Book of Common Prayer
Qof
Waiting in Hope
145 I have cried out with all of my heart.
Answer me, Lord!
I will observe your statutes.
146 I have called out to you, “Save me,
so I may keep your decrees.”
147 I get up before dawn and cry for help;
I place my hope in your word.
148 I look forward to the night watches,
when I may meditate on what you have said.
149 Hear my voice according to your gracious love.
Lord, revive me in keeping with your justice.
150 Those who pursue wickedness draw near;
they remain far from your instruction.[a]
151 You are near, Lord,
and all of your commands are true.
152 I discovered long ago about your decrees
that you have confirmed them forever.
Resh
God’s Word is Truth
153 Look on my misery, and rescue me,
for I do not ignore your instruction.[b]
154 Defend my case and redeem me;
revive me according to your promise.
155 Deliverance remains remote from the wicked,
for they do not seek your statutes.
156 Your mercies are magnificent, Lord;
revive me according to your judgments.
157 Though my persecutors and adversaries are numerous,
I do not turn aside from your decrees.
158 I watch the treacherous, and despise them,
because they do not do what you have said.
159 Look how I love your precepts, Lord;
revive me according to your gracious love.
160 The sum[c] of your word[d] is truth,
and each righteous ordinance of yours is everlasting.
Sin/Shin
Loving God’s Instruction
161 Though nobles persecute me for no reason,
my heart stands in awe of your words.
162 I find joy at what you have said
like one who has discovered a great treasure.
163 I despise and hate falsehood,
but[e] I love your instruction.[f]
164 I praise you seven times a day
because of your righteous ordinances.
165 Great peace belongs to those who love your instruction,[g]
and nothing makes them stumble.
166 I am looking in hope for your deliverance, Lord,
as I carry out your commands.
167 My soul treasures[h] your decrees,
and I love them deeply.
168 I keep your precepts and your decrees
because all of my ways are before you.
Tav
The Joy of God’s Word
169 May my cry arise before you, Lord;
give me understanding according to your word.
170 Let my request come before you;
deliver me, as you have promised.
171 May my lips utter praise,
for you teach me your statutes.
172 May my tongue sing about your promise,
for all of your commands are right.
173 May your hand stand ready to assist me,
for I have chosen your precepts.
174 I am longing for your deliverance, Lord,
and your instruction[i] is my joy.
175 Let me live, and I will praise you;
let your ordinances[j] help me.
176 I have wandered away like a lost sheep;
come find your servant,
for I do not forget your commands.
A Song of Ascents
The Blessings of Fearing God
128 How blessed[a] are all who fear the Lord
as they follow in his ways.
2 You will eat from the work of your hands;
you will be happy, and it will go well for you.
3 Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house;
your children[b] like olive shoots surrounding your table.
4 See how the man will be blessed
who fears the Lord.
5 May the Lord bless you from Zion,
and may you observe the prosperity of Jerusalem
every day that you live!
6 And may you see your children’s children!
Peace be on Israel!
A Song of Ascents
God Defeats Israel’s Enemies
129 “Since my youth they have often persecuted me,”
let Israel repeat it,
2 “Since my youth they have often persecuted me,
yet they haven’t defeated me.
3 Wicked people[c] plowed over my back,
creating long-lasting wounds.”[d]
4 The Lord is righteous—
he has cut me free from the cords of the wicked.
5 Let all who hate Zion
be turned away and be ashamed.
6 May they become like a tuft of grass on a roof top,
that withers before it takes root—
7 not enough to fill one’s hand
or to bundle in one’s arms.
8 And may those who pass by never tell them,
“May the Lord’s blessing be upon you.
We bless you in the name of the Lord.”
A Song of Ascents
A Prayer for Mercy
130 I cry to you from the depths, Lord,
2 Lord, listen to my voice;
let your ears pay attention
to what I ask of you![e]
3 Lord,[f] if you were to record iniquities,
Lord, who could remain standing?
4 But with you there is forgiveness,
so that you may be feared.
5 I wait for the Lord;
my soul waits,
and I will hope in his word.
6 My soul looks to the Lord
more than watchmen look for the morning—
more, indeed, than[g] watchmen for the morning.
7 Israel, hope in the Lord!
For with the Lord there is gracious love,
along with abundant redemption.
8 And he will redeem Israel
from all its sins.
Boaz Meets Ruth
2 Naomi had a close relative of her late[a] husband, a man of considerable wealth from the family of Elimelech. His name was Boaz.
2 Ruth the Moabite told Naomi, “Please allow me to go out to the fields and glean grain behind anyone who shows me kindness.”
So Naomi replied, “Go ahead, my daughter.”
3 So she went out, proceeded to the field, and gleaned behind the harvesters. And it happened that she came to the portion of land belonging to Boaz, of the family of Elimelech.
4 Now when Boaz arrived from Bethlehem, he told the harvesters, “The Lord be with you.”
“May the Lord bless you!” they replied.
5 At this point, Boaz asked the foreman of[b] his harvesters, “To whom does this young woman belong?”
6 The foreman of[c] the harvesters answered, “She is the Moabite who came back with Naomi from the country of Moab. 7 She asked us, ‘Please allow me to glean what’s left of the grain behind the harvesters.’ So she came out and has continued working[d] from dawn until now, except for a short time in a shelter.”
Boaz Shows Kindness to Ruth
8 Boaz then addressed Ruth: “Listen, my daughter![e] Don’t glean in any other field. Don’t even leave this one, and be sure to stay close to my women servants. 9 Keep your eyes on the field where they are harvesting, and follow them. I’ve ordered my young men not to bother[f] you, haven’t I? And when you are thirsty, drink from the water vessels that the young men have filled.”
10 At this she fell prostrate, bowing low to the ground, and asked him, “Why is it that you’re showing me kindness by noticing me, since I’m a foreigner?”
11 Boaz answered her, “It has been clearly disclosed to me all that you have done for your mother-in-law following the death of your husband—how you left your father, your mother, and your own land behind, and came to a people you did not previously know. 12 May the Lord repay you for your work, and may a full reward be given you from the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings[g] you have come for refuge.”
13 She responded, “May I continue to find favor in your sight, sir, since you’ve been comforting me and you have spoken graciously to[h] your servant, even though I am not one of your servants.”
23 I call upon God as a witness on my behalf that it was in order to spare you that I did not return to Corinth. 24 It is not that we are trying to rule over your faith, but rather to work with you for your joy, because you have been standing firm in the faith.
Paul’s Painful Visit
2 Now[a] I decided not to pay you another painful visit. 2 After all, if I were to grieve you, who should make me happy but the person I am making sad? 3 This is the very reason I wrote you, so that when I did come I might not be made sad by those who should have made me happy. For I had confidence that all of you would share the joy that I have. 4 I wrote to you out of great sorrow and anguish of heart—along with many tears—not to make you sad but to let you know how much love I have for you.
Forgive the Person who Sinned
5 But if anyone has caused grief, he didn’t cause me any grief. To some extent—I don’t want to emphasize this too much—it has affected[b] all of you. 6 This punishment by the majority is severe enough for such a man. 7 So forgive and comfort him, or else he will drown in his excessive grief. 8 That’s why I’m urging you to assure him of your love. 9 I had also written to you to see if you would stand the test and be obedient in every way. 10 When you forgive someone, I do, too. Indeed, what I have forgiven—if there was anything to forgive—I did[c] in the presence of the Messiah[d] for your benefit, 11 so that we may not be outsmarted by Satan. After all, we are not unaware of his intentions.
Paul’s Anxiety and Relief
12 When I went to Troas on behalf of the gospel of the Messiah,[e] the Lord opened a door for me, 13 but my spirit could not find any relief, because I couldn’t find Titus, my brother. So I said goodbye to them and went on to Macedonia.
14 But thanks be to God! He always leads us triumphantly by the Messiah[f] and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of knowing him. 15 To God we are the aroma of the Messiah[g] among those who are being saved and among those who are being lost. 16 To some people we are a deadly fragrance,[h] while to others we are a living fragrance.[i] Who is qualified for this? 17 At least we are not commercializing God’s word like so many others. Instead, we speak with sincerity in the Messiah’s[j] name,[k] like people who are sent from God and are accountable to God.[l]
Teaching about Anger
21 “You have heard that it was told those who lived long ago, ‘You are not to commit murder,’[a] and, ‘Whoever murders will be subject to punishment.’[b] 22 But I say to you, anyone who is angry with his brother without a cause[c] will be subject to punishment. And whoever says to his brother ‘Raka!’[d] will be subject to the Council.[e] And whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be subject to hell[f] fire.
23 “So if you are presenting your gift at the altar and remember there that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar and first go and be reconciled to your brother. Then come and offer your gift. 25 Come to terms quickly with your opponent while you are on the way to court,[g] or your opponent may hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison. 26 I tell you[h] with certainty, you will not get out of there until you pay back the last dollar!”[i]
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