Book of Common Prayer
Psalm 26
Of David.
1 Vindicate me,(A) Lord,
for I have led a blameless life;(B)
I have trusted(C) in the Lord
and have not faltered.(D)
2 Test me,(E) Lord, and try me,
examine my heart and my mind;(F)
3 for I have always been mindful of your unfailing love(G)
and have lived(H) in reliance on your faithfulness.(I)
4 I do not sit(J) with the deceitful,
nor do I associate with hypocrites.(K)
5 I abhor(L) the assembly of evildoers
and refuse to sit with the wicked.
6 I wash my hands in innocence,(M)
and go about your altar, Lord,
7 proclaiming aloud your praise(N)
and telling of all your wonderful deeds.(O)
8 Lord, I love(P) the house where you live,
the place where your glory dwells.(Q)
9 Do not take away my soul along with sinners,
my life with those who are bloodthirsty,(R)
10 in whose hands are wicked schemes,(S)
whose right hands are full of bribes.(T)
11 I lead a blameless life;
deliver me(U) and be merciful to me.
Psalm 28
Of David.
1 To you, Lord, I call;
you are my Rock,
do not turn a deaf ear(A) to me.
For if you remain silent,(B)
I will be like those who go down to the pit.(C)
2 Hear my cry for mercy(D)
as I call to you for help,
as I lift up my hands(E)
toward your Most Holy Place.(F)
3 Do not drag me away with the wicked,
with those who do evil,
who speak cordially with their neighbors
but harbor malice in their hearts.(G)
4 Repay them for their deeds
and for their evil work;
repay them for what their hands have done(H)
and bring back on them what they deserve.(I)
5 Because they have no regard for the deeds of the Lord
and what his hands have done,(J)
he will tear them down
and never build them up again.
Psalm 36[a]
For the director of music. Of David the servant of the Lord.
1 I have a message from God in my heart
concerning the sinfulness of the wicked:[b](A)
There is no fear(B) of God
before their eyes.(C)
2 In their own eyes they flatter themselves
too much to detect or hate their sin.(D)
3 The words of their mouths(E) are wicked and deceitful;(F)
they fail to act wisely(G) or do good.(H)
4 Even on their beds they plot evil;(I)
they commit themselves to a sinful course(J)
and do not reject what is wrong.(K)
5 Your love, Lord, reaches to the heavens,
your faithfulness(L) to the skies.(M)
6 Your righteousness(N) is like the highest mountains,(O)
your justice like the great deep.(P)
You, Lord, preserve both people and animals.(Q)
7 How priceless is your unfailing love, O God!(R)
People take refuge in the shadow of your wings.(S)
8 They feast on the abundance of your house;(T)
you give them drink from your river(U) of delights.(V)
9 For with you is the fountain of life;(W)
in your light(X) we see light.
Psalm 39[a]
For the director of music. For Jeduthun. A psalm of David.
1 I said, “I will watch my ways(A)
and keep my tongue from sin;(B)
I will put a muzzle on my mouth(C)
while in the presence of the wicked.”
2 So I remained utterly silent,(D)
not even saying anything good.
But my anguish(E) increased;
3 my heart grew hot(F) within me.
While I meditated,(G) the fire(H) burned;
then I spoke with my tongue:
4 “Show me, Lord, my life’s end
and the number of my days;(I)
let me know how fleeting(J) my life is.(K)
5 You have made my days(L) a mere handbreadth;
the span of my years is as nothing before you.
Everyone is but a breath,(M)
even those who seem secure.[b]
6 “Surely everyone goes around(N) like a mere phantom;(O)
in vain they rush about,(P) heaping up wealth(Q)
without knowing whose it will finally be.(R)
7 “But now, Lord, what do I look for?
My hope is in you.(S)
8 Save me(T) from all my transgressions;(U)
do not make me the scorn(V) of fools.
9 I was silent;(W) I would not open my mouth,(X)
for you are the one who has done this.(Y)
10 Remove your scourge from me;
I am overcome by the blow(Z) of your hand.(AA)
11 When you rebuke(AB) and discipline(AC) anyone for their sin,
you consume(AD) their wealth like a moth(AE)—
surely everyone is but a breath.(AF)
16 Better a little with the fear of the Lord
than great wealth with turmoil.(A)
17 Better a small serving of vegetables with love
than a fattened calf with hatred.(B)
19 The way of the sluggard is blocked with thorns,(E)
but the path of the upright is a highway.
20 A wise son brings joy to his father,(F)
but a foolish man despises his mother.
21 Folly brings joy to one who has no sense,(G)
but whoever has understanding keeps a straight course.
24 The path of life leads upward for the prudent
to keep them from going down to the realm of the dead.
25 The Lord tears down the house of the proud,(M)
but he sets the widow’s boundary stones in place.(N)
27 The greedy bring ruin to their households,
but the one who hates bribes will live.(R)
29 The Lord is far from the wicked,
but he hears the prayer of the righteous.(U)
30 Light in a messenger’s eyes brings joy to the heart,
and good news gives health to the bones.(V)
31 Whoever heeds life-giving correction
will be at home among the wise.(W)
The Charge to Timothy Renewed
18 Timothy, my son,(A) I am giving you this command in keeping with the prophecies once made about you,(B) so that by recalling them you may fight the battle well,(C) 19 holding on to faith and a good conscience,(D) which some have rejected and so have suffered shipwreck with regard to the faith.(E) 20 Among them are Hymenaeus(F) and Alexander,(G) whom I have handed over to Satan(H) to be taught not to blaspheme.
Instructions on Worship
2 I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers,(I) intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— 2 for kings and all those in authority,(J) that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness(K) and holiness. 3 This is good, and pleases(L) God our Savior,(M) 4 who wants(N) all people(O) to be saved(P) and to come to a knowledge of the truth.(Q) 5 For there is one God(R) and one mediator(S) between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus,(T) 6 who gave himself as a ransom(U) for all people. This has now been witnessed to(V) at the proper time.(W) 7 And for this purpose I was appointed a herald and an apostle—I am telling the truth, I am not lying(X)—and a true and faithful teacher(Y) of the Gentiles.(Z)
8 Therefore I want the men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands(AA) without anger or disputing.
33 “Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit.(A) 34 You brood of vipers,(B) how can you who are evil say anything good? For the mouth speaks(C) what the heart is full of. 35 A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. 36 But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. 37 For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”(D)
The Sign of Jonah(E)(F)
38 Then some of the Pharisees and teachers of the law said to him, “Teacher, we want to see a sign(G) from you.”(H)
39 He answered, “A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.(I) 40 For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish,(J) so the Son of Man(K) will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.(L) 41 The men of Nineveh(M) will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah,(N) and now something greater than Jonah is here. 42 The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for she came(O) from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, and now something greater than Solomon is here.
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