Book of Common Prayer
Lead Me to the Rock
Psalm 61
1 For the music director, on string instrument, of David.
2 Hear my cry, O God, listen to my prayer.
3 From the end of the earth I call to You when my heart is faint.
Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
4 For You have been a refuge for me,
a tower of strength before the enemy.
5 Let me dwell in Your tent forever.
Let me take refuge in the shelter of Your wings. Selah
6 For You have heard my vows, O God.
You have given the inheritance of those who fear Your Name.
7 May You add days to the king’s days.
May his years span many generations.
8 May he be enthroned before God forever.
Appoint mercy and truth to protect him.
9 So I will sing praise to Your Name forever,
to fulfill my vows day after day.
My Rock and My Salvation
Psalm 62
1 For the music director, on Jeduthun. A psalm of David.
2 My soul, wait in stillness, only for God—
from Him comes my salvation.
3 He alone is my rock and my salvation,
my fortress—I will never be moved.
4 How long will all of you assault a man,
to crush him, like a leaning wall,
a fence to be torn down?
5 They only plot to topple him from his rank.
Delighting in falsehood, they bless with their mouth,
but inwardly they curse. Selah
6 My soul, wait in stillness, only for God—
for from Him comes my expectation.
7 He alone is my rock and my salvation,
my strong tower—I will not be moved.
8 On God, my salvation and my glory is the rock of my strength.
My refuge is in God.
9 Trust in Him at all times, you people.
Pour out your heart in His presence.
God is our refuge. Selah
10 Sons of Adam are a vapor,
sons of man are an illusion.
In balanced scales they go up—
altogether they are less than a breath.
11 Do not trust in extortion,
and do not put vain hope in plunder.
Though these things increase riches,
do not set your heart on them.
12 Once God has spoken,
twice I have heard this:
might belongs to God.
13 Also Yours, O Lord, is lovingkindness.
For You reward a man for his work.[a]
Blessed is the Righteous Man
Psalm 112
1 Halleluyah! Happy is the man who fears Adonai,
who delights greatly in His mitzvot.
2 His offspring will be mighty in the land.
The generation of the upright will be blessed.
3 Wealth and riches are in his house,
and his righteousness endures forever.
4 Light shines in the darkness for the upright.
Gracious, compassionate and just is he.
5 Good comes to a man who is gracious and lends.
He will order his affairs with fairness.
6 Surely he will never be shaken.
The righteous are remembered forever.
7 He is not afraid of bad news—
his heart is steadfast, trusting in Adonai.
8 His heart is secure, he will not fear—
until he gazes on his foes.
9 He gives freely to the poor.
His righteousness endures forever.
His horn is lifted high in honor.
10 The wicked will see it and be indignant.
He will gnash with his teeth and waste away.
The desire of the wicked will perish.
Bless the Maker of Heaven and Earth
Psalm 115
1 Not to us, Adonai, not to us,
but to Your Name be the glory—
because of Your love and Your faithfulness.
2 Why should the nations say:
“Where is their God now?”
3 Our God is in the heavens—
He does whatever pleases Him!
4 Their idols are silver and gold,
the work of human hands.
5 They have mouths, but cannot speak;
eyes, but cannot see.
6 They have ears, but cannot hear;
noses, but cannot smell.
7 They have hands, but cannot feel;
feet, but cannot walk,
nor utter a sound with their throat.
8 Those making them will become like them
—everyone trusting in them.
9 O Israel, trust in Adonai—
He is their help and their shield!
10 O house of Aaron, trust in Adonai—
He is their help and their shield!
11 O you who fear Adonai, trust in Adonai—
He is their help and their shield!
12 Adonai has been mindful of us,
He will bless:
He will bless the house of Israel;
He will bless the house of Aaron;
13 He will bless those who fear Adonai,
the small together with the great.
14 May Adonai increase you more and more
—you and your children.
15 May you be blessed by Adonai,
Maker of heaven and earth.
16 The heavens are the heavens of Adonai,
but the earth He gave to the children of men.
17 The dead do not praise Adonai,
nor do any who go down into silence.
18 But we—we will bless Adonai
both now and forever. Halleluyah!
14 Sing aloud, O daughter of Zion!
Shout in triumph, O Israel!
Rejoice and exult wholeheartedly,
O daughter of Jerusalem!
15 Adonai has taken away your punishments.
He has turned back your adversary.
The King of Israel, Adonai, is in your midst.
Never again will you fear harm.
16 On that day, it will be said to Jerusalem,
‘Have no fear, O Zion,
do not let your hands fall limp.
17 Adonai your God is in your midst—
a mighty Savior!
He will delight over you with joy.
He will quiet you with His love.
He will dance for joy over you with singing[a].’
18 “I will gather those among you
who grieve over your moadim—
it is a burden of shame on you.
19 Behold, at that time I will deal
with all who oppress you.
I will save the lame and gather the outcast.
I will make them a praise and a name
throughout all the land where they suffered shame.
20 At that time I will bring you in.
At that time I will gather you.
For I will give you renown and glory
among all the peoples of the earth,
when I restore your captives
before your eyes,”
declares Adonai.
Greetings
1 Paul, a slave of God and an emissary of Messiah Yeshua, for the faith of God’s chosen and the knowledge of truth that is in keeping with godliness, 2 based on the hope of eternal life. God—who cannot lie[a]—promised this before the beginning of time. 3 But in His own time He made His message known, through a proclamation with which I was entrusted, by the command of God our Savior.
4 To Titus, a true child of our common faith:
Grace and shalom from God the Father and Messiah Yeshua, our Savior!
Setting the Community in Order
5 The reason I left you in Crete was so that you would set in order the things that remain and appoint elders in every city as I directed you— 6 if anyone is blameless, the husband of one wife, having children of faith with no charge of wild living or rebellion. 7 For the overseer must be blameless as God’s administrator—not arrogant, not quick-tempered, not addicted to wine, not violent, not greedy for dishonest gain. 8 Rather he must be hospitable, loving what is good, self-controlled, upright, devout, disciplined. 9 He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message in keeping with the teaching, so he can both encourage by instruction that is sound and convict those who speak against it.
10 For there are many who are rebellious, vain talkers and deceivers, especially those from the circumcision. 11 They must be silenced—those who upset entire households by teaching what they should not, for the sake of dishonest gain. 12 One of them, one of their own prophets, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.” 13 This testimony is true. For this reason rebuke them sharply, so they might be sound in the faith, 14 not paying attention to Judaic myths and commands of men who turn away from the truth. 15 To the pure all things are pure; but to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure. Both their mind and conscience are defiled. 16 They claim to know God but their deeds deny Him. They are despicable and disobedient and worthless for any good deed.
A Doctor Charts the Facts
1 Now many have undertaken to organize an account of the events fulfilled among us, 2 just as they were handed down to us from the start by the eyewitnesses and reporters of the word. 3 Therefore it seemed best to me also, because I have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, to write for you an orderly record, most excellent Theophilus, 4 so you may know for sure the truth of the words you have been taught.
Prophecy of Birth to the Barren
5 In the days of Herod, King of Judah, there was a kohen named Zechariah from the priestly division of Abijah.[a] Elizabeth, his wife, was from the daughters of Aaron. 6 Together they were righteous before Adonai, walking without fault in all His commandments and instructions. 7 But they were childless, because Elizabeth was barren and both of them were elderly.
8 Now it happened to be Zechariah’s time to serve as kohen before Adonai in the order of his division. 9 According to the custom of the priestly office, it became his lot to enter the Holy Place of Adonai to burn incense. [b] 10 And the whole crowd of people was praying outside at the hour of incense burning. 11 An angel of Adonai appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. 12 Zechariah was in turmoil when he saw the angel, and fear fell upon him. 13 But the angel said, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard. Your wife, Elizabeth, will give birth to your son, and you will name him John. 14 And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. 15 He will be great before Adonai; and he should not drink wine and intoxicating beverage,[c] but he will be filled with the Ruach ha-Kodesh just out of his mother’s womb. 16 Many of Bnei-Yisrael will turn to Adonai their God. 17 And he will go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of fathers to the children[d] and the disobedient ones to the wisdom of the righteous, to make ready for Adonai a prepared people.
18 Zechariah said to the angel, “How will I know this for certain? I’m an old man, and my wife is well-advanced in age.”
19 And speaking to him, the angel declared, “I am Gabriel, the one standing in God’s presence. I was commissioned to tell you and proclaim to you this good news. 20 So look, you will be silent and powerless to speak until the day these things happen, since you did not believe my words which will be fulfilled in their time.”
21 The people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering about his long delay in the Holy Place. 22 But when he came out, he couldn’t speak to them. Then they realized that he had seen a vision in the Holy Place. He was making signs to them but remained mute. 23 When the days of his priestly service had been completed, he went home. 24 After these days, his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and hid herself for five months, saying, 25 “Adonai has done this for me! In these days He looked upon me, to take away my disgrace among the people.”[e]
Tree of Life (TLV) Translation of the Bible. Copyright © 2015 by The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society.