Book of Common Prayer
Thanksgiving to God for His Works
For the music director. A song. A psalm.[a]
66 Shout joyfully to God, all the earth.
2 Sing the glory of his name.
Set forth his glorious praise.[b]
3 Say to God, “How awesome are your works!
Because of the greatness of your strength,
your enemies will cringe before you.
4 All the earth will bow in worship to you,
and sing praise to you.
They will sing the praise of your name.” Selah
5 Come and consider[c] the works of God;
he is awesome in his dealings[d] with the children of humankind.
6 He turned the sea into dry ground;
they passed through the river on foot.
There we rejoiced in him.
7 He rules by his might forever;
his eyes keep watch on the nations.
Do not let the rebellious exalt themselves.[e] Selah
8 Bless our God, O peoples,
and cause the sound of his praise to be heard,
9 the one who has kept our soul among the living,
and has not allowed our foot to slip.
10 For you have tested us, O God;
you have tried us as silver is tried.
11 You brought us into the net;
you placed a heavy burden[f] on our backs.
12 You let men[g] ride over our heads.
We went through fire and through water,
but you have brought us out to the place of abundance.[h]
13 I will come into your house[i] with burnt offerings.
I will pay to you my vows
14 that my lips uttered,
and my mouth spoke in my distress.
15 Burnt offerings of fat animals I will offer to you,
with the smoke of rams.
I will do[j] cattle with rams. Selah
16 Come and hear, all you God-fearers, and I will tell
what he has done for me.[k]
17 I called to him with my mouth,
and he was extolled with my tongue.[l]
18 If I had considered evil in my heart,
the Lord would not have listened.
19 However, God has listened;
he has attended to the sound of my prayer.
20 Blessed be God,
who has not turned aside my prayer,
or his loyal love from me.
A Prayer of Blessing
For the music director, with stringed instruments. A psalm. A song.[m]
67 May God be gracious to us and bless us.
May he cause his face to shine toward us, Selah
2 that your way may be known on the earth,
your salvation among all nations.
3 Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all of the peoples praise you.
4 Let the nations be glad and sing for joy,
because you judge the peoples with equity
and guide the nations on the earth. Selah
5 Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you.
6 The earth has yielded its produce.
God, our God, will bless us.
7 God will bless us,
and all the ends of the earth will fear him.
Yahweh’s Creation and Law
For the music director. A psalm of David.[a]
19 The heavens are telling the glory of God,
and the firmament proclaims the work of his hands.
2 Every day[b] they pour forth speech,
and every night[c] they tell knowledge.
3 There is no speech and there are no words;
their sound is inaudible.
4 Yet in all the world their line[d] goes out,
and their words to the end of the world.
In them[e] he has pitched a tent for the sun,
5 and it is like a bridegroom
who comes out of his bridal chamber.
It is glad like a strong man
to run its course.
6 Its rising is from one[f] end of the heavens
and its circuit to the other end[g] of them;
and nothing is hidden from its heat.
7 The law of Yahweh is perfect, reviving life.[h]
The testimony of Yahweh is firm, making wise the simple.
8 The precepts of Yahweh are right, making the heart rejoice.
The command of Yahweh is pure, enlightening the eyes.
9 The fear of Yahweh is pure, enduring forever.
The ordinances of Yahweh are true; they are righteous altogether,
10 more desirable than gold, even much fine gold;
and sweeter than honey, even honey in the comb.
11 Moreover, your servant is warned[i] by them;
in keeping them is great reward.
12 Who can perceive his errors?
Acquit me from hidden faults.
13 Also, keep back your servant from arrogant sins;[j]
let them not rule over me.
Then I shall be blameless,
and I shall be innocent of great transgression.
14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
be acceptable in your presence,
O Yahweh, my rock and my redeemer.
God Provides for and Protects His People
For the music director. Of the sons of Korah.
According to Alamoth. A song.[a]
46 God is our refuge and strength,
a very sufficient help in troubles.
2 Therefore we will not fear though the earth change,
and though the mountains totter into the midst[b] of the sea,
3 though its waters roar and foam,
though mountains shake with its surging water. Selah
4 There is a river whose streams gladden the city of God,
the holiest of the dwellings of the Most High.
5 God is in the midst of her;
she will not be made to totter.
God will help her at daybreak.[c]
6 Nations roar, kingdoms shake;
he utters his voice, the earth melts.
7 Yahweh of hosts is with us;
our high stronghold is the God of Jacob. Selah
8 Come, see the works of Yahweh,
who has placed desolations on the earth.
9 He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth;
he breaks the bow and cuts off the spear.
The wagons of war he burns with fire.
10 Be still, and know that I am God.
I will be exalted among the nations;
I will be exalted in the earth.
11 Yahweh of Hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our high stronghold.
20 And Jacob worked for Rachel seven years, but they were as a few days in his eyes because he loved her. 21 And Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife, that I may go in to her, for my time[a] is completed.” 22 So Laban gathered all the men of the place and prepared a feast. 23 And it happened that in the evening he took Leah his daughter and brought her to him, and he went in to her. 24 And Laban gave Zilpah his female servant to her, to Leah his daughter as a female servant. 25 And it happened that in the morning, behold, it was Leah! And he said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? Did I not serve with you for Rachel? Now why did you deceive me?” 26 Then Laban said, “It is not the custom[b] in our country to give the younger before the firstborn. 27 Complete the week of this one,[c] then I will also give you the other, on the condition that you will work for me[d] another seven years.” 28 And Jacob did so. So he completed the week of this one,[e] then he gave Rachel his daughter to him as a wife. 29 And Laban gave Bilhah his female servant to Rachel his daughter as a female servant. 30 Then he also went in to Rachel, and he loved Rachel more than Leah. And he served with him yet another seven years.
Jacob’s Children
31 When Yahweh saw that Leah was unloved he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren. 32 Then Leah conceived and gave birth to a son, and she called his name Reuben, for she said, “Because Yahweh has noticed my misery, that I am unloved. Now my husband will love me.” 33 And she conceived again and gave birth to a son. And she said, “It is because Yahweh has heard that I am unloved that he gave me this son also.” And she called his name Simeon. 34 And she conceived again and gave birth to a son. Then she said, “Now this time my husband will be joined to me, for I have borne him three sons.” Therefore, she called his name Levi. 35 And she conceived again and gave birth to a son. And she said, “This time I will praise Yahweh.” Therefore she called his name Judah. And she ceased bearing children.
The Mystery of Godliness Described
14 I am writing these things to you, hoping to come to you in a short time. 15 But if I am delayed, I am writing[a] in order that you may know how one must conduct oneself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and mainstay[b] of the truth. 16 And most certainly, great is the mystery of godliness:
Who was revealed in the flesh,
was vindicated by[c] the Spirit,
was seen by angels,
was proclaimed among the Gentiles[d],
was believed on in the world,
was taken up in glory.
The Coming Apostasy
4 Now the Spirit explicitly says that in the last times some will depart from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, 2 by the hypocrisy of liars, who are seared in their own conscience, 3 who forbid marrying and insist on abstaining from foods that God created for sharing in with thankfulness by those who believe and who know the truth, 4 because everything created by God is good and nothing is to be rejected if it is[e] received with thankfulness, 5 for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer.
The Good Servant of Christ
6 By[f] teaching these things to the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, trained in the words of the faith and of the good teaching that you have followed faithfully. 7 But reject those worthless myths told by elderly women[g], and train yourself for godliness. 8 For the training of the body is somewhat[h] profitable, but godliness is profitable for everything, because it[i] holds promise for the present life and for the life to come. 9 The statement is trustworthy and deserving of complete acceptance. 10 For to this end we labor and suffer reproach,[j] because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of believers.
23 And Jesus looked around and[a] said to his disciples, “How difficult it is for[b] those who possess wealth to enter into the kingdom of God!” 24 And the disciples were astounded at his words. But Jesus answered and[c] said to them again, “Children, how difficult it is to enter into the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter into the kingdom of God.” 26 And they were very astounded, saying to one another, “And who can be saved?” 27 Jesus looked at them and[d] said, “With human beings it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.” 28 Peter began to say to him, “Behold, we have left everything and followed you.” 29 Jesus said, “Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields on account of me and on account of the gospel 30 who will not[e] receive a hundred times as much now in this time—houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and fields, together with persecutions—and in the age to come, eternal life. 31 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”
2012 by Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software