Daily Lectionary Readings for September 02, 2026

Daily Lectionary Readings (Two-Year Cycle)

Lectionary Readings for Wednesday, September 2, 2026

Morning Psalm 96 1   O sing to the LORD a new song;           sing to the LORD, all the earth. 2   Sing to the LORD, bless his name;           tell of his salvation from day to day. 3   Declare his glory among the nations,           his marvelous works among all the peoples. 4   For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised;           he is to be revered above all gods. 5   For all the gods of the peoples are idols,           but the LORD made the heavens. 6   Honor and majesty are before him;           strength and beauty are in his sanctuary. 7   Ascribe to the LORD, O families of the peoples,           ascribe to the LORD glory and strength. 8   Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name;           bring an offering, and come into his courts. 9   Worship the LORD in holy splendor;           tremble before him, all the earth. 10  Say among the nations, “The LORD is king!           The world is firmly established; it shall never be moved.           He will judge the peoples with equity.” 11  Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice;           let the sea roar, and all that fills it; 12       let the field exult, and everything in it.      Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy 13       before the LORD; for he is coming,           for he is coming to judge the earth.      He will judge the world with righteousness,           and the peoples with his truth. Morning Psalm 147:1-11 1   Praise the Lord!           How good it is to sing praises to our God;           for he is gracious, and a song of praise is fitting. 2   The Lord builds up Jerusalem;           he gathers the outcasts of Israel. 3   He heals the brokenhearted,           and binds up their wounds. 4   He determines the number of the stars;           he gives to all of them their names. 5   Great is our Lord, and abundant in power;           his understanding is beyond measure. 6   The Lord lifts up the downtrodden;           he casts the wicked to the ground. 7   Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving;           make melody to our God on the lyre. 8   He covers the heavens with clouds,           prepares rain for the earth,           makes grass grow on the hills. 9   He gives to the animals their food,           and to the young ravens when they cry. 10  His delight is not in the strength of the horse,           nor his pleasure in the speed of a runner; 11  but the Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him,           in those who hope in his steadfast love. First Reading Job 12:1, 14:1-22 1Then Job answered: 1"A mortal, born of woman, few of days and full of trouble, 2comes up like a flower and withers, flees like a shadow and does not last. 3Do you fix your eyes on such a one? Do you bring me into judgment with you? 4Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? No one can. 5Since their days are determined, and the number of their months is known to you, and you have appointed the bounds that they cannot pass, 6look away from them, and desist, that they may enjoy, like laborers, their days. 7"For there is hope for a tree, if it is cut down, that it will sprout again, and that its shoots will not cease. 8Though its root grows old in the earth, and its stump dies in the ground, 9yet at the scent of water it will bud and put forth branches like a young plant. 10But mortals die, and are laid low; humans expire, and where are they? 11As waters fail from a lake, and a river wastes away and dries up, 12so mortals lie down and do not rise again; until the heavens are no more, they will not awake or be roused out of their sleep. 13Oh that you would hide me in Sheol, that you would conceal me until your wrath is past, that you would appoint me a set time, and remember me! 14If mortals die, will they live again? All the days of my service I would wait until my release should come. 15You would call, and I would answer you; you would long for the work of your hands. 16For then you would not number my steps, you would not keep watch over my sin; 17my transgression would be sealed up in a bag, and you would cover over my iniquity. 18"But the mountain falls and crumbles away, and the rock is removed from its place; 19the waters wear away the stones; the torrents wash away the soil of the earth; so you destroy the hope of mortals. 20You prevail forever against them, and they pass away; you change their countenance, and send them away. 21Their children come to honor, and they do not know it; they are brought low, and it goes unnoticed. 22They feel only the pain of their own bodies, and mourn only for themselves." Second Reading Acts 12:18-25 18When morning came, there was no small commotion among the soldiers over what had become of Peter. 19When Herod had searched for him and could not find him, he examined the guards and ordered them to be put to death. Then Peter went down from Judea to Caesarea and stayed there. 20Now Herod was angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon. So they came to him in a body; and after winning over Blastus, the king's chamberlain, they asked for a reconciliation, because their country depended on the king's country for food. 21On an appointed day Herod put on his royal robes, took his seat on the platform, and delivered a public address to them. 22The people kept shouting, "The voice of a god, and not of a mortal!" 23And immediately, because he had not given the glory to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died. 24But the word of God continued to advance and gain adherents. 25Then after completing their mission Barnabas and Saul returned to Jerusalem and brought with them John, whose other name was Mark. Gospel Reading John 8:47-59 47"Whoever is from God hears the words of God. The reason you do not hear them is that you are not from God." 48The Jews answered him, "Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?" 49Jesus answered, "I do not have a demon; but I honor my Father, and you dishonor me. 50Yet I do not seek my own glory; there is one who seeks it and he is the judge. 51Very truly, I tell you, whoever keeps my word will never see death." 52The Jews said to him, "Now we know that you have a demon. Abraham died, and so did the prophets; yet you say, 'Whoever keeps my word will never taste death.' 53Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? The prophets also died. Who do you claim to be?" 54Jesus answered, "If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, he of whom you say, 'He is our God,' 55though you do not know him. But I know him; if I would say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you. But I do know him and I keep his word. 56Your ancestor Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day; he saw it and was glad." 57Then the Jews said to him, "You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?" 58Jesus said to them, "Very truly, I tell you, before Abraham was, I am." 59So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple. Evening Psalm 132 1   O LORD, remember in David’s favor           all the hardships he endured; 2   how he swore to the LORD           and vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob, 3   “I will not enter my house           or get into my bed; 4   I will not give sleep to my eyes           or slumber to my eyelids, 5   until I find a place for the LORD,           a dwelling-place for the Mighty One of Jacob.” 6   We heard of it in Ephrathah;           we found it in the fields of Jaar. 7   “Let us go to his dwelling place;           let us worship at his footstool.” 8   Rise up, O LORD, and go to your resting place,           you and the ark of your might. 9   Let your priests be clothed with righteousness,           and let your faithful shout for joy. 10  For your servant David’s sake           do not turn away the face of your anointed one. 11  The LORD swore to David a sure oath           from which he will not turn back:      “One of the sons of your body           I will set on your throne. 12  If your sons keep my covenant           and my decrees that I shall teach them,      their sons also, forevermore,           shall sit on your throne.” 13  For the LORD has chosen Zion;           he has desired it for his habitation: 14  “This is my resting place forever;           here I will reside, for I have desired it. 15  I will abundantly bless its provisions;           I will satisfy its poor with bread. 16  Its priests I will clothe with salvation,           and its faithful will shout for joy. 17  There I will cause a horn to sprout up for David;           I have prepared a lamp for my anointed one. 18  His enemies I will clothe with disgrace,           but on him, his crown will gleam.” Evening Psalm 134 1   Come, bless the LORD, all you servants of the LORD,           who stand by night in the house of the LORD! 2   Lift up your hands to the holy place,           and bless the LORD. 3   May the LORD, maker of heaven and earth,           bless you from Zion.

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Bible Readings for September 2, 2026

Let's read the Bible together in the next year. Today, our passages are Ecclesiastes 1:1–3:22; 2 Corinthians 6:1-13; Psalm 46:1-11; and Proverbs 22:15. The readings are from The Message by Eugene H. Peterson.

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Ecclesiastes 1-3:22 (The Message)

Ecclesiastes 1

The Quester

 ¹These are the words of the Quester, David's son and king in Jerusalem ^2-11 Smoke, nothing but smoke. [That's what the Quester says.] There's nothing to anything—it's all smoke.
   What's there to show for a lifetime of work,
      a lifetime of working your fingers to the bone?
   One generation goes its way, the next one arrives,
      but nothing changes—it's business as usual for old planet earth.
   The sun comes up and the sun goes down,
      then does it again, and again—the same old round.
   The wind blows south, the wind blows north.
      Around and around and around it blows,
      blowing this way, then that—the whirling, erratic wind.
   All the rivers flow into the sea,
      but the sea never fills up.
   The rivers keep flowing to the same old place,
      and then start all over and do it again.
   Everything's boring, utterly boring—
      no one can find any meaning in it.
   Boring to the eye,
      boring to the ear.
   What was will be again,
      what happened will happen again.
   There's nothing new on this earth.
      Year after year it's the same old thing.
   Does someone call out, "Hey, this is new"?
      Don't get excited—it's the same old story.
   Nobody remembers what happened yesterday.
      And the things that will happen tomorrow?
   Nobody'll remember them either.
      Don't count on being remembered.

I've Seen It All

 ^12-14 Call me "the Quester." I've been king over Israel in Jerusalem. I looked most carefully into everything, searched out all that is done on this earth. And let me tell you, there's not much to write home about. God hasn't made it easy for us. I've seen it all and it's nothing but smoke—smoke, and spitting into the wind.

 ¹⁵ Life's a corkscrew that can't be straightened,
   A minus that won't add up.

 ^16-17 I said to myself, "I know more and I'm wiser than anyone before me in Jerusalem. I've stockpiled wisdom and knowledge." What I've finally concluded is that so-called wisdom and knowledge are mindless and witless—nothing but spitting into the wind.

 ¹⁸ Much learning earns you much trouble.
   The more you know, the more you hurt.

Ecclesiastes 2

    I said to myself, "Let's go for it—experiment with pleasure, have a good time!" But there was nothing to it, nothing but smoke.

   What do I think of the fun-filled life? Insane! Inane!
      My verdict on the pursuit of happiness? Who needs it?
   With the help of a bottle of wine
      and all the wisdom I could muster,
   I tried my level best
      to penetrate the absurdity of life.
   I wanted to get a handle on anything useful we mortals might do
      during the years we spend on this earth.

I Never Said No to Myself

 ^4-8 Oh, I did great things: built houses,
      planted vineyards,
      designed gardens and parks
         and planted a variety of fruit trees in them,
      made pools of water
         to irrigate the groves of trees.
   I bought slaves, male and female,
         who had children, giving me even more slaves;
      then I acquired large herds and flocks,
         larger than any before me in Jerusalem.
   I piled up silver and gold,
         loot from kings and kingdoms.
   I gathered a chorus of singers to entertain me with song,
      and—most exquisite of all pleasures—
      voluptuous maidens for my bed.  ^9-10 Oh, how I prospered! I left all my predecessors in Jerusalem far behind, left them behind in the dust. What's more, I kept a clear head through it all. Everything I wanted I took—I never said no to myself. I gave in to every impulse, held back nothing. I sucked the marrow of pleasure out of every task—my reward to myself for a hard day's work!

I Hate Life

 ¹¹ Then I took a good look at everything I'd done, looked at all the sweat and hard work. But when I looked, I saw nothing but smoke. Smoke and spitting into the wind. There was nothing to any of it. Nothing.  ^12-14 And then I took a hard look at what's smart and what's stupid. What's left to do after you've been king? That's a hard act to follow. You just do what you can, and that's it. But I did see that it's better to be smart than stupid, just as light is better than darkness. Even so, though the smart ones see where they're going and the stupid ones grope in the dark, they're all the same in the end. One fate for all—and that's it.
 ^15-16 When I realized that my fate's the same as the fool's, I had to ask myself, "So why bother being wise?" It's all smoke, nothing but smoke. The smart and the stupid both disappear out of sight. In a day or two they're both forgotten. Yes, both the smart and the stupid die, and that's it.
 ¹⁷ I hate life. As far as I can see, what happens on earth is a bad business. It's smoke—and spitting into the wind.
 ^18-19 And I hated everything I'd accomplished and accumulated on this earth. I can't take it with me—no, I have to leave it to whoever comes after me. Whether they're worthy or worthless—and who's to tell?—they'll take over the earthly results of my intense thinking and hard work. Smoke.
 ^20-23 That's when I called it quits, gave up on anything that could be hoped for on this earth. What's the point of working your fingers to the bone if you hand over what you worked for to someone who never lifted a finger for it? Smoke, that's what it is. A bad business from start to finish. So what do you get from a life of hard labor? Pain and grief from dawn to dusk. Never a decent night's rest. Nothing but smoke.
 ^24-26 The best you can do with your life is have a good time and get by the best you can. The way I see it, that's it—divine fate. Whether we feast or fast, it's up to God. God may give wisdom and knowledge and joy to his favorites, but sinners are assigned a life of hard labor, and end up turning their wages over to God's favorites. Nothing but smoke—and spitting into the wind. 

Ecclesiastes 3

There's a Right Time for Everything

 ¹ There's an opportune time to do things, a right time for everything on the earth: 

 ^2-8 A right time for birth and another for death, 
   A right time to plant and another to reap, 
   A right time to kill and another to heal, 
   A right time to destroy and another to construct, 
   A right time to cry and another to laugh, 
   A right time to lament and another to cheer, 
   A right time to make love and another to abstain, 
   A right time to embrace and another to part, 
   A right time to search and another to count your losses, 
   A right time to hold on and another to let go, 
   A right time to rip out and another to mend, 
   A right time to shut up and another to speak up, 
   A right time to love and another to hate, 
   A right time to wage war and another to make peace.  ^9-13 But in the end, does it really make a difference what anyone does? I've had a good look at what God has given us to do—busywork, mostly. True, God made everything beautiful in itself and in its time—but he's left us in the dark, so we can never know what God is up to, whether he's coming or going. I've decided that there's nothing better to do than go ahead and have a good time and get the most we can out of life. That's it—eat, drink, and make the most of your job. It's God's gift. 
 ¹⁴ I've also concluded that whatever God does, that's the way it's going to be, always. No addition, no subtraction. God's done it and that's it. That's so we'll quit asking questions and simply worship in holy fear. 
 ¹⁵ Whatever was, is. 
   Whatever will be, is. 
   That's how it always is with God. 

God's Testing Us

 ^16-18 I took another good look at what's going on: The very place of judgment— corrupt! The place of righteousness—corrupt! I said to myself, "God will judge righteous and wicked." There's a right time for every thing, every deed—and there's no getting around it. I said to myself regarding the human race, "God's testing the lot of us, showing us up as nothing but animals."  ^19-22 Humans and animals come to the same end—humans die, animals die. We all breathe the same air. So there's really no advantage in being human. None. Everything's smoke. We all end up in the same place—we all came from dust, we all end up as dust. Nobody knows for sure that the human spirit rises to heaven or that the animal spirit sinks into the earth. So I made up my mind that there's nothing better for us men and women than to have a good time in whatever we do—that's our lot. Who knows if there's anything else to life?

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2 Corinthians 6:1-13 (The Message)

2 Corinthians 6

Staying at Our Post

 ^1-10Companions as we are in this work with you, we beg you, please don't squander one bit of this marvelous life God has given us. God reminds us, 
   I heard your call in the nick of time; 
   The day you needed me, I was there to help.
Well, now is the right time to listen, the day to be helped. Don't put it off; don't frustrate God's work by showing up late, throwing a question mark over everything we're doing. Our work as God's servants gets validated—or not—in the details. People are watching us as we stay at our post, alertly, unswervingly . . . in hard times, tough times, bad times; when we're beaten up, jailed, and mobbed; working hard, working late, working without eating; with pure heart, clear head, steady hand; in gentleness, holiness, and honest love; when we're telling the truth, and when God's showing his power; when we're doing our best setting things right; when we're praised, and when we're blamed; slandered, and honored; true to our word, though distrusted; ignored by the world, but recognized by God; terrifically alive, though rumored to be dead; beaten within an inch of our lives, but refusing to die; immersed in tears, yet always filled with deep joy; living on handouts, yet enriching many; having nothing, having it all.  ^11-13Dear, dear Corinthians, I can't tell you how much I long for you to enter this wide-open, spacious life. We didn't fence you in. The smallness you feel comes from within you. Your lives aren't small, but you're living them in a small way. I'm speaking as plainly as I can and with great affection. Open up your lives. Live openly and expansively!

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Psalm 46:1-11 (The Message)

Psalm 46

A Song of the Sons of Korah

 ^1-3 God is a safe place to hide, ready to help when we need him. 
   We stand fearless at the cliff-edge of doom, 
      courageous in seastorm and earthquake, 
   Before the rush and roar of oceans, 
      the tremors that shift mountains.    Jacob-wrestling God fights for us, 
      God-of-Angel-Armies protects us. 

 ^4-6 River fountains splash joy, cooling God's city, 
      this sacred haunt of the Most High. 
   God lives here, the streets are safe, 
      God at your service from crack of dawn. 
   Godless nations rant and rave, kings and kingdoms threaten, 
      but Earth does anything he says. 

 ⁷ Jacob-wrestling God fights for us, 
      God-of-Angel-Armies protects us. 

 ^8-10 Attention, all! See the marvels of God! 
      He plants flowers and trees all over the earth, 
   Bans war from pole to pole, 
      breaks all the weapons across his knee. 
   "Step out of the traffic! Take a long, 
      loving look at me, your High God, 
      above politics, above everything." 

 ¹¹ Jacob-wrestling God fights for us, 
      God-of-Angel-Armies protects us.

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Proverbs 22:15 (The Message)

 ¹⁵ Young people are prone to foolishness and fads; 

   the cure comes through tough-minded discipline. 

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Thought for the Day

“Our LORD, your love is seen all over the world. Teach me your laws.” (Psalm 119:64 - Contemporary English Version) God's love is infinite and eternal. It encompasses and sustains all creation. And we can express our thanks by doing what we've been taught to do: love God and others.

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Quote for the Day

Hungarian-American businessman and engineer who served as the third CEO of Intel Corporation, Andy Grove wrote, "Success breeds complacency. Complacency breeds failure. Only the paranoid survive."

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Joke for Today

"The Jewish people have observed their 5758th year as a people," the Hebrew teacher informed his class. "Consider that the Chinese have observed only their 4695th. What does this mean to you?"

After a reflective pause, one student volunteered, "Well, for one thing, the Jewish people had to do without Chinese  food for 1063 years."

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A Prayer Request

As Christians, we can offer specific daily prayers for our community, nation and world. Below is the need that we're laying before God today.

That we celebrate the values on which our nation was founded.