Book of Common Prayer
Book 1: Psalms 1–41
Two Ways to Live
1 ·Happy [Blessed] are those who don’t ·listen to [L walk in the counsel of] the wicked,
who don’t ·go where sinners go [L stand in the way of sinners],
who don’t ·do what evil people do [L sit in the seat of mockers].
2 They ·love [delight in] the Lord’s ·teachings [laws; instructions],
and they ·think about [meditate on] those ·teachings [laws; instructions] day and night.
3 They are like a tree planted by ·a river [L streams of water; C full of life, strong, vibrant].
The tree produces fruit in season,
and its leaves don’t ·die [wither].
Everything they do will ·succeed [prosper].
4 But wicked people are not like that.
They are like chaff that the wind blows away [C dead, unstable].
5 So the wicked will not ·escape God’s punishment [L stand in the judgment].
Sinners will not ·worship with God’s people [L be in the assembly of the righteous].
6 This is because the Lord ·takes care of his people [L knows the way of the righteous],
but the way of the wicked will be destroyed.
The Lord’s Chosen King
2 Why ·are the nations so angry [do the nations rage/or conspire]?
Why ·are the people making useless plans [do the people plot in vain]?
2 The kings of the earth ·prepare to fight [L take their stand],
and their leaders ·make plans [plot] together
against the Lord
and his ·appointed one [anointed; Messiah; C the king, ultimately Jesus; Acts 4:25–28].
3 They say, “Let’s break ·the chains that hold us back [L their chains/bonds]
and throw off ·the ropes that tie us down [L their ropes/cords from us].”
4 But the one who sits in heaven [C God] laughs;
the Lord ·makes fun of [ridicules; derides] them.
5 Then the Lord ·warns them [L speaks to them in anger]
and frightens them with his ·anger [fury].
6 He says, “I have ·appointed [installed; set] my own king
over my holy mountain, Zion [C the location of the Temple in Jerusalem; 9:11; 48:2, 11; 50:2; 1 Kin. 8:1].”
7 Now I will ·tell [recount to] you what the Lord has ·declared [decreed]:
He said to me, “You are my son.
Today I have become your father [2 Sam. 7:14; Matt. 3:17; Mark 1:11; Luke 3:22; Acts 13:32–33; Heb. 1:5].
8 ·If you ask me [L Ask of me], I will give you the nations as your inheritance;
all the ·people on [L ends of the] earth will be ·yours [L your possession].
9 You will rule over them with an iron ·rod [scepter; C a symbol of royal authority; Rev. 12:5; 19:15].
You will ·break [dash] them into pieces like pottery.”
10 ·So [Now], kings, be wise;
·rulers [L rulers/judges of the earth], ·learn this lesson [be warned].
11 ·Obey [Serve] the Lord with great fear.
·Be happy [Rejoice], ·but tremble [L with trembling].
12 ·Show that you are loyal to his [L Kiss the] son,
or ·you will be destroyed by his anger [L he will be angry and you will perish on the way],
because he can quickly become angry.
But ·happy [blessed] are those who ·trust him for protection [find refuge in him].
A Morning Prayer
David sang this when he ran away from his son Absalom [2 Sam. 15–19].
3 Lord, ·I have many enemies [L how many are my foes?]!
·Many people [L How many…?] have ·turned [L risen] against me.
2 Many are saying about me,
“·God won’t rescue him [L There is no salvation for him in God].” ·
3 But, Lord, you are my shield [C protector],
my ·wonderful God [L glory] who ·gives me courage [L lifts up my head].
4 I will ·pray [L lift my voice] to the Lord,
and he will answer me from his holy mountain [C Zion, the location of the Temple]. ·
5 I can lie down and go to sleep,
and I will wake up again,
because the Lord ·gives me strength [sustains/upholds me].
6 Thousands of troops may ·surround me [L set themselves around me],
but I am not afraid.
7 Lord, rise up!
My God, come ·save [rescue; T deliver] me!
You have struck my enemies on the cheek;
you have broken the teeth of the wicked.
8 ·The Lord can save his people [L Salvation/Rescue/Deliverance belongs to the Lord].
·Bless your people [L May your blessing be on your people]. ·
An Evening Prayer
For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A psalm of David.
4 Answer me when I ·pray [L call] to you,
my God who ·does what is right [is righteous; or who vindicates me].
·Make things easier for me [Give me room; Widen my way] when I am in trouble.
Have mercy on me and hear my prayer.
2 People, how long will you turn my ·honor [glory] into shame?
How long will you love what is ·false [empty] and ·look for [seek] lies [C possibly referring to false gods]? ·
3 You know that the Lord has ·chosen [set apart; distinguished] for himself those who are loyal to him [C in covenant relationship with him].
The Lord listens when I ·pray [call] to him.
4 When you ·are angry [are disturbed; L tremble], do not sin.
·Think about these things [Meditate; L Speak to your heart] quietly
·as you go to bed [L on your bed]. ·
5 ·Do what is right as a sacrifice to the Lord [L Sacrifice right/righteous sacrifices]
and trust the Lord.
6 Many people ask,
“Who will ·give us [L make us see] anything good?”
Lord, ·be kind to us [L let the light of your face shine on us; Num. 6:24–26].
7 But you have ·made me very happy [L given joy to my heart],
happier than they are,
even with all their grain and new wine.
8 I ·go to bed [L lie down] and sleep in peace,
because, Lord, only you ·keep me safe [make me secure].
A Prayer for Fairness
A shiggaion [C a musical or literary term of uncertain meaning] of David which he sang to the Lord about Cush, from the tribe of Benjamin [C an unknown person, but the tribe of Benjamin, Saul’s tribe, resisted David’s kingship at first; 2 Sam. 3–4].
7 Lord my God, I ·trust in you for protection [find refuge in you].
·Save [Rescue; T Deliver] me and rescue me
from those who are ·chasing [pursuing] me.
2 Otherwise, like a lion they will tear me apart.
They will ·rip me to pieces [or drag me away], and no one can ·save [rescue; T deliver] me.
3 Lord my God, what have I done?
Have my hands done something ·wrong [to make me guilty]?
4 Have I done wrong to ·my friend [L the one at peace with me]
or stolen without reason from my enemy?
5 If I have, let my enemy ·chase [pursue] me and ·capture [overtake] me.
Let him trample ·me [L my life] into the ·dust [earth]
and ·bury me [L lay my honor] in the ground. ·
6 Lord, rise up in your anger;
·stand up [L lift yourself up] against my enemies’ ·anger [fury].
·Get up [Wake up], ·my God [or for me], and ·demand fairness [insist on/L command judgment].
7 Gather the ·nations [L assembly/congregations of the peoples] around you
and ·rule [or take a seat over; L return] them from ·above [on high].
8 Lord, judge the people.
Lord, ·defend [judge] me ·because I am right [according to my righteousness],
·because I have done no wrong [according to my innocence].
9 God, you ·do what is right [are righteous].
You ·know [L test] our ·thoughts [L hearts/minds] and ·feelings [L kidneys; C the seat of emotions in Hebrew thought].
Stop those wicked actions done by evil people,
and ·help [establish] those who ·do what is right [are righteous].
10 God ·protects me like a [is my] shield;
he saves those whose hearts ·are right [have integrity].
11 God ·judges by what is right [is a righteous judge],
and God is ·always ready to punish the wicked [L angry every day].
12 If they do not ·change their lives [repent],
God will sharpen his sword;
he will string his bow and take aim.
13 He has prepared his deadly weapons;
he has made his flaming arrows.
14 There are people who ·think up [L conceive] evil
and ·plan [L are pregnant with] ·trouble [malice] and ·tell [L give birth to] lies.
15 They dig a ·hole [pit] ·to trap others [L and dig it deep],
but they will fall into it themselves.
16 ·They will get themselves into trouble [L Their trouble/malice will return to their head];
the violence they cause will ·hurt only themselves [L come down on their heads; Prov. 26:27; Matt. 26:52].
17 I praise the Lord ·because he does what is right [according to his righteousness].
I sing praises to the Lord Most High.
The Wise Words of Solomon
10 These are the ·wise words [proverbs] of Solomon:
Wise ·children [sons] make their father happy,
but foolish ·children [sons] make their mother sad.
2 ·Riches gotten by doing wrong [L The treasures of the wicked] have no value,
but ·right living [righteousness] will save you from death.
3 The Lord does not let ·good [righteous] people ·go hungry [starve],
but he keeps evil people from getting what they want.
4 A ·lazy person will end up [L slack palm makes a person] poor,
but a ·hard worker will become [L determined hand makes a person] rich.
5 Those who gather crops ·on time [L in the summer] are wise,
but those who sleep through the harvest are a disgrace.
6 ·Good [Righteous] people will have rich blessings,
but the mouth of the wicked ·will be overwhelmed by [or conceals] violence.
7 ·Good [Righteous] people will be remembered as a blessing,
but the name of evil people will soon ·be forgotten [L rot].
8 The wise of heart ·do what they are told [L grasps commands],
but ·a talkative fool [L the lips of a fool] will be ruined.
9 ·The honest person will live [L Those who walk in innocence walk] in safety,
but ·the dishonest [L those who twist their path] will be ·caught [found out].
10 A wink may ·get you into [or cause] trouble,
and foolish talk will lead to your ruin.
11 The ·words [L mouth] of a ·good [righteous] person ·give life, like a fountain of water [L is a fountain of life],
but the ·words [L mouth] of the wicked ·contain nothing but [conceals] violence.
12 Hatred stirs up ·trouble [conflict; fights],
but love ·forgives [covers] all wrongs.
15 You know that everyone in Asia [C a Roman province in present-day western Turkey] has left me, even Phygelus and Hermogenes. 16 May the Lord show ·mercy [kindness] to the family of Onesiphorus [4:20; C the reference to the “family” rather than the man may indicate that Onesiphorus has since died], who has often ·helped [encouraged; refreshed] me and was not ashamed ·that I was in prison [L of my chains]. 17 When he came to Rome, he ·looked eagerly [searched diligently] for me until he found me. 18 May the Lord ·allow him to find [grant/give him] mercy from the Lord on that day [C the final day of judgment and reward]. You know very well how many ways he ·helped [served] me in Ephesus [C a major port city in the Roman province of Asia, present-day western Turkey; Acts 19].
A Loyal Soldier of Christ Jesus
2 You then, Timothy, my child, be strong in the grace we have in Christ Jesus. 2 You should ·teach [entrust to; or pass on to] people ·whom you can trust [who are faithful/reliable] the things you have heard me say ·in the presence of [or confirmed by] many witnesses. Then they will be able to teach others. 3 ·Share in the troubles we have [or Join me in suffering] like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4 A soldier wants to please the ·enlisting [or commanding] officer, so no one serving in the army ·wastes time with [gets involved/entangled with] ·everyday matters [civilian affairs]. 5 Also an athlete who takes part in a contest must ·obey all [play by] the rules in order to ·win [L be crowned; C with the victor’s wreath]. 6 The farmer who works hard should be the first person to get some of the food that was grown. 7 Think about what I am saying, because the Lord will give you the ability to understand everything.
8 Remember Jesus Christ, who was raised from the dead, who is from the ·family [L seed] of David [2 Sam. 7:12–16]. ·This is the Good News I preach [L …according to my Gospel], 9 and I am suffering because of it to the point of being bound with chains like a criminal. But God’s ·teaching [message; word] is not in chains. 10 So I ·patiently accept [endure] all these troubles so that those whom God has chosen can ·have [receive; obtain] the salvation that is in Christ Jesus. With that salvation comes ·glory that never ends [eternal glory].
11 This ·teaching is true [saying/word is trustworthy; 1 Tim. 1:15; 3:1; 4:9; Titus 3:8; C what follows may be an early Christian hymn]:
If we died with him, we will also live with him.
12 If we ·accept suffering [endure; persevere], we will also ·rule [reign] with him.
If we ·say we don’t know [deny; disown; renounce] him, he will ·say he doesn’t know [deny; disown; renounce] us.
13 If we are not faithful, he will still be faithful,
because he ·must be true to who he is [L cannot deny/disown himself].
27 “Now ·I am very [L my soul is] troubled. Should I say, ‘Father, save me from this ·time [L hour]’? No, ·I came to this time so I could suffer [L for this reason I have come to this hour]. 28 Father, ·bring glory to [glorify; honor] your name!”
Then a voice came from heaven, “I have ·brought glory to [glorified] it, and I will ·do [L glorify; honor] it again.”
29 The crowd standing there, who heard the voice, said it was thunder.
But others said, “An angel has spoken to him.”
30 Jesus ·said [responded], “That voice was for your sake, not mine. 31 Now is the time for the world to be judged; now the ·ruler [prince] of this world [C Satan] will be ·thrown down [L cast/driven out]. 32 ·If [or When] I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw all people ·toward me [to myself].” 33 Jesus said this to show ·how [what kind of death] he would die.
34 The crowd ·said [responded to him], “We have heard from the ·law [C the Old Testament] that the ·Christ [Messiah] will ·live [remain] forever [Ps. 89:35–37; Is. 9:7; Ezek. 37:25]. So why do you say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this ‘Son of Man’?”
35 Then Jesus said, “The light will be ·with [among] you for a little longer, so walk while you have the light. Then the darkness will not ·catch [overtake] you. ·If you walk [L The one who walks] in the darkness, you will not know where you are going. 36 ·Believe [Put your trust] in the light while you still have it so that you will become children of light.” When Jesus had said this, he left and hid himself from them.
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