Book of Common Prayer
A Morning Prayer for Protection
For the director of music. For flutes. A psalm of David.
5 Lord, ·listen [L give ear] to my words.
Understand my ·sadness [L moans; sighs].
2 ·Listen [Pay attention] to my cry for help, my King and my God,
because I pray to you.
3 Lord, every morning you hear my voice.
Every morning, I ·tell you what I need [or prepare a sacrifice for you; L stretch out/arrange before you],
and I ·wait for your answer [L watch].
4 You are not a God who ·is pleased with the wicked [takes delight in evil];
·you do not live with those who do evil [L evil does not sojourn with you].
5 Those people who ·make fun of you [or boast] cannot stand before ·you [L your eyes].
You hate all those who do evil.
6 You destroy ·liars [L those who speak lies];
the Lord ·hates [despises] those ·who kill and trick others [L with bloodguilt and deceit].
7 Because of your great ·love [loyalty; covenant love],
I ·can [or will] come into your ·Temple [L house].
Because I ·fear you [hold you in awe],
I can ·worship [bow down] ·in [or toward] your holy Temple.
8 Lord, since I have many enemies,
·show me the right thing to do [L lead/guide me in your righteousness].
·Show me clearly how you want me to live [L Make your way straight before me].
9 My enemies’ mouths do not tell the truth;
·in their hearts they want to destroy others [L their innards are destruction].
Their throats are like open graves [Rom. 3:13];
they use their tongues for ·telling lies [flattery].
10 God, ·declare them guilty [L make them bear their iniquity]!
Let them fall ·into their own traps [or by their own advice].
·Send [Cast] them away because their ·sins [transgressions] are many;
they have ·turned [rebelled] against you.
11 But let everyone who ·trusts [finds refuge in] you ·be happy [rejoice];
let them sing glad songs forever.
·Protect [L Spread your protection on] those who love you
and ·who are happy because of you [L let those who love your name rejoice in you].
12 Lord, you bless those who ·do what is right [are righteous];
you ·protect them [L surround them with favor] like a shield.
A Prayer for Mercy in Troubled Times
For the director of music. With stringed instruments. Upon the ·sheminith [L eighth; C a reference to an eight-stringed instrument or possibly the manner of singing]. A psalm of David.
6 Lord, don’t ·correct [rebuke; reprove] me when you are angry;
don’t ·punish [discipline] me when you are ·very angry [enraged].
2 Lord, ·have mercy on [be gracious to] me because I ·am weak [languish; faint].
Heal me, Lord, because my bones ·ache [are in agony].
3 I ·am very upset [ache; am in agony].
Lord, how long will it be?
4 Lord, return and save me;
·save [rescue; T deliver] me because of your ·kindness [loyalty; covenant love].
5 Dead people don’t remember you;
those in ·the grave [or the underworld; L Sheol] don’t praise you.
6 I am ·tired [weary] ·of crying to you [L because of my moaning].
Every night ·my bed is wet [L I flood my pillow] with tears;
my bed is soaked from my crying.
7 My eyes are weak ·from so much crying [L because of my grief];
they are weak ·from crying about [L because of] my enemies.
8 Get away from me, all you who do evil,
because the Lord has heard my ·crying [supplication].
9 The Lord has heard my cry for help;
the Lord will ·answer [accept] my prayer.
10 All my enemies will be ashamed and ·troubled [in agony; vv. 2–3].
They will turn and suddenly leave in shame.
A Complaint About Evil People
10 Lord, why ·are you [L do you stand] so far away?
Why do you hide ·when there is [L in times of] ·trouble [distress]?
2 Proudly the wicked ·chase down [hunt down; persecute] ·those who suffer [or the poor].
Let them be caught in ·their own traps [L the schemes they have thought up].
3 They ·brag [boast] about the ·things they want [L cravings/desires of their soul].
·They bless the greedy but [or The greedy curse and] ·hate [reject] the Lord.
4 The wicked people are too proud.
They do not ·look for [pursue; seek] God;
there is no room for God in their thoughts.
5 ·They always succeed [L Their ways are always successful/prosperous].
·They are far from keeping your laws [L Your judgments are above their grasp];
they ·make fun of [sneer/scoff at] their enemies.
6 They say ·to themselves [L in their hearts], “·Nothing bad will ever happen to me [L I will never be moved/shaken];
I will never ·be ruined [have trouble/be harmed].”
7 Their mouths are full of curses, ·lies [deceit], and ·threats [violence];
·they use their tongues for [L under their tongues is] ·sin [trouble] and evil [Rom. 3:14].
8 They ·hide [L lie in ambush] near the villages.
They ·look for innocent people to kill [murder the innocent; Prov. 1:11];
·they watch in secret [L their eyes look intently] for the helpless.
9 They ·wait in hiding [L lie in ambush in a covert/cover] like a lion.
They ·wait [L lie] to catch poor people;
they catch the poor in nets and drag them off.
10 The poor are crushed and thrown down;
they ·are defeated [L fall] ·because the others are stronger [L by their might].
11 The wicked ·think [L say in their hearts], “God has forgotten us.
He ·doesn’t see what is happening [L has hidden his face and does not see anything].”
12 Lord, rise up and ·punish the wicked [L raise your hand, God].
Don’t forget those who ·need help [are oppressed].
13 Why do wicked people ·hate [despise] God?
They say ·to themselves [L in their hearts], “·God won’t punish us [L You will not pursue].”
14 Lord, surely you see these ·cruel [troublesome] and ·evil [grievous] things;
look at them and ·do something [L put it in your hands].
·People in trouble [L The helpless] ·look to you for help [entrust/abandon themselves to your hands].
You are the one who helps the orphans.
15 Break the ·power [L hand] of wicked and evil people.
·Punish them for the evil they have done [L You will seek out their wickedness until you find none].
16 The Lord is King forever and ever.
·Destroy from your land those nations [L The nations will perish from his land].
17 Lord, you have heard ·what the poor people want [the desires of the poor].
·Do what they ask [L You will strengthen their heart], and ·listen to them [L you will cause your ear to pay attention].
18 ·Protect [L Bring justice to] the orphans and ·put an end to suffering [L the oppressed]
so ·they will no longer be afraid of evil people [L those from the earth may terrify no more].
Trust in the Lord
For the director of music. Of David.
11 I ·trust in the Lord for protection [find refuge in the Lord].
So why do you say to me,
“·Fly [L Flee] like a bird to your mountain.
2 For, look, the wicked ·string [bend] their bows;
they set their arrows on the bowstrings.
They shoot from dark places
at those who are ·honest [L upright/virtuous in heart].
3 When the foundations [C a stable society] collapse,
what can ·good [righteous] people do?”
4 The Lord is in his holy Temple;
the Lord sits on his throne in heaven.
·He sees what people do [L His eyes watch];
·he keeps his eye on them [L his gaze examines/tests people].
5 The Lord ·tests [examines] ·those who do right and those who do wrong [the righteous and the wicked],
but he hates those who love ·to hurt others [violence].
6 He will ·send [L rain] hot coals and burning sulfur on the wicked.
A ·whirlwind [scorching wind] is ·what they will get [L the portion of their cup; C an image of judgment; Is. 51:17, 22; Ezek. 23:31–33; Matt. 26:39].
7 The Lord ·does what is right [is righteous], and he loves ·justice [righteousness],
so ·honest people [the upright/virtuous] will see his face.
The Levites’ Towns
35 The Lord spoke to Moses on the plains of Moab across from Jericho by the Jordan River. He said, 2 “Command the ·Israelites [L sons/T children of Israel] to give the Levites cities to live in from the ·land [L possession] they ·receive [L inherit]. Also give the Levites the pastureland around these cities. 3 Then the Levites will have cities where they may live and pastureland for their cattle, flocks, and other animals.
9 Then the Lord said to Moses, 10 “Tell the ·Israelites [L sons/T children of Israel] these things: ‘When you cross the Jordan River and go into Canaan, 11 you must choose cities to be cities of ·safety [refuge], so that a person who ·accidentally [unintentionally] kills someone may run to them for ·safety [refuge]. 12 There the person will be safe from the dead person’s ·relative who has the duty of punishing the killer [avenger; near-kinsman]. He will not die before he ·receives a fair trial in court [L stands before the community/assembly/congregation for judgment]. 13 The six cities you give will be cities of ·safety [refuge]. 14 Give three cities ·east of [L beyond] the Jordan River and three cities in Canaan as cities of ·safety [refuge]. 15 These six cities will be places of ·safety [refuge] for ·citizens [L sons; T children] of Israel, as well as for ·foreigners [resident aliens] and ·other people living with you [tenants]. Any of these people who ·accidentally [unintentionally] kills someone may run to one of these cities.
30 “‘If anyone ·kills [L strikes] a person, the murderer may be put to death only if there are witnesses. No one may be put to death with only one witness.
31 “‘Don’t take ·money to spare the life of [ransom for] a murderer who should be put to death. A murderer must be put to death.
32 “‘If someone has run to a city of ·safety [refuge], don’t take money to let the person go back home before the high priest dies.
33 “‘Don’t let murder ·spoil [pollute; defile] your land. The only way to ·remove the sin [atone for] of killing an innocent person is for the murderer to be put to death. 34 I am the Lord, and I live among the Israelites. I live in that land with you, so do not ·spoil [pollute; defile] it with murder.’”
God’s Love in Christ Jesus
31 So what should we say ·about this [in response to these things]? If God is for us, ·no one can defeat us [L who is against us?]. 32 He did not spare his own Son but ·gave him [or delivered him over; C to death] for us all. So with Jesus, ·God will surely [how could he not…?] give us all things. 33 Who can ·accuse [bring an accusation/charge against] the people God has chosen? No one, because God is the One who ·makes them right [declares them righteous; justifies them]. 34 Who can ·say God’s people are guilty [condemn; pronounce punishment]? No one, because Christ Jesus died, but he was also raised from the dead, and now he is on God’s right ·side [hand; Ps. 110:1], ·appealing to God [interceding; pleading] for us. 35 ·Can anything [or Who can] separate us from the love Christ has for us? Can ·troubles [trials; tribulations] or ·problems [distress; hardship] or ·sufferings [persecution] or ·hunger [famine] or ·nakedness [destitution] or danger or ·violent death [L sword]? 36 As it is written in the Scriptures:
“For ·you [your sake] we are ·in danger of death [L being put to death] all the time.
·People think we are worth no more than [L We were considered like] sheep ·to be killed [about to be slaughtered; Ps. 44:22].”
37 But in all these things we are completely victorious through ·God [or Christ; L the One] who showed his love for us. 38 Yes, I am ·sure [convinced] that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor ·ruling spirits [or heavenly rulers; or demons; L rulers; T principalities], nothing ·now [in the present], nothing in the future, no ·powers [or spiritual powers/authorities], 39 ·nothing above us [or no powers in the sky], ·nothing below us [or nor powers in the depths], nor ·anything else in the whole world [any created thing] will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
13 “·How terrible for [L Woe to] you, ·teachers of the law [scribes] and Pharisees! You are hypocrites! [L Because] You ·close [shut; lock] the door for people to enter the kingdom of heaven. You yourselves don’t enter, and you ·stop [don’t allow] others who are trying to enter. |14 ·How terrible for [L Woe to] you, ·teachers of the law [scribes] and Pharisees. You are hypocrites. You ·take away [L devour] widows’ houses, and you say long prayers ·so that people will notice you [as a pretense]. So you will have a worse ·punishment [condemnation].|[a]
15 “·How terrible for [L Woe to] you, ·teachers of the law [scribes] and Pharisees! You are hypocrites! You travel across land and sea to ·find one person who will change to your ways [L make one convert/proseltye]. When you ·find that person [make that convert], you make him ·more fit for hell than [L twice the son of hell/Gehenna that; 5:22] you are.
16 “·How terrible for [L Woe to] you! ·You guide the people, but you are blind [L Blind guides!]. You say, ‘If people ·swear [make an oath/vow] by the Temple when they make a promise, that means nothing. But if they swear by the gold that is in the Temple, they ·must keep that promise [are obligated/bound].’ 17 You are blind fools! Which is greater: the gold or the Temple that makes that gold ·holy [sacred; sanctified]? 18 And you say, ‘If people ·swear [make an oath/vow] by the altar when they make a promise, that means nothing. But if they ·swear [make an oath/vow] by the ·gift [offering] on the altar, they ·must keep that promise [are obligated/bound].’ 19 You are blind! Which is greater: the ·gift [offering] or the altar that makes the gift ·holy [sacred; sanctified]? 20 [L So; Therefore] The person who swears by the altar is really swearing by the altar and also everything on the altar. 21 And the person who swears by the Temple is really swearing by the Temple and the One who ·lives [dwells] in the Temple. 22 The person who swears by heaven is also swearing by God’s throne and the One who sits on that throne.
23 “·How terrible for [L Woe to] you, ·teachers of the law [scribes] and Pharisees! You are hypocrites! You ·give to God one-tenth of [pay tithe on] everything you have—even your mint, dill, and cumin. But you ·don’t obey [ignore; neglect] the ·really important teachings [L weightier matters] of the law—justice, mercy, and ·being loyal [faith; faithfulness]. These are the things you should do, ·as well as [without neglecting] those other things. 24 ·You guide the people, but you are blind! [L Blind guides!] You ·are like a person who picks a fly out of a drink and then swallows a camel [L strain out a gnat, but swallow a camel; C worrying about the smallest mistakes while committing the biggest sins]!
25 “·How terrible for [L Woe to] you, ·teachers of the law [scribes] and Pharisees! You are hypocrites! You ·wash [clean] the outside of your cups and dishes [C for ceremonial purity], but inside they are full of ·things you got by cheating others and by pleasing only yourselves [L greed/robbery and self-indulgence]. 26 Pharisees, you are blind! First make the inside of the cup[b] clean, and then the outside ·can be truly [or will also be] clean.
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