Old Testament: 1 Samuel 15:34-16:13

³⁴Then Samuel went to Ramah; and Saul went up to his house in Gibeah of Saul. ³⁵Samuel did not see Saul again until the day of his death, but Samuel grieved over Saul. And the Lord was sorry that he had made Saul king over Israel.

¹The Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you grieve over Saul? I have rejected him from being king over Israel. Fill your horn with oil and set out; I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided for myself a king among his sons.” ²Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears of it, he will kill me.” And the Lord said, “Take a heifer with you, and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’ ³Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do; and you shall anoint for me the one whom I name to you.” ⁴Samuel did what the Lordcommanded, and came to Bethlehem. The elders of the city came to meet him trembling, and said, “Do you come peaceably?” ⁵He said, “Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to the Lord; sanctify yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice.” And he sanctified Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.

⁶When they came, he looked on Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed is now before the Lord.” ⁷But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for the Lord does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” ⁸Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. He said, “Neither has the Lord chosen this one.” ⁹Then Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, “Neither has the Lord chosen this one.” ¹⁰Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel, and Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen any of these.” ¹¹Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all your sons here?” And he said, “There remains yet the youngest, but he is keeping the sheep.” And Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and bring him; for we will not sit down until he comes here.” ¹²He sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and had beautiful eyes, and was handsome. The Lord said, “Rise and anoint him; for this is the one.” ¹³Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the presence of his brothers; and the spirit of the Lordcame mightily upon David from that day forward. Samuel then set out and went to Ramah.

Psalm: Psalm 20

¹ May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble, *
       the Name of the God of Jacob defend you;
² Send you help from his holy place *
       and strengthen you out of Zion;
³ Remember all your offerings *
       and accept your burnt sacrifice;
⁴ Grant you your heart’s desire *
       and prosper all your plans.
⁵ We will shout for joy at your victory
   and triumph in the Name of our God; *
       may the Lord grant all your requests.
⁶ Now I know that the Lord gives victory to his anointed; *
       he will answer him out of his holy heaven,
       with the victorious strength of his right hand.
⁷ Some put their trust in chariots and some in horses, *
       but we will call upon the Name of the Lord our God.
⁸ They collapse and fall down, *
       but we will arise and stand upright.
⁹ O Lord, give victory to the king *
       and answer us when we call.

Old Testament: Ezekiel 17:22-24

²²Thus says the Lord God: I myself will take a sprig from the lofty top of a cedar; I will set it out. I will break off a tender one from the topmost of its young twigs; I myself will plant it on a high and lofty mountain. ²³On the mountain height of Israel I will plant it, in order that it may produce boughs and bear fruit, and become a noble cedar. Under it every kind of bird will live; in the shade of its branches will nest winged creatures of every kind. ²⁴All the trees of the field shall know that I am the Lord. I bring low the high tree, I make high the low tree; I dry up the green tree and make the dry tree flourish. I the Lord have spoken; I will accomplish it.

Psalm: Psalm 92:1-4,11-14

¹ It is a good thing to give thanks to the Lord, *
       and to sing praises to your Name, O Most High;
² To tell of your loving-kindness early in the morning *
       and of your faithfulness in the night season;
³ On the psaltery, and on the lyre, *
       and to the melody of the harp.
⁴ For you have made me glad by your acts, O Lord; *
       and I shout for joy because of the works of your hands.
¹¹ The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree, *
       and shall spread abroad like a cedar of Lebanon.
¹² Those who are planted in the house of the Lord *
       shall flourish in the courts of our God;
¹³ They shall still bear fruit in old age; *
       they shall be green and succulent;
¹⁴ That they may show how upright the Lord is, *
       my Rock, in whom there is no fault.