Book of Common Prayer
Psalm 55
Betrayal by a Friend
For the choir director: with stringed instruments. A Davidic Maskil.
1 God, listen to my prayer
and do not ignore[a] my plea for help.(A)
2 Pay attention to me and answer me.(B)
I am restless and in turmoil with my complaint,(C)
3 because of the enemy’s voice,
because of the pressure[b] of the wicked.
For they bring down disaster on me[c]
and harass me in anger.(D)
4 My heart shudders within me;(E)
terrors of death sweep over me.
5 Fear and trembling grip me;
horror has overwhelmed me.(F)
6 I said, “If only I had[d] wings like a dove!
I would fly away and find rest.(G)
7 How far away I would flee;
I would stay in the wilderness.(H)
8 I would hurry to my shelter
from the raging wind and the storm.”(I)
9 Lord, confuse[e] and confound their speech,[f](J)
for I see violence and strife in the city;
10 day and night they make the rounds on its walls.
Crime and trouble are within it;(K)
11 destruction is inside it;
oppression and deceit never leave its marketplace.(L)
12 Now it is not an enemy who insults me—
otherwise I could bear it;
it is not a foe who rises up against me—
otherwise I could hide from him.
13 But it is you, a man who is my peer,
my companion and good friend!(M)
14 We used to have close fellowship;
we walked with the crowd into the house of God.(N)
15 Let death take them by surprise;(O)
let them go down to Sheol alive,
because evil is in their homes and within them.(P)
16 But I call to God,
and the Lord will save me.(Q)
17 I complain and groan morning, noon, and night,(R)
and He hears my voice.(S)
18 Though many are against me,
He will redeem me from my battle unharmed.(T)
19 God, the One enthroned from long ago,(U)
will hear and will humiliate them
because they do not change
and do not fear God.(V)
20 My friend(W) acts violently
against those at peace with him;(X)
he violates his covenant.(Y)
21 His buttery words are smooth,[g]
but war is in his heart.
His words are softer than oil,
but they are drawn swords.(Z)
Psalm 138
A Thankful Heart
Davidic.
1 I will give You thanks with all my heart;(A)
I will sing Your praise before the heavenly beings.[a](B)
2 I will bow down toward Your holy temple
and give thanks to Your name
for Your constant love and truth.
You have exalted Your name
and Your promise above everything else.(C)
3 On the day I called, You answered me;
You increased strength within me.[b](D)
4 All the kings on earth will give You thanks, Lord,
when they hear what You have promised.[c](E)
5 They will sing of the Lord’s ways,
for the Lord’s glory is great.(F)
6 Though the Lord is exalted,
He takes note of the humble;
but He knows the haughty from a distance.(G)
7 If I walk into the thick of danger,
You will preserve my life
from the anger of my enemies.(H)
You will extend Your hand;
Your right hand will save me.(I)
8 The Lord will fulfill His purpose for me.(J)
Lord, Your love is eternal;
do not abandon the work of Your hands.(K)
Psalm 139
The All-Knowing, Ever-Present God
For the choir director. A Davidic psalm.
1 Lord, You have searched me and known me.(L)
2 You know when I sit down and when I stand up;
You understand my thoughts from far away.(M)
3 You observe my travels and my rest;
You are aware of all my ways.(N)
4 Before a word is on my tongue,
You know all about it, Lord.(O)
5 You have encircled me;
You have placed Your hand on me.(P)
6 This extraordinary knowledge is beyond me.
It is lofty; I am unable to reach it.(Q)
7 Where can I go to escape Your Spirit?
Where can I flee from Your presence?(R)
8 If I go up to heaven, You are there;(S)
if I make my bed in Sheol, You are there.(T)
9 If I live at the eastern horizon
or settle at the western limits,[d]
10 even there Your hand will lead me;
Your right hand will hold on to me.(U)
11 If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me,
and the light around me will be night”(V)—
12 even the darkness is not dark to You.
The night shines like the day;
darkness and light are alike to You.(W)
13 For it was You who created my inward parts;[e]
You knit me together in my mother’s womb.(X)
14 I will praise You
because I have been remarkably and wonderfully made.[f][g]
Your works are wonderful,
and I know this very well.(Y)
15 My bones were not hidden from You
when I was made in secret,
when I was formed in the depths of the earth.(Z)
16 Your eyes saw me when I was formless;
all my days were written in Your book and planned
before a single one of them began.(AA)
17 God, how difficult[h] Your thoughts are
for me to comprehend;
how vast their sum is!
18 If I counted them,
they would outnumber the grains of sand;(AB)
when I wake up,[i] I am still with You.(AC)
19 God, if only You would kill the wicked—
you bloodthirsty men, stay away from me(AD)—
20 who invoke You deceitfully.
Your enemies swear by You falsely.(AE)
21 Lord, don’t I hate those who hate You,
and detest those who rebel against You?
22 I hate them with extreme hatred;
I consider them my enemies.(AF)
23 Search me, God, and know my heart;
test me and know my concerns.(AG)
41 Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink, for there is the sound of a rainstorm.”(A)
42 So Ahab went to eat and drink, but Elijah went up to the summit of Carmel.(B) He bowed down on the ground and put his face between his knees.(C) 43 Then he said to his servant, “Go up and look toward the sea.”
So he went up, looked, and said, “There’s nothing.”
Seven times Elijah said, “Go back.”
44 On the seventh(D) time, he reported, “There’s a cloud as small as a man’s hand coming from the sea.”
Then Elijah said, “Go and tell Ahab, ‘Get your chariot ready and go down so the rain doesn’t stop you.’”
45 In a little while, the sky grew dark with clouds and wind, and there was a downpour. So Ahab got in his chariot and went to Jezreel.(E) 46 The power of the Lord(F) was on Elijah, and he tucked his mantle under his belt(G) and ran ahead of Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.
Elijah’s Journey to Horeb
19 Ahab told Jezebel(H) everything that Elijah had done(I) and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword.(J) 2 So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “May the gods punish me and do so severely(K) if I don’t make your life like the life of one of them by this time tomorrow!”
3 Then Elijah became afraid[a](L) and immediately ran for his life.(M) When he came to Beer-sheba(N) that belonged to Judah, he left his servant there,(O) 4 but he went on a day’s journey into the wilderness. He sat down under a broom tree(P) and prayed that he might die. He said, “I have had enough! Lord, take my life,(Q) for I’m no better than my fathers.” 5 Then he lay down and slept under the broom tree.
Suddenly, an angel touched him.(R) The angel told him, “Get up and eat.” 6 Then he looked, and there at his head was a loaf of bread baked over hot stones, and a jug of water.(S) So he ate and drank and lay down again. 7 Then the angel of the Lord(T) returned for a second time and touched him. He said, “Get up and eat, or the journey will be too much for you.” 8 So he got up, ate, and drank. Then on the strength from that food, he walked 40 days and 40 nights(U) to Horeb, the mountain of God.(V)
17 Join in imitating me, brothers, and observe those who live according to the example you have in us. 18 For I have often told you, and now say again with tears, that many live as enemies of the cross(A) of Christ. 19 Their end is destruction; their god is their stomach; their glory(B) is in their shame. They are focused on earthly things, 20 but our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. 21 He will transform the body of our humble condition into the likeness of His glorious(C) body,(D) by the power that enables Him to subject everything to Himself.
Practical Counsel
4 So then, my brothers, you are dearly loved and longed for—my joy and crown.(E) In this manner stand firm(F) in the Lord, dear friends. 2 I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to agree in the Lord. 3 Yes, I also ask you, true partner,[a] to help these women who have contended for the gospel at my side, along with Clement and the rest of my coworkers whose names are in the book of life. 4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your graciousness be known to everyone. The Lord is near.(G) 6 Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses(H) every thought, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.(I)
The Baptism of Jesus
13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan, to be baptized by him.(A) 14 But John tried to stop Him, saying, “I need to be baptized by You, and yet You come to me?”
15 Jesus answered him, “Allow it for now, because this is the way for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed Him to be baptized.
16 After Jesus was baptized, He went up immediately from the water. The heavens(B) suddenly opened for Him,[a] and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming down on Him.(C) 17 And there came a voice from heaven:
This is My beloved Son.
I take delight in Him!(D)
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