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Psalm 39

1  I said, ‘I will keep watch over my ways, ♦︎
   so that I offend not with my tongue.
2  ‘I will guard my mouth with a muzzle, ♦︎
   while the wicked are in my sight.’
3  So I held my tongue and said nothing; ♦︎
   I kept silent but to no avail.
4  My distress increased, my heart grew hot within me; ♦︎
   while I mused, the fire was kindled
      and I spoke out with my tongue:
5  ‘Lord, let me know my end and the number of my days, ♦︎
   that I may know how short my time is.
6  ‘You have made my days but a handsbreadth,
      and my lifetime is as nothing in your sight; ♦︎
   truly, even those who stand upright are but a breath.
7  ‘We walk about like a shadow
      and in vain we are in turmoil; ♦︎
   we heap up riches and cannot tell who will gather them.
8  ‘And now, what is my hope? ♦︎
   Truly my hope is even in you.
9  ‘Deliver me from all my transgressions ♦︎
   and do not make me the taunt of the fool.’
10  I fell silent and did not open my mouth, ♦︎
   for surely it was your doing.
11  Take away your plague from me; ♦︎
   I am consumed by the blows of your hand.
12  With rebukes for sin you punish us;
      like a moth you consume our beauty; ♦︎
   truly, everyone is but a breath.
13  Hear my prayer, O Lord, and give ear to my cry; ♦︎
   hold not your peace at my tears.
14  For I am but a stranger with you, ♦︎
   a wayfarer, as all my forebears were.
15  Turn your gaze from me, that I may be glad again, ♦︎
   before I go my way and am no more.

Psalm 41

1  Blessed are those who consider the poor and needy; ♦︎
   the Lord will deliver them in the time of trouble.
2  The Lord preserves them and restores their life,
      that they may be happy in the land; ♦︎
   he will not hand them over to the will of their enemies.
3  The Lord sustains them on their sickbed; ♦︎
   their sickness, Lord, you will remove.
4  And so I said, ‘Lord, be merciful to me; ♦︎
   heal me, for I have sinned against you.’
5  My enemies speak evil about me, ♦︎
   asking when I shall die and my name perish.
6  If they come to see me, they utter empty words; ♦︎
   their heart gathers mischief;
      when they go out, they tell it abroad.
7  All my enemies whisper together against me, ♦︎
   against me they devise evil,
8  Saying that a deadly thing has laid hold on me, ♦︎
   and that I will not rise again from where I lie.
9  Even my bosom friend, whom I trusted,
      who ate of my bread, ♦︎
   has lifted up his heel against me.
10  But you, O Lord, be merciful to me ♦︎
   and raise me up, that I may reward them.
11  By this I know that you favour me, ♦︎
   that my enemy does not triumph over me.
12  Because of my integrity you uphold me ♦︎
   and will set me before your face for ever.
13  Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, ♦︎
   from everlasting to everlasting. Amen and Amen.

Jonathan’s Covenant with David

18When David^* had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was bound to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. ²Saul took him that day and would not let him return to his father’s house. ³Then Jonathan made a covenant with David, because he loved him as his own soul. ⁴Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that he was wearing, and gave it to David, and his armour, and even his sword and his bow and his belt. ⁵David went out and was successful wherever Saul sent him; as a result, Saul set him over the army. And all the people, even the servants of Saul, approved.

6 As they were coming home, when David returned from killing the Philistine, the women came out of all the towns of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with tambourines, with songs of joy, and with musical instruments.^{* 7}And the women sang to one another as they made merry,
‘Saul has killed his thousands,
   and David his tens of thousands.’
⁸Saul was very angry, for this saying displeased him. He said, ‘They have ascribed to David tens of thousands, and to me they have ascribed thousands; what more can he have but the kingdom?’ ⁹So Saul eyed David from that day on.

Saul Tries to Kill David

10 The next day an evil spirit from God rushed upon Saul, and he raved within his house, while David was playing the lyre, as he did day by day. Saul had his spear in his hand; ¹¹and Saul threw the spear, for he thought, ‘I will pin David to the wall.’ But David eluded him twice.

12 Saul was afraid of David, because the Lord was with him but had departed from Saul. ¹³So Saul removed him from his presence, and made him a commander of a thousand; and David marched out and came in, leading the army. ¹⁴David had success in all his undertakings; for the Lord was with him. ¹⁵When Saul saw that he had great success, he stood in awe of him. ¹⁶But all Israel and Judah loved David; for it was he who marched out and came in leading them.

⁴¹Just then there came a man named Jairus, a leader of the synagogue. He fell at Jesus’ feet and begged him to come to his house, ⁴²for he had an only daughter, about twelve years old, who was dying.

As he went, the crowds pressed in on him. ⁴³Now there was a woman who had been suffering from haemorrhages for twelve years; and though she had spent all she had on physicians,^* no one could cure her. ⁴⁴She came up behind him and touched the fringe of his clothes, and immediately her haemorrhage stopped. ⁴⁵Then Jesus asked, ‘Who touched me?’ When all denied it, Peter^* said, ‘Master, the crowds surround you and press in on you.’ ⁴⁶But Jesus said, ‘Someone touched me; for I noticed that power had gone out from me.’ ⁴⁷When the woman saw that she could not remain hidden, she came trembling; and falling down before him, she declared in the presence of all the people why she had touched him, and how she had been immediately healed. ⁴⁸He said to her, ‘Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.’

49 While he was still speaking, someone came from the leader’s house to say, ‘Your daughter is dead; do not trouble the teacher any longer.’ ⁵⁰When Jesus heard this, he replied, ‘Do not fear. Only believe, and she will be saved.’ ⁵¹When he came to the house, he did not allow anyone to enter with him, except Peter, John, and James, and the child’s father and mother. ⁵²They were all weeping and wailing for her; but he said, ‘Do not weep; for she is not dead but sleeping.’ ⁵³And they laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. ⁵⁴But he took her by the hand and called out, ‘Child, get up!’ ⁵⁵Her spirit returned, and she got up at once. Then he directed them to give her something to eat. ⁵⁶Her parents were astounded; but he ordered them to tell no one what had happened.