, all you peoples.” Verse 12. And once more, Isaiah says: “The Root of Jesse will appear, One who will arise to rule over the Gentiles; in Him the Gentiles will put their hope.” Verse 13. Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.