Book of Common Prayer
A song; a psalm by Korah’s descendants; for the choir director; according to mahalath leannoth; [a] a maskil by Heman the Ezrahite.
88 O Lord God, my savior,
I cry out to you during the day and at night.
2 Let my prayer come into your presence.
Turn your ear to hear my cries.
3 My soul is filled with troubles,
and my life comes closer to the grave.
4 I am numbered with those who go into the pit.
I am like a man without any strength—
5 abandoned with the dead,
like those who have been killed and lie in graves,
like those whom you no longer remember,
who are cut off from your power.
6 You have put me in the bottom of the pit—in deep, dark places.
7 Your rage lies heavily on me.
You make all your waves pound on me. Selah
8 You have taken my friends far away from me.
You made me disgusting to them.
I’m shut in, and I can’t get out.
9 My eyes grow weak because of my suffering.
All day long I call out to you, O Lord.
I stretch out my hands to you ⌞in prayer⌟.
10 Will you perform miracles for those who are dead?
Will the spirits of the dead rise and give thanks to you? Selah
11 Will anyone tell about your mercy in Sheol
or about your faithfulness in Abaddon?
12 Will anyone know about your miracles in that dark place
or about your righteousness in the place where forgotten people live?
13 I cry out to you for help, O Lord,
and in the morning my prayer will come into your presence.
14 Why do you reject my soul, O Lord?
Why do you hide your face from me?
15 Ever since I was young, I have been suffering and near death.
I have endured your terrors, and now I am in despair.
16 Your burning anger has swept over me.
Your terrors have destroyed me.
17 They swirl around me all day long like water.
They surround me on all sides.
18 You have taken my loved ones and friends far away from me.
Darkness is my only friend!
91 Whoever lives under the shelter of the Most High
will remain in the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say to the Lord,
“⌞You are⌟ my refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust.”
3 He is the one who will rescue you from hunters’ traps
and from deadly plagues.
4 He will cover you with his feathers,
and under his wings you will find refuge.
His truth is your shield and armor.
5 You do not need to fear
terrors of the night,
arrows that fly during the day,
6 plagues that roam the dark,
epidemics that strike at noon.
7 They will not come near you,
even though a thousand may fall dead beside you
or ten thousand at your right side.
8 You only have to look with your eyes
to see the punishment of wicked people.
9 You, O Lord, are my refuge!
You have made the Most High your home.
10 No harm will come to you.
No sickness will come near your house.
11 He will put his angels in charge of you
to protect you in all your ways.
12 They will carry you in their hands
so that you never hit your foot against a rock.
13 You will step on lions and cobras.
You will trample young lions and snakes.
14 Because you love me, I will rescue you.
I will protect you because you know my name.
15 When you call to me, I will answer you.
I will be with you when you are in trouble.
I will save you and honor you.
16 I will satisfy you with a long life.
I will show you how I will save you.
A psalm; a song; for the day of rest—a holy day.
92 It is good to give thanks to the Lord,
to make music to praise your name, O Most High.
2 It is good to announce your mercy in the morning
and your faithfulness in the evening
3 on a ten-stringed instrument and a harp
and with a melody on a lyre.
4 You made me find joy in what you have done, O Lord.
I will sing joyfully about the works of your hands.
5 How spectacular are your works, O Lord!
How very deep are your thoughts!
6 A stupid person cannot know
and a fool cannot understand
7 that wicked people sprout like grass
and all troublemakers blossom ⌞like flowers⌟,
only to be destroyed forever.
8 But you, O Lord, are highly honored forever.
9 Now look at your enemies, O Lord.
Now look at your enemies.
They disappear, and all troublemakers are scattered.
10 But you make me as strong as a wild bull,
and soothing lotion is poured on me.
11 My eyes gloat over those who spy on me.
My ears hear ⌞the cries⌟ of evildoers attacking me.
12 Righteous people flourish like palm trees
and grow tall like the cedars in Lebanon.
13 They are planted in the Lord’s house.
They blossom in our God’s courtyards.
14 Even when they are old, they still bear fruit.
They are always healthy and fresh.
15 They make it known that the Lord is decent.
He is my rock.
He is never unfair.
The Lord Calls Samuel
3 The boy Samuel was serving the Lord under Eli. In those days a prophecy from the Lord was rare; visions were infrequent. 2 One night Eli was lying down in his room. His eyesight had begun to fail so that he couldn’t see well. 3 The lamp in God’s temple [a] hadn’t gone out yet, and Samuel was asleep in the temple of the Lord where the ark of God was kept.
4 Then the Lord called Samuel. “Here I am,” Samuel responded. 5 He ran to Eli and said, “Here I am. You called me.”
“I didn’t call ⌞you⌟,” Eli replied. “Go back to bed.” So Samuel went back and lay down.
6 The Lord called Samuel again. Samuel got up, went to Eli, and said, “Here I am. You called me.”
“I didn’t call ⌞you⌟, son,” he responded. “Go back to bed.” 7 Samuel had no experience with the Lord, because the Lord’s word had not yet been revealed to him.
8 The Lord called Samuel a third time. Samuel got up, went to Eli, and said, “Here I am. You called me.”
Then Eli realized that the Lord was calling the boy. 9 “Go, lie down,” Eli told Samuel. “When he calls you, say, ‘Speak, Lord. I’m listening.’ ” So Samuel went and lay down in his room.
10 The Lord came and stood there. He called as he had called the other times: “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel replied, “Speak. I’m listening.”
11 Then the Lord said to Samuel, “I am going to do something in Israel that will make the ears of everyone who hears it ring. 12 On that day I am going to do to Eli and his family everything I said from beginning to end. 13 I told him that I would hand down a permanent judgment against his household because he knew about his sons’ sin—that they were cursing God [b]—but he didn’t try to stop them. 14 That is why I have taken an oath concerning Eli’s family line: No offering or sacrifice will ever ⌞be able to⌟ make peace for the sins that Eli’s family committed.”
15 Samuel remained in bed until morning. Then he opened the doors of the Lord’s house. But Samuel was afraid to tell Eli about the vision.
16 Then Eli called Samuel. “Samuel, my son!” he said.
“Here I am,” he responded.
17 “What did the Lord tell you?” he asked. “Please don’t hide anything from me. May God strike you dead if you hide anything he told you from me.”
18 So Samuel told Eli everything.
Eli replied, “He is the Lord. May he do what he thinks is right.”
19 Samuel grew up. The Lord was with him and didn’t let any of his words go unfulfilled. 20 All Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew Samuel was the Lord’s appointed prophet. 21 The Lord continued to appear in Shiloh, since the Lord revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh through the Lord’s word. And Samuel spoke to all Israel.[c]
37 When the people heard this, they were deeply upset. They asked Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?”
38 Peter answered them, “All of you must turn to God and change the way you think and act, and each of you must be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins will be forgiven. Then you will receive the Holy Spirit as a gift. 39 This promise belongs to you and to your children and to everyone who is far away. It belongs to everyone who worships the Lord our God.”
40 Peter said much more to warn them. He urged, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” 41 Those who accepted what Peter said were baptized. That day about 3,000 people were added ⌞to the group⌟.
Life as a Christian
42 The disciples were devoted to the teachings of the apostles, to fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer. 43 A feeling of fear came over everyone as many amazing things and miraculous signs happened through the apostles. 44 All the believers kept meeting together, and they shared everything with each other. 45 From time to time, they sold their property and other possessions and distributed the money to anyone who needed it. 46 The believers had a single purpose and went to the temple every day. They were joyful and humble as they ate at each other’s homes and shared their food. 47 At the same time, they praised God and had the good will of all the people. Every day the Lord saved people, and they were added to the group.
Jesus Teaches His Disciples(A)
5 Some ⌞of the disciples⌟ were talking about the temple complex. They noted that it was built with fine stones and decorated with beautiful gifts. So Jesus said, 6 “About these buildings that you see—the time will come when not one of these stones will be left on top of another. Each one will be torn down.”
7 The disciples asked him, “Teacher, when will this happen? What will be the sign when all this will occur?”
8 Jesus said, “Be careful that you are not deceived. Many will come using my name. They will say, ‘I am he!’ and ‘The time is near.’ Don’t follow them!
9 “When you hear of wars and revolutions, don’t be terrified! These things must happen first, but the end will not come immediately.”
10 Then Jesus continued, “Nation will fight against nation and kingdom against kingdom. 11 There will be terrible earthquakes, famines, and dreadful diseases in various places. Terrifying sights and miraculous signs will come from the sky.
12 “Before all these things happen, people will arrest and persecute you. They will hand you over to their synagogues and put you into their prisons. They will drag you in front of kings and governors because of my name. 13 It will be your opportunity to testify to them. 14 So make up your minds not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. 15 I will give you words and wisdom that none of your enemies will be able to oppose or prove wrong.
16 “Even parents, brothers, relatives, and friends will betray you and kill some of you. 17 Everyone will hate you because you are committed to me. 18 But not a hair on your head will be lost. 19 By your endurance you will save your life.
Copyright © 1995, 2003, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2020 by God’s Word to the Nations Mission Society. All rights reserved.