Romans 1:16-32; 1 Samuel 9; 1 Samuel 10:1-16; Psalms 55

Romans 1:16-32

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is God's power for salvation to everyone who believes, first to the Jew, and also to the Greek.

17 For in it God's righteousness is revealed from faith to faith, just as it is written: The righteous will live by faith.

18 For God's wrath is revealed from heaven against all godlessness and unrighteousness of people who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth,

19 since what can be known about God is evident among them, because God has shown it to them.

20 From the creation of the world His invisible attributes, that is, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what He has made. As a result, people are without excuse.

21 For though they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God or show gratitude. Instead, their thinking became nonsense, and their senseless minds were darkened.

22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools

23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man, birds, four-footed animals, and reptiles.

24 Therefore God delivered them over in the cravings of their hearts to sexual impurity, so that their bodies were degraded among themselves.

25 They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served something created instead of the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

26 This is why God delivered them over to degrading passions. For even their females exchanged natural sexual intercourse for what is unnatural.

27 The males in the same way also left natural sexual intercourse with females and were inflamed in their lust for one another. Males committed shameless acts with males and received in their own persons the appropriate penalty for their perversion.

28 And because they did not think it worthwhile to have God in their knowledge, God delivered them over to a worthless mind to do what is morally wrong.

29 They are filled with all unrighteousness, evil, greed, and wickedness. They are full of envy, murder, disputes, deceit, and malice. They are gossips,

30 slanderers, God-haters, arrogant, proud, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents,

31 undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, and unmerciful.

32 Although they know full well God's just sentence-that those who practice such things deserve to die-they not only do them, but even applaud others who practice them.

1 Samuel 9

1 There was an influential man of Benjamin named Kish son of Abiel, son of Zeror, son of Becorath, son of Aphiah, son of a Benjaminite.

2 He had a son named Saul, an impressive young man. There was no one more impressive among the Israelites than he. He stood a head taller than anyone else.

3 One day the donkeys of Saul's father Kish wandered off. Kish said to his son Saul, "Take one of the attendants with you and go look for the donkeys."

4 Saul and his attendant went through the hill country of Ephraim and then through the region of Shalishah, but they didn't find them. They went through the region of Shaalim-nothing. Then they went through the Benjaminite region but still didn't find them.

5 When they came to the land of Zuph, Saul said to the attendant who was with him, "Come on, let's go back, or my father will stop [worrying] about the donkeys and start worrying about us."

6 "Look," the attendant said, "there's a man of God in this city who is highly respected; everything he says is sure to come true. Let's go there now. Maybe he'll tell us which way we should go."

7 "Suppose we do go," Saul said to his attendant, "what do we take the man? The food from our packs is gone, and there's no gift to take to the man of God. What do we have?"

8 The attendant answered Saul: "Here, I have a piece of silver. I'll give it to the man of God, and he will tell us our way."

9 Formerly in Israel, a man who was going to inquire of God would say, "Come, let's go to the seer," for the prophet of today was formerly called the seer.

10 "Good," Saul replied to his attendant. "Come on, let's go." So they went to the city where the man of God was.

11 As they were climbing the hill to the city, they found some young women coming out to draw water and asked, "Is the seer here?"

12 The women answered, "Yes, he is ahead of you. Hurry, he just now came to the city, because there's a sacrifice for the people at the high place today.

13 If you go quickly, you can catch up with him before he goes to the high place to eat. The people won't eat until he comes because he must bless the sacrifice; after that, the guests can eat. Go up immediately-you can find him now."

14 So they went up toward the city. Saul and his attendant were entering the city when they saw Samuel coming toward them on his way to the high place.

15 Now the day before Saul's arrival, the Lord had informed Samuel,

16 "At this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin. Anoint him ruler over My people Israel. He will save them from the hand of the Philistines because I have seen [the affliction of] My people, for their cry has come to Me."

17 When Samuel saw Saul, the Lord told him, "Here is the man I told you about; he will rule over My people."

18 Saul approached Samuel in the gate area and asked, "Would you please tell me where the seer's house is?"

19 "I am the seer," Samuel answered. "Go up ahead of me to the high place and eat with me today. When I send you off in the morning, I'll tell you everything that's in your heart.

20 As for the donkeys that wandered away from you three days ago, don't worry about them because they've been found. And who does all Israel desire but you and all your father's family?"

21 Saul responded, "Am I not a Benjaminite from the smallest of Israel's tribes and isn't my clan the least important of all the clans of the Benjaminite tribe? So why have you said something like this to me?"

22 Samuel took Saul and his attendant, brought them to the banquet hall, and gave them a place at the head of the 30 or so men who had been invited.

23 Then Samuel said to the cook, "Get the portion of meat that I gave you and told you to set aside."

24 The cook picked up the thigh and what was attached to it and set it before Saul. Then Samuel said, "Notice that the reserved piece is set before you. Eat it because it was saved for you for this solemn event at the time I said, 'I've invited the people.' " So Saul ate with Samuel that day.

25 Afterwards, they went down from the high place to the city, and Samuel spoke with Saul on the roof.

26 They got up early, and just before dawn, Samuel called to Saul on the roof, "Get up, and I'll send you on your way!" Saul got up, and both he and Samuel went outside.

27 As they were going down to the edge of the city, Samuel said to Saul, "Tell the attendant to go on ahead of us, but you stay for awhile, and I'll reveal the word of God to you." So the attendant went on.

1 Samuel 10:1-16

1 Samuel took the flask of oil, poured it out on Saul's head, kissed him, and said, "Hasn't the Lord anointed you ruler over His inheritance?

2 Today when you leave me, you'll find two men at Rachel's Grave at Zelzah in the land of Benjamin. They will say to you, 'The donkeys you went looking for have been found, and now your father has stopped being concerned about the donkeys and is worried about you, asking: What should I do about my son?'

3 "You will proceed from there until you come to the oak of Tabor. Three men going up to God at Bethel will meet you there, one bringing three goats, one bringing three loaves of bread, and one bringing a skin of wine.

4 They will ask how you are and give you two [loaves of] bread, which you will accept from them.

5 "After that you will come to the Hill of God where there are Philistine garrisons. When you arrive at the city, you will meet a group of prophets coming down from the high place prophesying. They will be preceded by harps, tambourines, flutes, and lyres.

6 The Spirit of the Lord will control you, you will prophesy with them, and you will be transformed into a different person.

7 When these signs have happened to you, do whatever your circumstances require because God is with you.

8 Afterwards, go ahead of me to Gilgal. I will come to you to offer burnt offerings and to sacrifice fellowship offerings. Wait seven days until I come to you and show you what to do."

9 When Saul turned around to leave Samuel, God changed his heart, and all the signs came about that day.

10 When Saul and his attendant arrived at Gibeah, a group of prophets met him. Then the Spirit of God took control of him, and he prophesied along with them.

11 Everyone who knew him previously and saw him prophesy with the prophets asked each other, "What has happened to the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?"

12 Then a man who was from there asked, "And who is their father?" As a result, "Is Saul also among the prophets?" became a popular saying.

13 Then Saul finished prophesying and went to the high place.

14 Saul's uncle asked him and his attendant, "Where did you go?" "To look for the donkeys," Saul answered. "When we saw they weren't there, we went to Samuel."

15 "Tell me," Saul's uncle asked, "what did Samuel say to you?"

16 Saul told him, "He assured us the donkeys had been found." However, Saul did not tell him what Samuel had said about the matter of kingship.

Psalms 55

1 God, listen to my prayer and do not ignore my plea for help.

2 Pay attention to me and answer me. I am restless and in turmoil with my complaint,

3 because of the enemy's voice, because of the pressure of the wicked. For they bring down disaster on me and harass me in anger.

4 My heart shudders within me; terrors of death sweep over me.

5 Fear and trembling grip me; horror has overwhelmed me.

6 I said, "If only I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and find rest.

7 How far away I would flee; I would stay in the wilderness. Selah

8 I would hurry to my shelter from the raging wind and the storm."

9 Lord, confuse and confound their speech, for I see violence and strife in the city;

10 day and night they make the rounds on its walls. Crime and trouble are within it;

11 destruction is inside it; oppression and deceit never leave its marketplace.

12 Now, it is not an enemy who insults me- otherwise I could bear it; it is not a foe who rises up against me- otherwise I could hide from him.

13 But it is you, a man who is my peer, my companion and good friend!

14 We used to have close fellowship; we walked with the crowd into the house of God.

15 Let death take them by surprise; let them go down to Sheol alive, because evil is in their homes and within them.

16 But I call to God, and the Lord will save me.

17 I complain and groan morning, noon, and night, and He hears my voice.

18 Though many are against me, He will redeem me from my battle unharmed.

19 God, the One enthroned from long ago, will hear, and will humiliate them Selah because they do not change and do not fear God.

20 He acts violently against those at peace with him; he violates his covenant.

21 His buttery words are smooth, but war is in his heart. His words are softer than oil, but they are drawn swords.

22 Cast your burden on the Lord, and He will support you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken.

23 You, God, will bring them down to the pit of destruction; men of bloodshed and treachery will not live out half their days. But I will trust in You.