Book of Common Prayer
137 We sat by the rivers of Babel; and there we wept when we remembered Zion.
2 We hung our harps upon the willows, in the midst thereof.
3 Those who led us into captivity required songs and glee from us when we had hung up our harps, saying, “Sing us the songs of Zion!”
4 How shall we sing a song of the LORD in a strange land?
5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget,
6 if I do not remember you. Let my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth if I do not prefer Jerusalem to my chief joy.
7 Remember the children of Edom, O LORD, on the day of Jerusalem, who said, “Raze it! Raze it to the foundation thereof!”
8 O Daughter of Babel, worthy to be destroyed. Blessed is he who rewards you as you have served us.
9 Blessed is he who takes and dashes your children against the stones. A Psalm of David
144 Blessed be the LORD, my strength; Who teaches my hands to fight and my fingers to battle,
2 my goodness and my fortress, my tower and my deliverer, my shield. I trust in Him Who subdues my people under me.
3 LORD, what is man that You regard him, the son of man that You think upon him?
4 Man is like vanity, his days like a shadow that vanishes.
5 Bow Your heavens, O LORD, and come down. Touch the mountains and they shall smoke.
6 Cast forth the lightning and scatter them. Shoot out Your arrows and consume them.
7 Send Your hand from above. Deliver me, and take me out of the great waters, and from the hand of strangers,
8 whose mouth talks vanity. And their right hand is a right hand of falsehood.
9 I will sing a new song to You, O God—sing to You upon a viol, an instrument of ten strings—
10 Who gives deliverance to kings, rescues David, His servant, from the hurtful sword.
11 Rescue me and deliver me from the hand of strangers, whose mouth talks vanity; and their right hand is a right hand of falsehood,
12 so that our sons may be as the plants (growing up in their youth) and our daughters as the cornerstones (sculpted in the likeness of a palace);
13 so that our corners may be full—abounding with diverse sorts — and that our sheep may bring forth thousands and ten thousand in our streets;
14 so that our oxen may be strong to labor; so that there is no invasion nor going out nor crying in our streets.
15 Blessed are the people who are so. Blessed are the people whose God is the LORD. A Psalm of David, of praise
104 Bless the LORD, O my soul! O LORD, my God, You are exceedingly great. You are clothed with Glory and honor.
2 The One Who covers Himself with light, as with a garment, and spread the heavens like a curtain.
3 The One Who lays the beams of His chambers in the waters, and makes the clouds His chariot, and walks upon the wings of the wind.
4 The One Who makes the spirits His messengers, and a flaming fire His ministers.
5 The One Who sets the Earth upon her foundations, so that it shall never move.
6 You cover it with the deep, as with a garment. The waters stood above the mountains.
7 At Your rebuke they flee; at the voice of Your thunder they hurry away.
8 The mountains ascend. The valleys descend to the place which You have established for them.
9 You have set them a boundary which they shall not pass. They shall not return to cover the Earth.
10 He sends the springs into the valleys, which run between the mountains.
11 They shall give drink to all the beasts of the field, and the wild asses shall quench their thirst.
12 By these springs shall the birds of the heaven dwell and sing among the branches.
13 He waters the mountains from His chambers. The Earth is filled with the fruit of Your works.
14 He causes grass to grow for the cattle and herbs for the use of man; so that he may bring forth bread out of the Earth
15 and wine that makes the heart of man glad and oil to make his face shine and bread that strengthens man’s heart.
16 The high trees are satisfied, the cedars of Lebanon which He has planted,
17 so that the birds may make their nests there. The stork dwells in the fir trees.
18 The high mountains are for the goats. The rocks are a refuge for the rock badgers.
19 He appointed the Moon for certain seasons; the Sun knows its going down.
20 You make darkness, and it is night, wherein all the beasts of the forest creep forth.
21 The lions roar after their prey and seek their food from God.
22 When the Sun rises, they retire and lie down in their dens.
23 Then man goes forth to his work, and to his labor, until the evening.
24 O LORD, how manifold are Your works! In wisdom, You have made them all. The Earth is full of Your riches!
25 So great and wide is the sea; in which are innumerable creeping things, both small beasts and great.
26 Thereupon go the ships, and therein plays that Leviathan, whom You have made.
27 All these wait upon You, so that You may give them food in due season.
28 You give it to them, and they gather it. You open Your hand, and they are filled with good things.
29 If You hide Your face, they are troubled. If You take away their breath, they die and return to their dust.
30 You send forth Your spirit, and they are created; You renew the face of the Earth.
31 Glory be to the LORD forever. Let the LORD rejoice in His works!
32 He looks on the Earth and it trembles. He touches the mountains and they smoke.
33 I will sing to the LORD all my life. I will praise my God while I live.
34 Let my words be acceptable to Him. I will rejoice in the LORD.
35 Let the sinners be consumed out of the Earth, and the wicked, until there are no more. Bless the LORD, O my soul! Praise the LORD!
23 These, also, are the last words of David. David, the son of Jesse, says. The man who was set up on high. The anointed of the God of Jacob and the sweet singer of Israel, says,
2 “The Spirit of the LORD spoke through me. And His Word was in my tongue.
3 “The God of Israel spoke to me, the Strength of Israel said: ‘Bear rule over men, being just, ruling in the fear of God,
4 ‘as the morning light when the Sun rises. Be as the morning, I say, without clouds, as the grass of the earth by the bright rain.’
5 “For my House shall not be so with God. For He has made with me an everlasting Covenant, perfect in all points, and sure. It is with all my health and whole desire. Will He not make it grow?
6 “But every one of the wicked shall be as thorns thrust away, because they cannot be taken with hands.
7 “But the man who shall touch them must be filled with iron, or with the shaft of a spear. And they shall be burnt with fire in the same place.”
13 Afterward, thirty-three of the captains went down and came to David in the harvest time, to the cave of Adullam. And the army of the Philistines camped in the Valley of Rephaim.
14 And David was then in a stronghold. And the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem.
15 And David longed, and said, “Oh, that one would give me a drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem which is by the gate!”
16 Then the three mighty men broke through the army of the Philistines and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate and took and brought it to David, who would not drink of it, but poured it out to the LORD,
17 and said, “O LORD! Far be it from me that I should do this! Is not this the blood of the men who went in jeopardy of their lives?” Therefore, he would not drink it. These things these three mighty men did.
13 And after some days, King Agrippa and Bernice came down to Caesarea to greet Festus.
14 And when they had stayed there many days, Festus stated Paul’s cause to the king, saying, “There is a certain man left in prison by Felix.
15 “When I was in Jerusalem, the chief priests and elders of the Jews informed me of him and asked for a judgment against him.
16 “To whom I answered that it is not the custom of the Romans to deliver any man to the death before the accused has faced his accusers and has a place to defend himself concerning the crime.
17 “Therefore, when they had come here, I sat on the judgment seat the following day (without delay) and commanded the man to be brought forth.
18 “When the accusers stood up, they brought no accusation against him of such crimes as I suspected.
19 “But they had certain questions against him about their own religion, and about a certain Jesus (Who was dead, but Whom Paul affirmed to be alive).
20 “And because I was perplexed by such questions, I asked him if he was willing to go to Jerusalem and be judged there about these things.
21 “But because Paul had appealed to be put under guard until the examination of Augustus, I commanded that he be jailed until I could send him to Caesar.”
22 Then Agrippa said to Festus, “I would also like to hear the man myself.” “Tomorrow,” he said, “you shall hear him.”
23 And the next day, when Agrippa and Bernice had come (with great pomp) and had entered into the Common Hall with the chief captains and chief men of the city, Paul was brought forth at Festus’ commandment.
24 And Festus said, “King Agrippa, and all men who are present with us, you see this man about whom all the multitude of the Jews have petitioned me (both at Jerusalem and here) crying that he ought not to live any longer.
25 “But, I have found nothing he has done to be worthy of death. And seeing that he has appealed to Augustus, I have decided to send him.
26 “I have no certain thing to write to my lord concerning him. Therefore, I have brought him forth to you, and especially to you, King Agrippa, so that after examination, I might have something to write.
27 “For it seems unreasonable to me to send a prisoner and not signify the charges against him.”
13 And as He went out of the Temple, one of His disciples said to Him, “Master, see what stones and buildings are here.”
2 Then Jesus answered and said to him, “You see these great buildings? There shall not be left one stone upon a stone that shall not be thrown down.”
3 And as He sat on the Mount of Olives, over near the Temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked Him secretly,
4 “Tell us, when shall these things be? And what shall be the sign when all these things shall be fulfilled?”
5 And Jesus answered them, and began to say,“Beware, lest anyone deceive you.
6 “For many shall come in My Name, saying, ‘I am Christ’, and shall deceive many.
7 “Furthermore, when you shall hear of wars, and rumors of wars, do not be troubled. For such things must be. But the end shall not be yet.
8 “For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there shall be earthquakes in diverse quarters. And there shall be famine and troubles. These are the beginnings of sorrows.
9 “But beware. For they shall deliver you up to the councils, and to the synagogues. You shall be beaten and brought before rulers and kings for My sake; for a testimonial to them.
10 “And the Gospel must first be proclaimed among all nations.
11 “But when they deliver you up, do not be careful beforehand, nor study what you shall say. But speak what is given to you at that time. For it is not you who speaks, but the Holy Ghost.
12 “Indeed, and the brother shall deliver the brother to death, and the father the son. And the children shall rise against their parents and shall cause them to die.
13 “And you shall be hated by all for My Name’s sake. But whoever shall endure to the end, shall be saved.
© 2019, 2024 by Five Talents Audio. All rights reserved.