Scripture Reading for the
Common Calendar Year
(beginning January 1st)

May 22

Text taken from the
Third Millennium Bible^® (TMB^®)
(New Authorized Version^TM NAV^TM)

The Lectionary According to the Common Calendar

Psalm 119:81-96

81 My soul fainteth for Thy salvation,
but I hope in Thy word.
82 Mine eyes fail from seeking Thy word, saying, "When wilt Thou comfort me?"
83 For I have become like a wineskin in the smoke, yet do I not forget Thy statutes.
84 How many are the days of Thy servant?
When wilt Thou execute judgment on them that persecute me? 85 The proud have dug pits for me,
which is not according to Thy law.
86 All Thy commandments are faithful;
they persecute me wrongfully; help Thou me!
87 They had almost consumed me from the earth,
but I forsook not Thy precepts.
88 Quicken me according to Thy lovingkindness;
so shall I keep the testimony of Thy mouth.

89 Forever, O LORD, Thy word is settled in heaven.
90 Thy faithfulness is unto all generations;
Thou hast established the earth, and it abideth.
91 They continue this day according to Thine ordinances, for all are Thy servants.
92 Had not Thy law been my delight, I should have perished in mine affliction.
93 I will never forget Thy precepts, for with them Thou hast quickened me.
94 I am Thine, save me; for I have sought Thy precepts.
95 The wicked have waited for me to destroy me,
but I will consider Thy testimonies.
96 I have seen an end of all perfection,
but Thy commandment is exceeding broad.

Mark 10:13-16 

13 And they brought young children to Him, that He should touch them; and His disciples rebuked those who brought them. 14 But when Jesus saw it, He was much displeased and said unto them, 

"Suffer the little children to come unto Me, and forbid them not, for of such is the Kingdom of God. 15 Verily I say unto you, whosoever shall not receive the Kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein." 

16 And He took them up in His arms, put His hands upon them, and blessed them.

2 Corinthians 8:8-15

8 I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forthcoming of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love. 9 For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that ye through His poverty might be rich. 10 And herein I give my advice, for this is expedient for you, who began earlier not only to do, but also to be in the forefront a year ago. 11 Now therefore perform the doing of it, that as there was a readiness to will, so there may be a performance also out of that which ye have. 12 For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to what a man hath, and not according to what he hath not. 13 For I do not mean that other men should be eased and ye burdened, 14 but that there be an equality: that now at this time your abundance may supply their want, that their abundance may also supply your want, that there may be equality. 15 As it is written: "He that had gathered much had nothing left over, and he that had gathered little had no lack."

2 Samuel 12:1-25

1 And the LORD sent Nathan unto David. And he came unto him, and said unto him, "There were two men in one city, the one rich and the other poor. 2 The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds. 3 But the poor man had nothing, save one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and nourished up. And it grew up together with him and with his children; it ate of his own meat and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter. 4 And there came a traveler unto the rich man, and he was unwilling to take of his own flock and of his own herd to dress for the wayfaring man who had come unto him, but took the poor man's lamb and dressed it for the man who had come to him." 5 And David's anger was greatly kindled against the man, and he said to Nathan, "As the LORD liveth, the man who hath done this thing shall surely die. 6 And he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing and because he had no pity."

7 And Nathan said to David, "Thou art the man. Thus saith the LORD God of Israel: `I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul, 8 and I gave thee thy master's house and thy master's wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things. 9 Why hast thou despised the commandment of the LORD, to do evil in His sight? Thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon. 10 Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house, because thou hast despised Me and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife.'

11 "Thus saith the LORD: `Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house; and I will take thy wives before thine eyes and give them unto thy neighbor, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun. 12 For thou did it secretly; but I will do this thing before all Israel and before the sun.'" 13 And David said unto Nathan, "I have sinned against the LORD." And Nathan said unto David, "The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die." 14 However, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also who is born unto thee shall surely die." 15 And Nathan departed unto his house.

And the LORD struck the child that Uriah's wife bore unto David, and it was very sick. 16 David therefore besought God for the child; and David fasted, and went in and lay all night upon the earth. 17 And the elders of his house arose and went to him to raise him up from the earth; but he would not, neither did he eat bread with them. 18 And it came to pass on the seventh day that the child died. And the servants of David feared to tell him that the child was dead; for they said, "Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spoke unto him, and he would not hearken unto our voice. How will he then vex himself if we tell him that the child is dead?" 19 But when David saw that his servants whispered, David perceived that the child was dead. Therefore David said unto his servants, "Is the child dead?" And they said, "He is dead." 20 Then David arose from the earth, and washed and anointed himself and changed his apparel, and came into the house of the LORD, and worshiped. Then he came to his own house; and when he required, they set bread before him and he ate. 21 Then said his servants unto him, "What thing is this that thou hast done? Thou did fast and weep for the child while it was alive, but when the child was dead, thou did rise and eat bread." 22 And he said, "While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, `Who can tell whether GOD will be gracious to me, that the child may live?' 23 But now he is dead; why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me."

24 And David comforted Bathsheba his wife, and went in unto her and lay with her. And she bore a son, and he called his name Solomon; and the LORD loved him. 25 And he sent by the hand of Nathan the prophet, and he called his name Jedidiah [that is, Beloved of the Lord], because of the LORD.

Words of Wisdom - Proverbs 15:3

The eyes of the LORD are in every place, 
beholding the evil and the good.