Book of Common Prayer
Psalm 146
The God of Compassion
1 Hallelujah!
My soul, praise the Lord.(A)
2 I will praise the Lord all my life;
I will sing to my God as long as I live.(B)
3 Do not trust in nobles,
in man, who cannot save.(C)
4 When his breath[a] leaves him,
he returns to the ground;
on that day his plans die.(D)
5 Happy is the one whose help is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the Lord his God,(E)
6 the Maker of heaven and earth,
the sea and everything in them.(F)
He remains faithful forever,(G)
7 executing justice for the exploited
and giving food to the hungry.(H)
The Lord frees prisoners.(I)
8 The Lord opens the eyes of the blind.(J)
The Lord raises up those who are oppressed.[b](K)
The Lord loves the righteous.(L)
9 The Lord protects foreigners
and helps the fatherless and the widow,(M)
but He frustrates the ways of the wicked.(N)
10 The Lord reigns forever;
Zion, your God reigns for all generations.(O)
Hallelujah!
Psalm 147
God Restores Jerusalem
1 Hallelujah!
How good it is to sing to our God,
for praise is pleasant and lovely.(P)
2 The Lord rebuilds Jerusalem;(Q)
He gathers Israel’s exiled people.(R)
3 He heals the brokenhearted
and binds up their wounds.(S)
4 He counts the number of the stars;
He gives names to all of them.(T)
5 Our Lord is great, vast in power;
His understanding is infinite.[c](U)
6 The Lord helps the afflicted
but brings the wicked to the ground.(V)
7 Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving;
play the lyre to our God,(W)
8 who covers the sky with clouds,
prepares rain for the earth,
and causes grass to grow on the hills.(X)
9 He provides the animals with their food,
and the young ravens, what they cry for.(Y)
10 He is not impressed by the strength of a horse;
He does not value the power[d] of a man.(Z)
11 The Lord values those who fear Him,
those who put their hope in His faithful love.(AA)
12 Exalt the Lord, Jerusalem;
praise your God, Zion!(AB)
13 For He strengthens the bars of your gates
and blesses your children within you.(AC)
14 He endows your territory with prosperity;[e](AD)
He satisfies you with the finest wheat.(AE)
Psalm 111
Praise for the Lord’s Works
1 Hallelujah![a]
I will praise the Lord with all my heart
in the assembly of the upright and in the congregation.(A)
2 The Lord’s works are great,
studied by all who delight in them.(B)
3 All that He does is splendid and majestic;(C)
His righteousness endures forever.(D)
4 He has caused His wonderful works to be remembered.(E)
The Lord is gracious and compassionate.(F)
5 He has provided food for those who fear Him;(G)
He remembers His covenant forever.(H)
6 He has shown His people the power of His works
by giving them the inheritance of the nations.(I)
7 The works of His hands are truth and justice;
all His instructions are trustworthy.(J)
8 They are established forever and ever,
enacted in truth and in what is right.(K)
9 He has sent redemption to His people.(L)
He has ordained His covenant forever.
His name is holy and awe-inspiring.(M)
10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;(N)
all who follow His instructions[b] have good insight.(O)
His praise endures forever.(P)
Psalm 112
The Traits of the Righteous
2 His descendants will be powerful in the land;
the generation of the upright will be blessed.(R)
3 Wealth and riches are in his house,(S)
and his righteousness endures forever.(T)
4 Light shines in the darkness for the upright.(U)
He is gracious, compassionate, and righteous.(V)
5 Good will come to a man who lends generously
and conducts his business fairly.(W)
6 He will never be shaken.(X)
The righteous man will be remembered forever.(Y)
7 He will not fear bad news;
his heart is confident, trusting in the Lord.(Z)
8 His heart is assured; he will not fear.(AA)
In the end he will look in triumph on his foes.(AB)
9 He distributes freely to the poor;
his righteousness endures forever.(AC)
His horn will be exalted in honor.(AD)
10 The wicked man will see it and be angry;
he will gnash his teeth in despair.(AE)
The desire of the wicked man will come to nothing.(AF)
Psalm 113
Praise to the Merciful God
1 Hallelujah!
Give praise, servants of Yahweh;
praise the name of Yahweh.(AG)
2 Let the name of Yahweh be praised
both now and forever.(AH)
3 From the rising of the sun to its setting,
let the name of Yahweh be praised.(AI)
4 Yahweh is exalted above all the nations,(AJ)
His glory above the heavens.(AK)
5 Who is like Yahweh our God—
the One enthroned on high,(AL)
6 who stoops down to look
on the heavens and the earth?(AM)
7 He raises the poor from the dust
and lifts the needy from the garbage pile(AN)
8 in order to seat them with nobles—
with the nobles of His people.(AO)
9 He gives the childless woman a household,
making her the joyful mother of children.(AP)
Hallelujah!
Wisdom versus Foolishness
9 Wisdom has built her house;(A)
she has carved out her seven pillars.
2 She has prepared her meat;(B) she has mixed her wine;(C)
she has also set her table.(D)
3 She has sent out her female servants;(E)
she calls out from the highest points of the city:(F)
4 “Whoever is inexperienced, enter here!”
To the one who lacks sense,(G) she says,
5 “Come, eat my bread,(H)
and drink the wine I have mixed.
6 Leave inexperience behind, and you will live;
pursue the way of understanding.
7 The one who corrects a mocker
will bring dishonor on himself;
the one who rebukes a wicked man will get hurt.[a]
8 Don’t rebuke a mocker, or he will hate you;(I)
rebuke a wise man, and he will love you.(J)
9 Instruct a wise man, and he will be wiser still;
teach a righteous man, and he will learn more.(K)
6 Remember this:[a] The person who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the person who sows generously will also reap generously. 7 Each person should do as he has decided in his heart—not reluctantly or out of necessity, for God loves(A) a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able(B) to make every grace overflow to you, so that in every way, always having everything you need, you may excel in every good work. 9 As it is written:
10 Now the One who provides seed for the sower and bread for food will provide and multiply your seed and increase the harvest of your righteousness.(E) 11 You will be enriched(F) in every way for all generosity, which produces thanksgiving to God through us. 12 For the ministry of this service(G) is not only supplying the needs of the saints, but is also overflowing in many acts of thanksgiving to God. 13 They will glorify God for your obedience to the confession of[c] the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity(H) in sharing with them and with others through the proof provided by this service. 14 And they will have deep affection for[d] you in their prayers on your behalf because of the surpassing grace of God in you. 15 Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift.
A Blind Man Healed
46 They(A) came to Jericho.(B) And as He was leaving Jericho with His disciples and a large crowd, Bartimaeus (the son of Timaeus), a blind(C) beggar,(D) was sitting by the road.(E) 47 When he heard that it was Jesus the Nazarene,(F) he began to cry out, “Son of David,(G) Jesus, have mercy(H) on me!”(I) 48 Many people told him to keep quiet, but he was crying out all the more, “Have mercy on me,(J) Son of David!”
49 Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.”
So they called the blind man and said to him, “Have courage!(K) Get up; He’s calling for you.” 50 He threw off his coat,(L) jumped up, and came to Jesus.
51 Then Jesus answered him, “What do you want(M) Me to do for you?”
“Rabbouni,”[a](N) the blind man told Him, “I want to see!”
52 “Go your way,” Jesus told him. “Your faith has healed you.”(O) Immediately he could see and began to follow Him on the road.
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