The Daily Bible Readings
Thursday, December 15, 2022
Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19; 2 Samuel 7:1-17; Galatians 3:23-29
(Revised Common Lectionary Year A)
A Psalm and A Prayer
Responsive Readings from the Psalms and Prayers
for Public Worship and Private Devotions
Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19
Qui regis Israel
Responsive Readings from the Psalms and Prayers
for Public Worship and Private Devotions
Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19
Qui regis Israel
Leader: Hear, O Shepherd of Israel, leading Joseph like a flock;
People: shine forth, you that are enthroned upon the cherubim.
Leader: In the presence of Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh,
People: stir up your strength and come to help us.
Leader: Restore us, O God of hosts;
People: show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.
Leader: O LORD God of hosts,
People: how long will you be angered despite the prayers of your people?
Leader: You have fed them with the bread of tears;
People: you have given them bowls of tears to drink.
Leader: You have made us the derision of our neighbors,
People: and our enemies laugh us to scorn.
Leader: Restore us, O God of hosts;
People: show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.
Leader: And so will we never turn away from you;
People: give us life, that we may call upon your Name.
Leader: Restore us, O LORD God of hosts;
People: show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.
Heavenly Father, we live in troubling times, and we do not know what tomorrow will bring. You have told us not to worry, but to live one day at a time. You have told us to trust in You as we pray for our daily needs. Even so, You showed Joseph how to prepare and save for the future, so we pray that You would show us what to do as well. Increase our faith in Jesus Christ and the future He has promised, even as we pray in His name:
“Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.”
(God will build you a house)
God’s Covenant with David
7:1 Now when the king was settled in his house, and the Lord had given him rest from all his enemies around him, 2 the king said to the prophet Nathan, “See now, I am living in a house of cedar, but the ark of God stays in a tent.” 3 Nathan said to the king, “Go, do all that you have in mind; for the Lord is with you.”
4 But that same night the word of the Lord came to Nathan: 5 Go and tell my servant David: Thus says the Lord: Are you the one to build me a house to live in? 6 I have not lived in a house since the day I brought up the people of Israel from Egypt to this day, but I have been moving about in a tent and a tabernacle. 7 Wherever I have moved about among all the people of Israel, did I ever speak a word with any of the tribal leaders of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, saying, “Why have you not built me a house of cedar?” 8 Now therefore thus you shall say to my servant David: Thus says the Lord of hosts: I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep to be prince over my people Israel; 9 and I have been with you wherever you went, and have cut off all your enemies from before you; and I will make for you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the earth. 10 And I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them, so that they may live in their own place, and be disturbed no more; and evildoers shall afflict them no more, as formerly, 11 from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel; and I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover the Lord declares to you that the Lord will make you a house. 12 When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come forth from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14 I will be a father to him, and he shall be a son to me. When he commits iniquity, I will punish him with a rod such as mortals use, with blows inflicted by human beings. 15 But I will not take my steadfast love from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you. 16 Your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me; your throne shall be established forever. 17 In accordance with all these words and with all this vision, Nathan spoke to David.
(Children of God by Christ’s coming)
3:23 Now before faith came, we were imprisoned and guarded under the law until faith would be revealed. 24 Therefore the law was our disciplinarian until Christ came, so that we might be justified by faith. 25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer subject to a disciplinarian, 26 for in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith. 27 As many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to the promise.
Optional parts of the readings are set off in [square brackets.]
The Bible texts of the Old Testament, Epistle and Gospel lessons are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Church of Christ in the USA, and used by permission.
The Daily Lectionary is a three year cyclical lectionary. We are currently in Year A. Beginning with the first Sunday of Advent in 2023, we will be in Year B. The year which ended at Advent 2022 was Year A. These readings complement the Sunday and festival readings: Thursday through Saturday readings help prepare the reader for the Sunday ahead; Monday through Wednesday readings help the reader reflect and digest on what they heard in worship. Revised Common Lectionary Daily Readings, copyright © 2005 Consultation on Common Texts. www.commontexts.org
The Daily Bible Readings for Thursday, December 15, 2022
Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19; 2 Samuel 7:1-17; Galatians 3:23-29
