Book of Common Prayer
A Prayer in Time of Sickness
A song of David to remember.
38 Lord, don’t correct me when you are angry.
Don’t punish me when you are very angry.
2 Your arrows have wounded me.
Your hand has come down on me.
3 My body is sick from your punishment.
Even my bones are not healthy because of my sin.
4 My guilt has overwhelmed me.
Like a load it weighs me down.
5 My sores stink and become infected
because I was foolish.
6 I am bent over and bowed down.
I am sad all day long.
7 I am burning with fever.
My whole body is sore.
8 I am weak and faint.
I moan from the pain I feel.
9 Lord, you know everything I want.
My cries are not hidden from you.
10 My heart pounds, and my strength is gone.
I am losing my sight.
11 Because of my wounds, my friends and neighbors leave me alone.
My relatives stay far away.
12 Some people set traps to kill me.
Those who want to hurt me plan trouble.
All day long they think up lies.
13 I am like a deaf man; I cannot hear.
Like a mute, I cannot speak.
14 I am like a person who does not hear.
I have no answer to give.
15 I trust you, Lord.
You will answer, my God and Lord.
16 I said, “Don’t let them laugh at me.
Don’t let them brag when I am defeated.”
17 I am about to die.
I cannot forget my pain.
18 I confess my guilt.
I am troubled by my sin.
19 My enemies are strong and healthy.
Many people hate me for no reason.
20 They repay me with evil for the good I did.
They lie about me because I try to do good.
21 Lord, don’t leave me.
My God, don’t go away.
22 Quickly come and help me,
my Lord and Savior.
25 I am about to die.
Give me life, as you have promised.
26 I told you about my life, and you answered me.
Teach me your demands.
27 Help me understand your orders.
Then I will think about your miracles.
28 I am sad and tired.
Make me strong again as you have promised.
29 Don’t let me be dishonest.
Be kind to me by helping me obey your teachings.
30 I have chosen to obey you.
I have obeyed your laws.
31 I hold on to your rules.
Lord, do not let me be disgraced.
32 I will obey your commands
because you have made me happy.
33 Lord, teach me your demands.
Then I will obey them until the end.
34 Help me understand, so I can obey your teachings.
I will obey them with all my heart.
35 Help me obey your commands
because that makes me happy.
36 Help me want to obey your rules
instead of selfishly wanting riches.
37 Keep me from looking at worthless things.
Let me live by your word.
38 Keep your promise to me, your servant,
so you will be feared.
39 Take away the shame I fear.
Your laws are good.
40 How I want to follow your orders.
Give me life because of your goodness.
41 Lord, show me your love.
Save me as you have promised.
42 Then I will have an answer for people who insult me.
I trust what you say.
43 Never keep me from speaking your truth.
I depend on your fair laws.
44 I will obey your teachings
forever and ever.
45 So I will live in freedom
because I want to follow your orders.
46 I will discuss your rules with kings.
And I will not be ashamed.
47 I enjoy obeying your commands.
I love them.
48 I praise your commands, which I love.
And I think about your demands.
Job Answers Zophar
12 Then Job answered:
14 “All of us born to women
live only a few days and have a lot of trouble.
2 We grow up like flowers and then dry up and go away.
We are like a passing shadow that does not last.
3 Lord, do you need to watch someone like this?
Do you need to bring him before you to be judged?
4 I wish something clean could come from something unclean.
But it never can!
5 Our time is limited.
You have given us only so many months to live.
You have set limits we cannot go beyond.
6 So look away from us and leave us alone.
Leave us alone until we put in our time like a hired man.
7 “There is hope for a tree.
If you cut it down, it will grow again.
It will keep sending out new branches.
8 Its roots may grow old in the ground.
And its stump may die in the dirt.
9 But at the smell of water it will bud.
It will put out new shoots like a plant.
10 But we die, and our bodies are laid in the ground.
We take our last breath and are gone.
11 Water disappears from a lake.
And a river loses its water and dries up.
12 In the same way we lie down and do not rise again.
We will not get up or be awakened
until the heavens disappear.
13 “I wish you would hide me where the dead are.
Hide me until your anger is gone.
I wish you would set a time
and then remember me!
14 Will the dead live again?
I will wait, struggling hard
until things change for me.
15 You will call, and I will answer you.
You will desire the creature your hands have made.
16 Then you will count my steps.
But you will not keep track of my sin.
17 My wrongs will be closed up in a bag.
And you will cover up my sin.
18 “A mountain washes away and crumbles.
And a rock can be moved from its place.
19 Water washes over stones and wears them down.
And rushing waters wash away the dirt.
In the same way, you destroy hope.
20 You defeat man forever, and he is gone.
You change his appearance and send him away.
21 His sons are honored, but he does not know it.
His sons are disgraced, but he does not see it.
22 He only feels the pain of his body.
And he feels sorry only for himself.”
18 The next day the soldiers were very upset. They wondered what had happened to Peter. 19 Herod looked everywhere for Peter but could not find him. So he questioned the guards and ordered that they be killed.
The Death of Herod Agrippa
Later Herod moved from Judea and went to the city of Caesarea, where he stayed for a while. 20 Herod was very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon. But the people of those cities all came in a group to Herod. They were able to get Blastus, the king’s personal servant, on their side. They asked Herod for peace because their country got its food from his country.
21 On a chosen day Herod put on his royal robes. He sat on his throne and made a speech to the people. 22 They shouted, “This is the voice of a god, not a man!” 23 Herod did not give the glory to God. So an angel of the Lord caused him to become sick. He was eaten by worms and died.
24 God’s message continued to spread and reach more and more people.
25 After Barnabas and Saul finished their task in Jerusalem, they returned to Antioch. John, also called Mark, was with them.
47 He who belongs to God accepts what God says. But you don’t accept what God says, because you don’t belong to God.”
Jesus and Abraham
48 The Jews answered, “We say you are a Samaritan! We say a demon has come into you. Are we not right?”
49 Jesus answered, “I have no demon in me. I give honor to my Father, but you dishonor me. 50 I am not trying to get honor for myself. There is One who wants this honor for me, and he is the judge. 51 I tell you the truth. If anyone obeys my teaching, he will never die.”
52 The Jews said to Jesus, “Now we know that you have a demon in you! Even Abraham and the prophets died. But you say, ‘Whoever obeys my teaching will never die.’ 53 Do you think that you are greater than our father Abraham? Abraham died. And the prophets died, too. Who do you think you are?”
54 Jesus answered, “If I give honor to myself, that honor is worth nothing. The One who gives me honor is my Father. And you say that he is your God. 55 But you don’t really know him. I know him. If I said I did not know him, then I would be a liar as you are liars. But I do know him, and I obey what he says. 56 Your father Abraham was very happy that he would see my day. He saw that day and was glad.”
57 The Jews said to him, “What? You have never seen Abraham! You are not even 50 years old!”
58 Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth. Before Abraham was born, I am!” 59 When Jesus said this, the people picked up stones to throw at him. But Jesus hid himself, and then he left the Temple.
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