The Daily Readings for May 30, 2022

We've included both the Morning and Evening Psalms for the Daily Office; they are listed after the other readings. If you'd like to filter for a particular day's readings, you can do it at The Daily Readings Anytime.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-15

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to throw away; a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace. What gain have the workers from their toil? I have seen the business that God has given to everyone to be busy with. He has made everything suitable for its time; moreover he has put a sense of past and future into their minds, yet they cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. I know that there is nothing better for them than to be happy and enjoy themselves as long as they live; moreover, it is God's gift that all should eat and drink and take pleasure in all their toil. I know that whatever God does endures forever; nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it; God has done this, so that all should stand in awe before him. That which is, already has been; that which is to be, already is; and God seeks out what has gone by.

Galatians 2:11-21

But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood self-condemned; for until certain people came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But after they came, he drew back and kept himself separate for fear of the circumcision faction. And the other Jews joined him in this hypocrisy, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy. But when I saw that they were not acting consistently with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas before them all, "If you, though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews?" We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners; yet we know that a person is justified not by the works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ. And we have come to believe in Christ Jesus, so that we might be justified by faith in Christ, and not by doing the works of the law, because no one will be justified by the works of the law. But if, in our effort to be justified in Christ, we ourselves have been found to be sinners, is Christ then a servant of sin? Certainly not! But if I build up again the very things that I once tore down, then I demonstrate that I am a transgressor. For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not nullify the grace of God; for if justification comes through the law, then Christ died for nothing.

Matthew 14:1-12

At that time Herod the ruler heard reports about Jesus; and he said to his servants, "This is John the Baptist; he has been raised from the dead, and for this reason these powers are at work in him." For Herod had arrested John, bound him, and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, because John had been telling him, "It is not lawful for you to have her." Though Herod wanted to put him to death, he feared the crowd, because they regarded him as a prophet. But when Herod's birthday came, the daughter of Herodias danced before the company, and she pleased Herod so much that he promised on oath to grant her whatever she might ask. Prompted by her mother, she said, "Give me the head of John the Baptist here on a platter." The king was grieved, yet out of regard for his oaths and for the guests, he commanded it to be given; he sent and had John beheaded in the prison. The head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, who brought it to her mother. His disciples came and took the body and buried it; then they went and told Jesus.

Morning Psalms

Psalm 119: Zayin Memor esto verbi tui
⁴⁹   Remember your word to your servant, *
because you have given me hope.
⁵⁰   This is my comfort in my trouble, *
that your promise gives me life.
⁵¹   The proud have derided me cruelly, *
but I have not turned from your law.
⁵²   When I remember your judgments of old, *
O LORD, I take great comfort.
⁵³   I am filled with a burning rage, *
because of the wicked who forsake your law.
⁵⁴   Your statutes have been like songs to me *
wherever I have lived as a stranger.
⁵⁵   I remember your Name in the night, O LORD, *
and dwell upon your law.
⁵⁶   This is how it has been with me, *
because I have kept your commandments.

Psalm 119: Heth Portio mea, Domine
⁵⁷   You only are my portion, O LORD; *
I have promised to keep your words.
⁵⁸   I entreat you with all my heart, *
be merciful to me according to your promise.
⁵⁹   I have considered my ways *
and turned my feet toward your decrees.
⁶⁰   I hasten and do not tarry *
to keep your commandments.
⁶¹   Though the cords of the wicked entangle me, *
I do not forget your law.
⁶²   At midnight I will rise to give you thanks, *
because of your righteous judgments.
⁶³   I am a companion of all who fear you *
and of those who keep your commandments.
⁶⁴   The earth, O LORD, is full of your love; *
instruct me in your statutes.

Psalm 119: Teth Bonitatem fecisti
⁶⁵   O LORD, you have dealt graciously with your servant, *
according to your word.
⁶⁶   Teach me discernment and knowledge, *
for I have believed in your commandments.
⁶⁷   Before I was afflicted I went astray, *
but now I keep your word.
⁶⁸   You are good and you bring forth good; *
instruct me in your statutes.
⁶⁹   The proud have smeared me with lies, *
but I will keep your commandments with my whole heart.
⁷⁰   Their heart is gross and fat, *
but my delight is in your law.
⁷¹   It is good for me that I have been afflicted, *
that I might learn your statutes.
⁷²   The law of your mouth is dearer to me *
than thousands in gold and silver.

Evening Psalms

Psalm 49 Audite haec, omnes

¹   Hear this, all you peoples; hearken, all you who dwell in the world, *
you of high degree and low, rich and poor together.
²   My mouth shall speak of wisdom, *
and my heart shall meditate on understanding.
³   I will incline my ear to a proverb *
and set forth my riddle upon the harp.
⁴   Why should I be afraid in evil days, *
when the wickedness of those at my heels surrounds me,
⁵   The wickedness of those who put their trust in their goods, *
and boast of their great riches?
⁶   We can never ransom ourselves, *
or deliver to God the price of our life;
⁷   For the ransom of our life is so great, *
that we should never have enough to pay it,
⁸   In order to live for ever and ever, *
and never see the grave.
⁹   For we see that the wise die also; like the dull and stupid they perish *
and leave their wealth to those who come after them.
¹⁰   Their graves shall be their homes for ever, their dwelling places from generation to generation, *
though they call the lands after their own names.
¹¹   Even though honored, they cannot live for ever; *
they are like the beasts that perish.
¹²   Such is the way of those who foolishly trust in themselves, *
and the end of those who delight in their own words.
¹³   Like a flock of sheep they are destined to die; Death is their shepherd; *
they go down straightway to the grave.
¹⁴   Their form shall waste away, *
and the land of the dead shall be their home.
¹⁵   But God will ransom my life; *
he will snatch me from the grasp of death.
¹⁶   Do not be envious when some become rich, *
or when the grandeur of their house increases;
¹⁷   For they will carry nothing away at their death, *
nor will their grandeur follow them.
¹⁸   Though they thought highly of themselves while they lived, *
and were praised for their success,
¹⁹   They shall join the company of their forebears, *
who will never see the light again.
²⁰   Those who are honored, but have no understanding, *
are like the beasts that perish.

Psalm 53 Dixit insipiens

¹   The fool has said in his heart, "There is no God." *
All are corrupt and commit abominable acts; there is none who does any good.
²   God looks down from heaven upon us all, *
to see if there is any who is wise, if there is one who seeks after God.
³   Every one has proved faithless; all alike have turned bad; *
there is none who does good; no, not one.
⁴   Have they no knowledge, those evildoers *
who eat up my people like bread and do not call upon God?
⁵   See how greatly they tremble, such trembling as never was; *
for God has scattered the bones of the enemy; they are put to shame, because God has rejected them.
⁶   Oh, that Israel's deliverance would come out of Zion! *
when God restores the fortunes of his people Jacob will rejoice and Israel be glad.

New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The New Revised Standard Version Bible may be quoted and/or reprinted up to and inclusive of five hundred (500) verses without express written permission of the publisher, provided the verses quoted do not amount to a complete book of the Bible or account for fifty percent (50%) of the total work in which they are quoted.