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Daily Readings For August 1

Please note that two distinct lectionaries are provided on this page: the two-year Daily Lectionary from the Book of Common Worship and the three-year Revised Common Lectionary (RCL) for Sundays and festivals; be sure you select the appropriate one.

Daily Readings Sunday/Festival Readings

Daily Readings for Friday, August 1, 2025


Morning Psalm 88

1   O LORD, God of my salvation,
     when, at night, I cry out in your presence,
2   let my prayer come before you;
          incline your ear to my cry.


3   For my soul is full of troubles,
          and my life draws near to Sheol.
4   I am counted among those who go down to the Pit;
          I am like those who have no help,
5   like those forsaken among the dead,
          like the slain that lie in the grave,
     like those whom you remember no more,
          for they are cut off from your hand.
6   You have put me in the depths of the Pit,
          in the regions dark and deep.
7   Your wrath lies heavy upon me,
          and you overwhelm me with all your waves.               Selah


8   You have caused my companions to shun me;
          you have made me a thing of horror to them.
     I am shut in so that I cannot escape;
9        my eye grows dim through sorrow.
     Every day I call on you, O LORD;
          I spread out my hands to you.
10  Do you work wonders for the dead?
          Do the shades rise up to praise you?                                   Selah
11  Is your steadfast love declared in the grave,
          or your faithfulness in Abaddon?
12  Are your wonders known in the darkness,
          or your saving help in the land of forgetfulness?


13  But I, O LORD, cry out to you;
          in the morning my prayer comes before you.
14  O LORD, why do you cast me off?
          Why do you hide your face from me?
15  Wretched and close to death from my youth up,
          I suffer your terrors; I am desperate.
16  Your wrath has swept over me;
          your dread assaults destroy me.
17  They surround me like a flood all day long;
          from all sides they close in on me.
18  You have caused friend and neighbor to shun me;
          my companions are in darkness.

Morning Psalm 148

1   Praise the Lord!
     Praise the Lord from the heavens;
          praise him in the heights!
2   Praise him, all his angels;
          praise him, all his host!


3   Praise him, sun and moon;
          praise him, all you shining stars!
4   Praise him, you highest heavens,
          and you waters above the heavens!


5   Let them praise the name of the Lord,
          for he commanded and they were created.
6   He established them forever and ever;
          he fixed their bounds, which cannot be passed.


7   Praise the Lord from the earth,
          you sea monsters and all deeps,
8   fire and hail, snow and frost,
          stormy wind fulfilling his command!


9   Mountains and all hills,
          fruit trees and all cedars!
10  Wild animals and all cattle,
          creeping things and flying birds!


11  Kings of the earth and all peoples,
          princes and all rulers of the earth!
12  Young men and women alike,
          old and young together!


13  Let them praise the name of the Lord,
          for his name alone is exalted;
          his glory is above earth and heaven.
14  He has raised up a horn for his people,
          praise for all his faithful,
          for the people of Israel who are close to him.
     Praise the Lord!

First Reading 2 Samuel 5:1-12

1Then all the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron, and said, “Look, we are your bone and flesh. 2For some time, while Saul was king over us, it was you who led out Israel and brought it in. The LORD said to you: It is you who shall be shepherd of my people Israel, you who shall be ruler over Israel.” 3So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron; and King David made a covenant with them at Hebron before the LORD, and they anointed David king over Israel. 4David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for forty years. 5At Hebron he reigned over Judah for seven years and six months; and at Jerusalem he reigned over all Israel and Judah for thirty-three years.

6The king and his men marched to Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, who said to David, “You will not come in here, even the blind and the lame will turn you back” — thinking, “David cannot come in here.” 7Nevertheless, David took the stronghold of Zion, which is now the city of David. 8David had said on that day, “Whoever wishes to strike down the Jebusites, let him get up the water shaft to attack the lame and the blind, those whom David hates.” Therefore it is said, “The blind and the lame shall not come into the house.” 9David occupied the stronghold, and named it the city of David. David built the city all around from the Millo inward. 10And David became greater and greater, for the LORD, the God of hosts, was with him.

11King Hiram of Tyre sent messengers to David, along with cedar trees, and carpenters and masons who built David a house. 12David then perceived that the LORD had established him king over Israel, and that he had exalted his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel.

Second Reading Acts 17:1-15

1After Paul and Silas had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. 2And Paul went in, as was his custom, and on three sabbath days argued with them from the scriptures, 3explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Messiah to suffer and to rise from the dead, and saying, “This is the Messiah, Jesus whom I am proclaiming to you.” 4Some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a great many of the devout Greeks and not a few of the leading women. 5But the Jews became jealous, and with the help of some ruffians in the marketplaces they formed a mob and set the city in an uproar. While they were searching for Paul and Silas to bring them out to the assembly, they attacked Jason’s house. 6When they could not find them, they dragged Jason and some believers before the city authorities, shouting, “These people who have been turning the world upside down have come here also, 7and Jason has entertained them as guests. They are all acting contrary to the decrees of the emperor, saying that there is another king named Jesus.” 8The people and the city officials were disturbed when they heard this, 9and after they had taken bail from Jason and the others, they let them go.

10That very night the believers sent Paul and Silas off to Beroea; and when they arrived, they went to the Jewish synagogue. 11These Jews were more receptive than those in Thessalonica, for they welcomed the message very eagerly and examined the scriptures every day to see whether these things were so. 12Many of them therefore believed, including not a few Greek women and men of high standing. 13But when the Jews of Thessalonica learned that the word of God had been proclaimed by Paul in Beroea as well, they came there too, to stir up and incite the crowds. 14Then the believers immediately sent Paul away to the coast, but Silas and Timothy remained behind. 15Those who conducted Paul brought him as far as Athens; and after receiving instructions to have Silas and Timothy join him as soon as possible, they left him.

Gospel Reading Mark 7:24-37

24From there he set out and went away to the region of Tyre. He entered a house and did not want anyone to know he was there. Yet he could not escape notice, 25but a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit immediately heard about him, and she came and bowed down at his feet. 26Now the woman was a Gentile, of Syrophoenician origin. She begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter. 27He said to her, “Let the children be fed first, for it is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.” 28But she answered him, “Sir, even the dogs under the table eat the children's crumbs.” 29Then he said to her, “For saying that, you may go — the demon has left your daughter.” 30So she went home, found the child lying on the bed, and the demon gone.

31Then he returned from the region of Tyre, and went by way of Sidon towards the Sea of Galilee, in the region of the Decapolis. 32They brought to him a deaf man who had an impediment in his speech; and they begged him to lay his hand on him. 33He took him aside in private, away from the crowd, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spat and touched his tongue. 34Then looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened.” 35And immediately his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. 36Then Jesus ordered them to tell no one; but the more he ordered them, the more zealously they proclaimed it. 37They were astounded beyond measure, saying, “He has done everything well; he even makes the deaf to hear and the mute to speak.”

Evening Psalm 6

1   O LORD, do not rebuke me in your anger,
          or discipline me in your wrath.
2   Be gracious to me, O LORD, for I am languishing;
          O LORD, heal me, for my bones are shaking with terror.
3   My soul also is struck with terror,
          while you, O LORD — how long?


4   Turn, O LORD, save my life;
          deliver me for the sake of your steadfast love.
5   For in death there is no remembrance of you;
          in Sheol who can give you praise?


6   I am weary with my moaning;
          every night I flood my bed with tears;
          I drench my couch with my weeping.
7   My eyes waste away because of grief;
          they grow weak because of all my foes.


8   Depart from me, all you workers of evil,
          for the LORD has heard the sound of my weeping.
9   The LORD has heard my supplication;
          the LORD accepts my prayer.
10  All my enemies shall be ashamed and struck with terror;
          they shall turn back, and in a moment be put to shame.

Evening Psalm 20

1   The LORD answer you in the day of trouble!
          The name of the God of Jacob protect you!
2   May he send you help from the sanctuary,
          and give you support from Zion.
3   May he remember all your offerings,
          and regard with favor your burnt sacrifices.                    Selah


4   May he grant your heart’s desire
          and fulfill all your plans.
5   May we shout for joy over your victory,
          and in the name of our God set up our banners.
     May the LORD fulfill all your petitions.


6   Now I know that the LORD will help his anointed;
          he will answer him from his holy heaven
          with mighty victories by his right hand.
7   Some take pride in chariots, and some in horses,
          but our pride is in the name of the LORD our God.
8   They will collapse and fall,
          but we shall rise and stand upright.


9   Give victory to the king, O LORD;
          answer us when we call.