Book of Common Prayer
A psalm by David.
101 I will sing about mercy and justice.
O Lord, I will make music to praise you.
2 I want to understand the path to integrity.
When will you come to me?
I will live in my own home with integrity.
3 I will not put anything wicked in front of my eyes.
I hate what unfaithful people do.
I want no part of it.
4 I will keep far away from devious minds.
I will have nothing to do with evil.
5 I will destroy anyone who secretly slanders his neighbor.
I will not tolerate anyone with a conceited look or arrogant heart.
6 My eyes will be watching the faithful people in the land
so that they may live with me.
The person who lives with integrity will serve me.
7 The one who does deceitful things will not stay in my home.
The one who tells lies will not remain in my presence.
8 Every morning I will destroy all the wicked people in the land
to rid the Lord’s city of all troublemakers.
For the choir director; a psalm by David.
109 O God, whom I praise, do not turn a deaf ear to me.
2 Wicked and deceitful people have opened their mouths against me.
They speak against me with lying tongues.
3 They surround me with hateful words.
They fight against me for no reason.
4 In return for my love, they accuse me,
but I pray for them.[a]
5 They reward me with evil instead of good
and with hatred instead of love.
6 ⌞I said,⌟ “Appoint the evil one to oppose him.
Let Satan stand beside him.
7 When he stands trial,
let him be found guilty.
Let his prayer be considered sinful.
8 Let his days be few ⌞in number⌟.
Let someone else take his position.
9 “Let his children become fatherless and his wife a widow.
10 Let his children wander around and beg.
Let them seek help far from their ruined homes.
11 Let a creditor take everything he owns.
Let strangers steal what he has worked for.
12 Let no one be kind to him anymore.
Let no one show any pity to his fatherless children.
13 Let his descendants be cut off
and their family name be wiped out by the next generation.
14 Let the Lord remember the guilt of his ancestors
and not wipe out his mother’s sin.
15 Let their guilt and sin always remain on record
in front of the Lord.
Let the Lord remove every memory of him [b] from the earth,
16 because he did not remember to be kind.
“He drove oppressed, needy,
and brokenhearted people to their graves.
17 He loved to put curses ⌞on others⌟,
so he, too, was cursed.
He did not like to bless ⌞others⌟,
so he never received a blessing.
18 He wore cursing as though it were clothing,
so cursing entered his body like water
and his bones like oil.
19 Let cursing be his clothing,
a belt he always wears.”
20 This is how the Lord rewards those who accuse me,
those who say evil things against me.
21 O Lord Almighty, deal with me out of the goodness of your name.
Rescue me because of your mercy.
22 I am oppressed and needy.
I can feel the pain in my heart.
23 I fade away like a lengthening shadow.
I have been shaken off like a grasshopper.
24 My knees give way because I have been fasting.
My body has become lean, without any fat.
25 I have become the victim of my enemies’ insults.
They look at me and shake their heads.
26 Help me, O Lord my God.
Save me because of your mercy.
27 Then they will know that this is your doing,
that you, O Lord, are the one who saved me.
28 They may curse, but you will bless.
Let those who attack me be ashamed,
but let me rejoice.
29 Let those who accuse me wear disgrace as though it were clothing.
Let them be wrapped in their shame as though it were a robe.
30 With my mouth I will give many thanks to the Lord.
I will praise him among many people,
121 I have done what is fair and right.
Do not leave me at the mercy of those who oppress me.
122 Guarantee my well-being.
Do not let arrogant people oppress me.
123 My eyes are strained from looking for you to save me
and from looking for the fulfillment of your righteous promise.
124 Treat me with kindness,
and teach me your laws.
125 I am your servant.
Help me understand
so that I may come to know your written instructions.
126 It is time for you to act, O Lord.[a]
Even though people have abolished your teachings,
127 I love your commandments more than gold, more than pure gold.
128 I follow the straight paths of your guiding principles.
I hate every pathway that leads to lying.
129 Your written instructions are miraculous.
That is why I obey them.
130 Your word is a doorway that lets in light,
and it helps gullible people understand.
131 I open my mouth and pant
because I long for your commandments.
132 Turn toward me, and have pity on me
as you have pledged to do for those who love your name.
133 Make my steps secure through your promise,
and do not let any sin control me.
134 Save me from human oppression
so that I may obey your guiding principles.
135 Smile on me,
and teach me your laws.
136 Streams of tears flow from my eyes
because others do not follow your teachings.
137 You are righteous, O Lord,
and your regulations are fair.
138 You have issued your written instructions.
They are fair and completely dependable.
139 My devotion ⌞for your words⌟ consumes me,
because my enemies have forgotten your words.
140 Your promise has been thoroughly tested,
and I love it.
141 I am unimportant and despised,
⌞yet⌟ I never forget your guiding principles.
142 Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness,
and your teachings are reliable.
143 Trouble and hardship have found me,
but your commandments ⌞still⌟ make me happy.
144 Your written instructions are always right.
Help me understand ⌞them⌟ so that I will live.
The Lord’s Promise to Gather Israel from the Nations
14 Then the Lord spoke his word to me. He said, 15 “Son of man, the people who live in Jerusalem are talking about your own relatives and about the entire nation of Israel. The people who live in Jerusalem say, ‘They are far away from the Lord. This land has been given to us as our own property.’
16 “So tell them, ‘This is what the Almighty Lord says: Although I sent them far away among the nations and scattered them among the countries, I have been their sanctuary for a little while among the countries where they’ve gone.’
17 “So tell them, ‘This is what the Almighty Lord says: I will bring them together from the nations and gather them from the countries where I’ve scattered them. I will give them the land of Israel. 18 They will come and remove all the disgusting and detestable things that are there. 19 I will give them a single purpose and put a new spirit in them. I will remove their stubborn hearts and give them obedient hearts. 20 Then they will live by my laws and obey my rules. They will be my people, and I will be their God. 21 But as for those whose minds are set on following detestable and disgusting idols, I will pay them back for what they have done, declares the Almighty Lord.’ ”
The Glory of the Lord Leaves Jerusalem
22 Then the angels [a] raised their wings, with the wheels beside them. The glory of the God of Israel was above them. 23 The Lord’s glory left the middle of the city and stopped above the mountain east of the city.
24 In this vision from God’s Spirit, the Spirit lifted me and brought me to the exiles in Babylonia. Then the vision I saw left me.
25 I told the exiles everything the Lord had shown me.
Christ Is Superior to Melchizedek
7 Melchizedek was king of Salem and priest of the Most High God. He met Abraham and blessed him when Abraham was returning from defeating the kings. 2 Abraham gave Melchizedek a tenth of everything he had captured.
In the first place, Melchizedek’s name means king of God’s approval. He is also called king of Salem (which means king of peace). 3 No one knows anything about Melchizedek’s father, mother, or ancestors. No one knows when he was born or when he died. Like the Son of God, Melchizedek continues to be a priest forever.
4 You can see how important Melchizedek was. Abraham gave him a tenth of what he had captured, even though Abraham was the father of the chosen people. 5 Moses’ Teachings say that members of the tribe of Levi who become priests must receive a tenth of everything from the people. The priests collect it from their own people, Abraham’s descendants. 6 Although Melchizedek was not from the tribe of Levi, he received a tenth of everything from Abraham. Then Melchizedek blessed Abraham, who had God’s promises. 7 No one can deny that the more important person blesses the less important person.
8 Priests receive a tenth of everything, but they die. Melchizedek received a tenth of everything, but we are told that he lives. 9 We could even say that when Abraham gave Melchizedek a tenth of everything, Levi was giving a tenth of everything. Levi gave, although later his descendants would receive a tenth of everything. 10 Even though Levi had not yet been born, he was in the body of Abraham when Melchizedek met him.
11 The people established the Levitical priesthood based on instructions they received. If the work of the Levitical priests had been perfect, we wouldn’t need to speak about another kind of priest. However, we speak about another kind of priest, a priest like Melchizedek, not a Levitical priest like Aaron.
12 When a different kind of priesthood is established, the regulations for those priests are different. 13 The priest whom we are talking about was a member of a different tribe. No one from that tribe ever served as a priest at the altar. 14 Everyone knows that our Lord came from the tribe of Judah. Moses never said anything about priests coming from that tribe. 15 The regulations were different. This became clear when a different priest who is like Melchizedek appeared. 16 That person is a priest, not because he met human requirements, but because he has power that comes from a life that cannot be destroyed. 17 The Scriptures say the following about him: “You are a priest forever, in the way Melchizedek was a priest.”
17 The 70 disciples came back very happy. They said, “Lord, even demons obey us when we use the power and authority of your name!”
18 Jesus said to them, “I watched Satan fall from heaven like lightning. 19 I have given you the authority to trample snakes and scorpions and to destroy the enemy’s power. Nothing will hurt you. 20 However, don’t be happy that evil spirits obey you. Be happy that your names are written in heaven.”
21 In that hour the Holy Spirit filled Jesus with joy. Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for hiding these things from wise and intelligent people and revealing them to little children. Yes, Father, this is what pleased you.
22 “My Father has turned everything over to me. Only the Father knows who the Son is. And no one knows who the Father is except the Son and those to whom the Son is willing to reveal him.”
23 He turned to his disciples in private and said to them, “How blessed you are to see what you’ve seen. 24 I can guarantee that many prophets and kings wanted to see and hear what you’ve seen and heard, but they didn’t.”
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