Daily Reading for Saturday, January 31st, 2026

Reading 1, Samuel 12:1-7, 10-17

¹ Samuel said to all Israel, 'I have faithfully done all that you asked of me, and have appointed you a king.

² In future, the king will lead you. As for me, I am old and grey, and in any case you have my sons. I have been your leader ever since I was young until today.

³ Here I am. Bear witness against me before Yahweh and before his anointed. Whose ox have I taken? Whose donkey have I taken? Have I wronged or oppressed anyone? Have I taken a consideration from anyone for looking the other way? If so, I will make amends.'

⁴ They said, 'You have neither wronged nor oppressed us nor accepted anything from anyone.'

⁵ He said to them, 'Yahweh is your witness and his anointed is witness today that you have found nothing in my hands?' They replied, 'He is witness.'

⁶ Samuel then said to the people, 'Yahweh is witness, he who raised up Moses and Aaron and who brought your ancestors out of Egypt.

⁷ So now, stay where you are, while I plead with you before Yahweh and remind you of all the saving acts which he has done for you and for your ancestors.

¹⁰ They cried to Yahweh, "We have sinned," they said, "for we have deserted Yahweh and served the Baals and the Astartes. Rescue us now from the power of our enemies, and we will serve you."

¹¹ Yahweh then sent Jerubbaal, Barak, Jephthah, and Samuel. He rescued you from the power of the enemies surrounding you, and you lived in security.

¹² 'But when you saw Nahash, king of the Ammonites, marching on you, you said to me, "No, we must have a king to rule us"-although Yahweh your God is your king.

¹³ So, here is the king whom you have chosen; Yahweh has appointed you a king.

¹⁴ If you fear and serve Yahweh and obey his voice and do not rebel against his commands, and if both you and the king who rules you follow Yahweh your God, all will be well.

¹⁵ But if you do not obey Yahweh's voice but rebel against his commands, Yahweh's hand will be against you and against your king.

¹⁶ 'Stay where you are and see the wonder which Yahweh will do before your eyes.

¹⁷ Is it not now the wheat harvest? I shall call on Yahweh and he will send thunder and rain, so that you may clearly understand what a very wicked thing you have done, in Yahweh's eyes, by asking for a king.'

Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 51:12-13, 14-15, 16-17

¹² Give me back the joy of your salvation, sustain in me a generous spirit.

¹³ I shall teach the wicked your paths, and sinners will return to you.

¹⁴ Deliver me from bloodshed, God, God of my salvation, and my tongue will acclaim your saving justice.

¹⁵ Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will speak out your praise.

¹⁶ Sacrifice gives you no pleasure, burnt offering you do not desire.

¹⁷ Sacrifice to God is a broken spirit, a broken, contrite heart you never scorn.