Daily Bible Reading

Judica, Fifth Week of Lent

Chief Hymn: The Lutheran Hymnary (1913) #587

Liturgical Color: Violet

Introit

VIN- - DI- - || cate | — | me, | O | God, *
    And plead my cause against an un- | god- | ly | na- | tion; -
|| Oh, deliver me from the deceitful | and | un- | just | man! *
    For You are the | God | of | my | strength; - (Psalm 43:1–2a)
|| Oh, send out Your | light | and | Your | truth! *
    Let them lead me; let them bring me to | Your | ho- | ly | hill. -
|| Then I will go to the | al- | tar | of | God, *
    To God my | ex- | ceed- | ing | joy. -
|| Why are you cast | down, | O | my | soul? *
    And why are you disquiet- | ed | with- | in | me? -
|| Hope in God; for I | shall | yet | praise | Him, *
    The help of my counte- | nance | and | my | God. - (Psalm 43:3a, 4–5)

(From Judica through Holy Saturday the Gloria Patri is omitted.)

|| Vindi- | cate | me, | O | God, *
    And plead my cause against an un- | god- | ly | na- | tion; -
|| Oh, deliver me from the deceitful | and | un- | just | man! *
    For You are the | God | of | my | strength; - (Psalm 43:1–2a)

Psalm Readings

Matins: Psalm 54

Vespers: Psalm 27

Collect

We beseech Thee, Almighty God, mercifully to look upon Thy people, that by Thy great goodness they may be governed and preserved evermore in body and soul; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

Old Testament Reading (TLH): Genesis 7:1-3

7  Then the Lord said to Noah, “Come into the ark, you and all your household, because I have seen that you are righteous before Me in this generation. You shall take with you seven each of every clean animal, a male and his female; two each of animals that are unclean, a male and his female; also seven each of birds of the air, male and female, to keep the species alive on the face of all the earth.

First Reading: Heb 9:11-15

But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.

Gradual

|| Deliver me, O Lord, from | my | en- | e- | mies; *
    Teach me | to | do | Your | will. -
|| He delivers me from my enemies. You also lift me up above those who | rise | a- | gainst | me; *
    You have delivered me from the | vi- | o- | lent | man. - (Psalm 143:9a, 10a, 18:48)

Tract (From Septuagesima to Holy Saturday, the Tract replaces the Verse)

||“Many a time they have afflicted | me | from | my | youth,” *
    Let Is- | ra- | el | now | say -
|| —“Many a time they have afflicted | me | from | my | youth; *
    Yet they have not pre- | vailed | a- | gainst | me.” - (Psalm 129:1-2)

Second Reading: John 8:46-59

Which of you convicts Me of sin? And if I tell the truth, why do you not believe Me? He who is of God hears God’s words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God.” Then the Jews answered and said to Him, “Do we not say rightly that You are a Samaritan and have a demon?” Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon; but I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me. And I do not seek My own glory; there is One who seeks and judges. Most assuredly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he shall never see death.” Then the Jews said to Him, “Now we know that You have a demon! Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and You say, ‘If anyone keeps My word he shall never taste death.’ Are You greater than our father Abraham, who is dead? And the prophets are dead. Who do You make Yourself out to be?” Jesus answered, “If I honor Myself, My honor is nothing. It is My Father who honors Me, of whom you say that He is your God. Yet you have not known Him, but I know Him. And if I say, ‘I do not know Him,’ I shall be a liar like you; but I do know Him and keep His word. Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.” Then the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?” Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.” Then they took up stones to throw at Him; but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.