50, 342, 090113 response reading 50. psalms 116 I love the LORD, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy. Because he turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live. The cords of death entangled me, the anguish of the grave came upon me; I was overcome by trouble and sorrow. Then I called on the name of the LORD : "O LORD, save me!" The LORD is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion. The LORD protects the simplehearted; when I was in great need, he saved me. Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the LORD has been good to you. For you, O LORD, have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling, How can I repay the LORD for all his goodness to me? I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the LORD. I will fulfill my vows to the LORD in the presence of all his people. Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints. hymnal 342 1 Yield not to temptation, For yielding is sin; Each vict’ry will help you, Some other to win; Fight valiantly onward, Evil passions subdue; Look ever to Jesus, He will carry you through. Ask the Savior to help you, Comfort, strengthen and keep you; He is willing to aid you, He will carry you through. 2 Shun evil companions, Bad language disdain; God’s name hold in rev’rence, Nor take it in vain; Be thoughtful and earnest, Kindhearted and true; Look ever to Jesus, He will carry you through. Ask the Savior to help you, Comfort, strengthen and keep you; He is willing to aid you, He will carry you through. 3 To him that o’ercometh, God giveth a crown; Through faith we will conquer, Though often cast down; He who is our Savior, Our strength will renew; Look ever to Jesus, He will carry you through. Ask the Savior to help you, Comfort, strengthen and keep you; He is willing to aid you, He will carry you through. 2 Samuel 9:1-13 1 In the course of time, the king of the Ammonites died, and his son Hanun succeeded him as king. 2 David thought, "I will show kindness to Hanun son of Nahash, just as his father showed kindness to me." So David sent a delegation to express his sympathy to Hanun concerning his father. When David's men came to the land of the Ammonites, 3 the Ammonite nobles said to Hanun their lord, "Do you think David is honoring your father by sending men to you to express sympathy? Hasn't David sent them to you to explore the city and spy it out and overthrow it?" 4 So Hanun seized David's men, shaved off half of each man's beard, cut off their garments in the middle at the buttocks, and sent them away. 5 When David was told about this, he sent messengers to meet the men, for they were greatly humiliated. The king said, "Stay at Jericho till your beards have grown, and then come back." 6 When the Ammonites realized that they had become a stench in David's nostrils, they hired twenty thousand Aramean foot soldiers from Beth Rehob and Zobah, as well as the king of Maacah with a thousand men, and also twelve thousand men from Tob. 7 On hearing this, David sent Joab out with the entire army of fighting men. 8 The Ammonites came out and drew up in battle formation at the entrance to their city gate, while the Arameans of Zobah and Rehob and the men of Tob and Maacah were by themselves in the open country. 9 Joab saw that there were battle lines in front of him and behind him; so he selected some of the best troops in Israel and deployed them against the Arameans. 10 He put the rest of the men under the command of Abishai his brother and deployed them against the Ammonites. 11 Joab said, "If the Arameans are too strong for me, then you are to come to my rescue; but if the Ammonites are too strong for you, then I will come to rescue you. 12 Be strong and let us fight bravely for our people and the cities of our God. The LORD will do what is good in his sight." 13 Then Joab and the troops with him advanced to fight the Arameans, and they fled before him. Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors, And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. amen.