Readings for
Sunday, February 22, 1998
Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

(From the Revised Standard Version English Bible
unless otherwise indicated)

First Reading

7: So David and Abi'shai went to the army by night; and there lay Saul sleeping within the encampment, with his spear stuck in the ground at his head; and Abner and the army lay around him.
8: Then said Abi'shai to David, "God has given your enemy into your hand this day; now therefore let me pin him to the earth with one stroke of the spear, and I will not strike him twice."
9: But David said to Abi'shai, "Do not destroy him; for who can put forth his hand against the LORD'S anointed, and be guiltless?"
12: So David took the spear and the jar of water from Saul's head; and they went away. No man saw it, or knew it, nor did any awake; for they were all asleep, because a deep sleep from the LORD had fallen upon them.
13: Then David went over to the other side, and stood afar off on the top of the mountain, with a great space between them;
22: And David made answer, "Here is the spear, O king! Let one of the young men come over and fetch it.
23: The LORD rewards every man for his righteousness and his faithfulness; for the LORD gave you into my hand today, and I would not put forth my hand against the LORD'S anointed.

A Psalm of David.

1: Bless the LORD, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless his holy name!
2: Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits,
3: who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases,
4: who redeems your life from the Pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
5: who satisfies you with good as long as you live so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.
6: The LORD works vindication and justice for all who are oppressed.
7: He made known his ways to Moses, his acts to the people of Israel.
8: The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
9: He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger for ever.
10: He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor requite us according to our iniquities.
11: For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;
12: as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.
13: As a father pities his children, so the LORD pities those who fear him.

45: Thus it is written, "The first man Adam became a living being"; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit.
46: But it is not the spiritual which is first but the physical, and then the spiritual.
47: The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven.
48: As was the man of dust, so are those who are of the dust; and as is the man of heaven, so are those who are of heaven.
49: Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven.

27: "But I say to you that hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,
28: bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.
29: To him who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from him who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt.
30: Give to every one who begs from you; and of him who takes away your goods do not ask them again.
31: And as you wish that men would do to you, do so to them.
32: "If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them.
33: And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same.
34: And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much again.
35: But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the selfish.
36: Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.
37: "Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven;
38: give, and it will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For the measure you give will be the measure you get back."