2 Chron. 5:2–14

5:2 Then Solomon convened Israel’s elders—all the leaders of the Israelite tribes and families—in Jerusalem, so they could witness the transferal of the ark of the covenant of the Lord from the City of David (that is, Zion). 3All the men of Israel assembled before the king during the festival in the seventh month. 4When all Israel’s elders had arrived, the Levites lifted the ark. 5The priests and Levites carried the ark, the tent where God appeared to his people, and all the holy items in the tent. 6Now King Solomon and all the Israelites who had assembled with him went on ahead of the ark and sacrificed more sheep and cattle than could be counted or numbered.

7The priests brought the ark of the covenant of the Lord to its assigned place in the inner sanctuary of the temple, in the Most Holy Place under the wings of the cherubim. 8The cherubim’s wings extended over the place where the ark sat; the cherubim overshadowed the ark and its poles. 9The poles were so long their ends extending out from the ark were visible from in front of the inner sanctuary, but they could not be seen from beyond that point. They have remained there to this very day. 10There was nothing in the ark except the two tablets Moses had placed there in Horeb. (It was there that the Lord made a covenant with the Israelites after he brought them out of the land of Egypt.)

11The priests left the Holy Place. All the priests who participated had consecrated themselves, no matter which division they represented. 12All the Levites who were musicians, including Asaph, Heman, Jeduthun, and their sons and relatives, wore linen. They played cymbals and stringed instruments as they stood east of the altar. They were accompanied by 120 priests who blew trumpets. 13The trumpeters and musicians played together, praising and giving thanks to the Lord. Accompanied by trumpets, cymbals, and other instruments, they loudly praised the Lord, singing: “Certainly he is good; certainly his loyal love endures!” Then a cloud filled the Lord’s temple. 14The priests could not carry out their duties because of the cloud; the Lord’s splendor filled God’s temple.

Ps. 73

73:1 A psalm by Asaph.

Certainly God is good to Israel,

and to those whose motives are pure.

2But as for me, my feet almost slipped;

my feet almost slid out from under me.

3For I envied those who are proud,

as I observed the prosperity of the wicked.

4For they suffer no pain;

their bodies are strong and well fed.

5They are immune to the trouble common to men;

they do not suffer as other men do.

6Arrogance is their necklace,

and violence covers them like clothing.

7Their prosperity causes them to do wrong;

their thoughts are sinful.

8They mock and say evil things;

they proudly threaten violence.

9They speak as if they rule in heaven,

and lay claim to the earth.

10Therefore they have more than enough food to eat

and even suck up the water of the sea.

11They say, “How does God know what we do?

Is the Most High aware of what goes on?”

12Take a good look. This is what the wicked are like,

those who always have it so easy and get richer and richer.

13I concluded, “Surely in vain I have kept my motives pure

and maintained a pure lifestyle.

14I suffer all day long

and am punished every morning.”

15If I had publicized these thoughts,

I would have betrayed your people.

16When I tried to make sense of this,

it was troubling to me.

17Then I entered the precincts of God’s temple

and understood the destiny of the wicked.

18Surely you put them in slippery places;

you bring them down to ruin.

19How desolate they become in a mere moment.

Terrifying judgments make their demise complete.

20They are like a dream after one wakes up.

O Lord, when you awake you will despise them.

21Yes, my spirit was bitter,

and my insides felt sharp pain.

22I was ignorant and lacked insight;

I was as senseless as an animal before you.

23But I am continually with you;

you hold my right hand.

24You guide me by your wise advice,

and then you will lead me to a position of honor.

25Whom do I have in heaven but you?

On earth there is no one I desire but you.

26My flesh and my heart may grow weak,

but God always protects my heart and gives me stability.

27Yes, look! Those far from you die;

you destroy everyone who is unfaithful to you.

28But as for me, God’s presence is all I need.

I have made the Sovereign Lord my shelter,

as I declare all the things you have done.

Luke 5:27–39

5:27 After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at the tax booth. “Follow me,” he said to him. 28And he got up and followed him, leaving everything behind.

29Then Levi gave a great banquet in his house for Jesus, and there was a large crowd of tax collectors and others sitting at the table with them. 30But the Pharisees and their experts in the law complained to his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” 31Jesus answered them, “Those who are well don’t need a physician, but those who are sick do. 32I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

33Then they said to him, “John’s disciples frequently fast and pray, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours continue to eat and drink.” 34So Jesus said to them, “You cannot make the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them, can you? 35But those days are coming, and when the bridegroom is taken from them, at that time they will fast.” 36He also told them a parable: “No one tears a patch from a new garment and sews it on an old garment. If he does, he will have torn the new, and the piece from the new will not match the old. 37And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the new wine will burst the skins and will be spilled, and the skins will be destroyed. 38Instead new wine must be poured into new wineskins. 39 No one after drinking old wine wants the new, for he says, ‘The old is good enough.’”