Book of Common Prayer
Psalm 101
Of David. A psalm.
101 Oh, let me sing about faithful love and justice!
I want to sing my praises to you, Lord!
2 I want to study the way of integrity—
how long before it gets here?
I will walk with a heart of integrity
in my own house.
3 I won’t set my eyes on anything worthless.
I hate wrongdoing;
none of that will stick to me.
4 A corrupt heart will be far from me.
I won’t be familiar with evil.
5 I will destroy anyone
who secretly tells lies about a neighbor.
I can’t stomach anyone
who has proud eyes or an arrogant heart.
6 My eyes focus on those
who are faithful in the land,
to have them close to me.
The person who walks without blame
will work for me.
7 But the person who acts deceitfully
won’t stay in my house.
The person who tells lies
won’t last for long before me.
8 Every morning I will destroy
all those who are wicked in the land
in order to eliminate all evildoers
from the Lord’s city.
Psalm 109
To the leader. Of David. A psalm.
109 God of my praise, don’t keep quiet,
2 because the mouths of wicked liars
have opened up against me,
talking about me with lying tongues.
3 Hateful words surround me;
they attack me for no reason.
4 Instead of returning my love, they accuse me—
but I am at prayer.
5 They repay me evil for good,
hatred in return for my love.
6 “Appoint a wicked person to be against this person,” they say,
“an accuser to stand right next to him.
7 When the sentence is passed, let him be found guilty—
let his prayer be found sinful!
8 Let his days be few;
let someone else assume his position.
9 Let his children become orphans;
let his wife turn into a widow.
10 Let his children wander aimlessly, begging,
driven out of their ruined homes.
11 Let a creditor seize everything he owns;
let strangers plunder his wealth.
12 Let no one extend faithful love to him;
let no one have mercy on his orphans.
13 Let his descendants be eliminated;
let their names be wiped out in just one generation!
14 Let his father’s wrongdoing be remembered before the Lord;
let his mother’s sin never be wiped out.
15 Let them be before the Lord always,
and let God eliminate the very memory of them from the land.
16 All because this person didn’t remember to demonstrate faithful love,
but chased after the poor and needy—
even the brokenhearted—with deadly intent!
17 Since he loved to curse,
let it come back on him!
Since he didn’t care much for blessing,
let it be far away from him!
18 Since he wore curses like a coat,
let them seep inside him like water,
seep into his bones like oil!
19 Let them be like the clothes he wears,
like a belt that is always around him.”
20 But let all that be the reward my accusers get from the Lord,
the reward for those who speak evil against me!
21 But you, Lord, my Lord!—
act on my behalf for the sake of your name;
deliver me because your faithful love is so good;
22 because I am poor and needy,
and my heart is broken.
23 Like a lengthening shadow, I’m passing away;
I’m shaken off, like some locust.
24 My legs are weak from fasting;
my body is skin and bones.
25 I’ve become a joke to my accusers;
when they see me, they just shake their heads.
26 Help me, Lord my God!
Save me according to your faithful love!
27 And let them know that this is by your hand—
that you have done it, Lord!
28 Let them curse—but you, bless me!
If they rise up, let them be disgraced,
but let your servant celebrate!
29 Let my accusers be dressed in shame;
let them wear their disgrace like a coat.
30 But I will give great thanks to the Lord with my mouth;
among a great crowd I will praise God!
ע ayin
121 I’ve done what is just and right.
Don’t just hand me over to my oppressors.
122 Guarantee good things for your servant.
Please don’t let the arrogant oppress me.
123 My eyes are worn out looking for your saving help—
looking for your word that will set things right.
124 Act toward your servant according to your faithful love.
Teach me your statutes!
125 I’m your servant!
Help me understand so I can know your laws.
126 It is time for the Lord to do something!
Your Instruction has been broken.
127 But I love your commandments
more than gold, even more than pure gold.
128 That’s why I walk straight by every single one of your precepts.
That’s why I hate every false path.
פ pe
129 Your laws are wonderful!
That’s why I guard them.
130 Access to your words[a] gives light,
giving simple folk understanding.
131 I open my mouth up wide, panting,
because I long for your commandments.
132 Come back to me and have mercy on me;
that’s only right for those who love your name.
133 Keep my steps steady by your word;
don’t let any sin rule me.
134 Redeem me from the people who oppress me
so I can keep your precepts.
135 Shine your face on your servant,
and teach me your statutes.
136 Rivers of tears stream from my eyes
because your Instruction isn’t being kept.
צ tsade
137 Lord, you are righteous,
and your rules are right.
138 The laws you commanded are righteous,
completely trustworthy.
139 Anger consumes me
because my enemies have forgotten what you’ve said.
140 Your word has been tried and tested;
your servant loves your word!
141 I’m insignificant and unpopular,
but I don’t forget your precepts.
142 Your righteousness lasts forever!
Your Instruction is true!
143 Stress and strain have caught up with me,
but your commandments are my joy!
144 Your laws are righteous forever.
Help me understand so I can live!
15 Look down from heaven and see,
from your holy and glorious perch.
Where are your energy and your might,
your concern and your pity?
Don’t hold back![a]
16 You are surely our father,
even though Abraham doesn’t know us,
and Israel doesn’t recognize us.
You, Lord, are our father;
your reputation since long ago is that of our redeemer.
17 Why do you lead us astray, Lord,
from your ways?
Why do you harden our heart
so we don’t fear you?
Return for the sake of your servants
the tribes that are your heritage!
18 Why did the wicked bring down your holy place?[b]
Why did our enemies trample your sanctuary?
19 For too long we have been like those you don’t rule,
like those not known by your name.
64 [c] If only you would tear open the heavens and come down!
Mountains would quake before you
2 like fire igniting brushwood or making water boil.
[d] If you would make your name known to your enemies,
the nations would tremble in your presence.
3 When you accomplished wonders beyond all our expectations;
when you came down, mountains quaked before you.
4 From ancient times,
no one has heard,
no ear has perceived,
no eye has seen any god but you
who acts on behalf of those who wait for him![e]
5 You look after those who gladly do right;
they will praise you for your ways.[f]
But you were angry when we sinned;
you hid yourself when we did wrong.[g]
6 We have all become like the unclean;
all our righteous deeds are like a menstrual rag.
All of us wither like a leaf;
our sins, like the wind, carry us away.
7 No one calls on your name;
no one bothers to hold on to you,
for you have hidden yourself from us,
and have handed us over[h] to our sin.
8 But now, Lord, you are our father.
We are the clay, and you are our potter.
All of us are the work of your hand.
9 Don’t rage so fiercely, Lord;
don’t hold our sins against us forever,
but gaze now on your people, all of us:
Supervisors in God’s household
3 This saying is reliable: if anyone has a goal to be a supervisor[a] in the church, they want a good thing. 2 So the church’s supervisor must be without fault. They should be faithful to their spouse, sober, modest, and honest. They should show hospitality and be skilled at teaching. 3 They shouldn’t be addicted to alcohol or be a bully. Instead, they should be gentle, peaceable, and not greedy. 4 They should manage their own household well—they should see that their children are obedient with complete respect, 5 because if they don’t know how to manage their own household, how can they take care of God’s church? 6 They shouldn’t be new believers so that they won’t become proud and fall under the devil’s spell. 7 They should also have a good reputation with those outside the church so that they won’t be embarrassed and fall into the devil’s trap.
Servants in God’s household
8 In the same way, servants[b] in the church should be dignified, not two-faced, heavy drinkers, or greedy for money. 9 They should hold on to the faith that has been revealed with a clear conscience. 10 They should also be tested and then serve if they are without fault. 11 In the same way, women who are servants[c] in the church should be dignified and not gossip. They should be sober and faithful in everything they do. 12 Servants[d] must be faithful to their spouse and manage their children and their own households well. 13 Those who have served well gain a good standing and considerable confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.
Leading God’s household
14 I hope to come to you quickly. But I’m writing these things to you so that 15 if I’m delayed, you’ll know how you should behave in God’s household. It is the church of the living God and the backbone and support of the truth. 16 Without question, the mystery of godliness is great: he was revealed as a human, declared righteous by the Spirit, seen by angels, preached throughout the nations, believed in around the world, and taken up in glory.
Controversy over authority
27 Jesus and his disciples entered Jerusalem again. As Jesus was walking around the temple, the chief priests, legal experts, and elders came to him. 28 They asked, “What kind of authority do you have for doing these things? Who gave you this authority to do them?”
29 Jesus said to them, “I have a question for you. Give me an answer, then I’ll tell you what kind of authority I have to do these things. 30 Was John’s baptism of heavenly or of human origin? Answer me.”
31 They argued among themselves, “If we say, ‘It’s of heavenly origin,’ he’ll say, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’ 32 But we can’t say, ‘It’s of earthly origin.’” They said this because they were afraid of the crowd, because they all thought John was a prophet. 33 They answered Jesus, “We don’t know.”
Jesus replied, “Neither will I tell you what kind of authority I have to do these things.”
Parable of the tenant farmers
12 Jesus spoke to them in parables. “A man planted a vineyard, put a fence around it, dug a pit for the winepress, and built a tower. Then he rented it to tenant farmers and took a trip. 2 When it was time, he sent a servant to collect from the tenants his share of the fruit of the vineyard. 3 But they grabbed the servant, beat him, and sent him away empty-handed. 4 Again the landowner sent another servant to them, but they struck him on the head and treated him disgracefully. 5 He sent another one; that one they killed. The landlord sent many other servants, but the tenants beat some and killed others. 6 Now the landowner had one son whom he loved dearly. He sent him last, thinking, They will respect my son. 7 But those tenant farmers said to each other, ‘This is the heir. Let’s kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ 8 They grabbed him, killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard.
9 “So what will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy those tenants and give the vineyard to others. 10 Haven’t you read this scripture, The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. 11 The Lord has done this, and it’s amazing in our eyes?”[a]
12 They wanted to arrest Jesus because they knew that he had told the parable against them. But they were afraid of the crowd, so they left him and went away.
Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible