Psalm 57 and Luke 9:51–62

PSALM 57

¹   Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me, 
          for in you my soul takes refuge; 
     in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge, 
          until the destroying storms pass by. 
²   I cry to God Most High, 
          to God who fulfills his purpose for me. 
³   He will send from heaven and save me, 
          he will put to shame those who trample on me. Selah 
     God will send forth his steadfast love and his faithfulness.

⁴   I lie down among lions 
          that greedily devour human prey; 
     their teeth are spears and arrows, 
          their tongues sharp swords.

⁵   Be exalted, O God, above the heavens. 
          Let your glory be over all the earth.

⁶   They set a net for my steps; 
          my soul was bowed down. 
     They dug a pit in my path, 
          but they have fallen into it themselves. Selah 
⁷   My heart is steadfast, O God, 
          my heart is steadfast. 
     I will sing and make melody. 
⁸        Awake, my soul! 
     Awake, O harp and lyre! 
          I will awake the dawn. 
⁹   I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples; 
          I will sing praises to you among the nations. 
¹⁰   For your steadfast love is as high as the heavens; 
          your faithfulness extends to the clouds.

¹¹   Be exalted, O God, above the heavens. 
     Let your glory be over all the earth.

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LUKE 9:51–62

⁵¹When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem. ⁵²And he sent messengers ahead of him. On their way they entered a village of the Samaritans to make ready for him; ⁵³but they did not receive him, because his face was set toward Jerusalem. ⁵⁴When his disciples James and John saw it, they said, "Lord, do you want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?" ⁵⁵But he turned and rebuked them. ⁵⁶Then they went on to another village.

 

⁵⁷As they were going along the road, someone said to him, "I will follow you wherever you go." ⁵⁸And Jesus said to him, "Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head." ⁵⁹To another he said, "Follow me." But he said, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father." ⁶⁰But Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God." ⁶¹Another said, "I will follow you, Lord; but let me first say farewell to those at my home." ⁶²Jesus said to him, "No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God."