Open Word

Semicontinuous (Track 1)

FIRST READING

1 Kings 20:23-34

Verse 23. Meanwhile, the servants of the king of Aram said to him, “Their gods are gods of the hills. That is why they prevailed over us. Instead, we should fight them on the plains; surely then we will prevail. Verse 24. So do this: Dismiss all the kings from their positions and replace them with other officers. Verse 25. And you must raise an army like the one you have lost— horse for horse and chariot for chariot— so we can fight the Israelites on the plain, where we will surely prevail.” And the king approved their plan and acted accordingly. Verse 26. In the spring, Ben-hadad mobilized the Arameans and went up to Aphek to fight against Israel. Verse 27. The Israelites also mobilized, gathered supplies, and marched out to meet them. The Israelites camped before them like two small flocks of goats, while the Arameans covered the countryside. Verse 28. Then the man of God approached the king of Israel and said, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Because the Arameans have said that the LORD is a god of the hills and not of the valleys, I will deliver all this great army into your hand. Then you will know that I am the LORD.’” Verse 29. For seven days the armies camped opposite each other, and on the seventh day the battle ensued, and the Israelites struck down the Arameans— a hundred thousand foot soldiers in one day. Verse 30. The rest of them fled into the city of Aphek, where the wall fell on twenty-seven thousand of the remaining men. Ben-hadad also fled to the city and hid in an inner room. Verse 31. Then the servants of Ben-hadad said to him, “Look now, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful. Let us go out to the king of Israel with sackcloth around our waists and ropes around our heads. Perhaps he will spare your life.” Verse 32. So with sackcloth around their waists and ropes around their heads, they went to the king of Israel and said, “Your servant Ben-hadad says, ‘Please spare my life.’” And the king answered, “Is he still alive? He is my brother.” Verse 33. Now the men were looking for a sign of hope, and they quickly grasped at this word and replied, “Yes, your brother Ben-hadad.” “Go and get him!” said the king. Then Ben-hadad came out, and Ahab had him come up into his chariot. Verse 34. Ben-hadad said to him, “I will restore the cities my father took from your father; you may set up your own marketplaces in Damascus, as my father did in Samaria.” “By this treaty I release you ,” Ahab replied. So he made a treaty with him and sent him away.

PSALM

Psalm 5:1-8

For the choirmaster, to be accompanied by flutes. A Psalm of David. Give ear to my words, O LORD; consider my groaning.

Attend to the sound of my cry, my King and my God, for to You I pray.

In the morning, O LORD, You hear my voice; at daybreak I lay my plea before You and wait in expectation.

For You are not a God who delights in wickedness; no evil can dwell with You.

The boastful cannot stand in Your presence; You hate all workers of iniquity.

You destroy those who tell lies; the LORD abhors the man of bloodshed and deceit.

But I will enter Your house by the abundance of Your loving devotion; in reverence I will bow down toward Your holy temple.

Lead me, O LORD, in Your righteousness because of my enemies; make straight Your way before me.

Complementary (Track 2)

FIRST READING

2 Samuel 15:1-12

Verse 1. Some time later, Absalom provided for himself a chariot with horses and fifty men to run ahead of him. Verse 2. He would get up early and stand beside the road leading to the city gate. Whenever anyone had a grievance to bring before the king for a decision, Absalom would call out and ask, “What city are you from?” And if he replied, “Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel,” Verse 3. Absalom would say, “Look, your claims are good and right, but the king has no deputy to hear you.” Verse 4. And he would add, “If only someone would appoint me judge in the land, then everyone with a grievance or dispute could come to me, and I would give him justice.” Verse 5. Also, when anyone approached to bow down to him, Absalom would reach out his hand, take hold of him, and kiss him. Verse 6. Absalom did this to all the Israelites who came to the king for justice. In this way he stole the hearts of the men of Israel. Verse 7. After four years had passed, Absalom said to the king, “Please let me go to Hebron to fulfill a vow I have made to the LORD. Verse 8. For your servant made a vow while dwelling in Geshur of Aram, saying: ‘If indeed the LORD brings me back to Jerusalem, I will worship the LORD in Hebron.’ ” Verse 9. “Go in peace,” said the king. So Absalom got up and went to Hebron. Verse 10. Then Absalom sent spies throughout the tribes of Israel with this message: “When you hear the sound of the horn, you are to say, ‘Absalom reigns in Hebron!’” Verse 11. Two hundred men from Jerusalem accompanied Absalom. They had been invited as guests and they went along innocently, for they knew nothing about the matter. Verse 12. While Absalom was offering the sacrifices, he sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counselor, to come from his hometown of Giloh. So the conspiracy gained strength, and Absalom’s following kept increasing.

PSALM

Psalm 32

Of David. A Maskil. Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.

Blessed is the man whose iniquity the LORD does not count against him, in whose spirit there is no deceit.

When I kept silent, my bones became brittle from my groaning all day long.

For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was drained as in the summer heat.

Then I acknowledged my sin to You and did not hide my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,” and You forgave the guilt of my sin.

Therefore let all the godly pray to You while You may be found. Surely when great waters rise, they will not come near.

You are my hiding place. You protect me from trouble; You surround me with songs of deliverance.

I will instruct you and teach you the way you should go; I will give you counsel and watch over you.

Do not be like the horse or mule, which have no understanding; they must be controlled with bit and bridle to make them come to you.

Many are the sorrows of the wicked, but loving devotion surrounds him who trusts in the LORD.

Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, O righteous ones; shout for joy, all you upright in heart.

SECOND READING

Romans 11:1-10

Verse 1. I ask then, did God reject His people? Certainly not! I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin. Verse 2. God did not reject His people, whom He foreknew. Do you not know what the Scripture says about Elijah, how he appealed to God against Israel: Verse 3. “Lord, they have killed Your prophets and torn down Your altars. I am the only one left, and they are seeking my life as well” ? Verse 4. And what was the divine reply to him? “I have reserved for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” Verse 5. In the same way, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace. Verse 6. And if it is by grace, then it is no longer by works. Otherwise, grace would no longer be grace. Verse 7. What then? What Israel was seeking, it failed to obtain, but the elect did. The others were hardened, Verse 8. as it is written: “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that could not see, and ears that could not hear, to this very day.” Verse 9. And David says: “May their table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block and a retribution to them. Verse 10. May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see, and their backs be bent forever.”