Book of Common Prayer
Written About Me in the Scroll
Psalm 40
1 For the music director, a psalm of David.
2 I waited patiently for Adonai.
He bent down to me and heard my cry.
3 He brought me up out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire.
Then He set my feet on a rock.
He made my steps firm.
4 He put a new song in my mouth—
a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear,
and trust in Adonai.
5 Blessed is the one
who put his confidence in Adonai,
who has not turned to the arrogant,
nor to those who fall into falsehood.
6 Many things You have done, Adonai my God
—Your plans for us are wonderful—
there is none to be compared to You!
If I were to speak and tell of them,
they would be too many to count!
7 Sacrifice and offering You did not desire
—my ears You have opened—
burnt offering and sin offering You did not require.
8 Then I said: “Here I am, I have come—
in the scroll of a book it is written about me.
9 I delight to do Your will, O my God.
Yes, Your Torah is within my being.”
10 I proclaim good news of righteousness in the great assembly.
Behold, I am not shutting my lips—
Adonai, You know!
11 I did not hide Your righteousness within my heart.
Rather I declared Your faithfulness and Your salvation.
I did not conceal Your lovingkindness
and Your truth from the great assembly.
12 Adonai, do not withhold Your compassions from me.
Let Your mercy and Your truth always protect me.
13 For evils beyond number surround me,
my sins have overtaken me
—I cannot see—
they are more than the hairs of my head
—and my heart fails me.
14 Adonai, please deliver me!
Adonai, come quickly to help me!
15 Let those who seek my life to sweep it away
be put to shame and humiliated.
Let those who wish me evil
be turned back in disgrace.
16 Let those who say to me, “Aha! Aha!”
be appalled over their own shame.
17 Let all those who seek You rejoice and be glad in You.
Let those who love Your salvation
continually say: “Adonai be magnified!”
18 But I—I am poor and needy—
yet my Lord is mindful of me.
You are my help and my deliverer—
O my God, do not delay!
Surely God is My Helper
Psalm 54
1 For the music director, on stringed instruments, a contemplative song of David, 2 when the Ziphites came and said to Saul: “Is not David hiding himself among us?”
3 O God, save me by Your Name,
vindicate me by Your might.
4 O God, hear my prayer,
listen to the words of my mouth.
5 For strangers have risen up against me.
Violent men seek after my soul.
They do not set God before them. Selah
6 Surely God is my helper.
My Lord is the supporter of my soul.
7 Let evil return to my foes.
Silence them with Your truth!
8 I will sacrifice a freewill offering to You.
I will praise Your name, Adonai, for it is good.
9 For He has delivered me from all trouble,
and my eye has gazed upon my enemies.
Create in Me a Clean Heart
Psalm 51
1 For the music director: a psalm of David, 2 when Nathan the prophet came to him, after he went to Bathsheba.
3 Be gracious to me, O God,
according to Your mercy.
According to Your great compassion
blot out my transgressions.
4 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity
and cleanse me from my sin.
5 For I know my transgressions
and my sin is ever before me.
6 Against You, You only, have I sinned,
and done what is evil in Your sight,
so that You are just when You speak,
and blameless when You judge.
7 Behold, I was born in iniquity and in sin
when my mother conceived me.
8 Surely You desire truth in the inner being.
Make me know wisdom inwardly.
9 Cleanse me with hyssop and I will be clean.
Wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
10 Let me hear joy and gladness,
so the bones You crushed may rejoice.
11 Hide Your face from my sins,
and blot out all my iniquities.
12 Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
13 Do not cast me from Your presence—
take not Your Ruach ha-Kodesh from me.
14 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation
and sustain me with a willing spirit.
15 Then will I teach transgressors Your ways
and sinners will return to You.
16 Deliver me from bloodguilt, O God—
God of my salvation.
Then my tongue will sing for joy of Your righteousness.
17 O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth will declare Your praise.
18 For You would not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it,
nor be pleased by burnt offerings.
19 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit.
A broken and a contrite heart, O God,
You will not despise.
20 In Your favor do good to Zion.
Build up the walls of Jerusalem.
21 Then You will delight in righteous sacrifices and whole burnt offerings.
Then bulls will be offered on Your altar.
Saul Killed on Mt. Gilboa
31 Now the Philistines were fighting against Israel. Israel’s men fled before the Philistines and many fell slain on Mount Gilboa. 2 The Philistines pressed hard after Saul and his sons, and the Philistines struck down Jonathan, Abinadab and Malchishua, the sons of Saul. 3 When the battle intensified against Saul, the archers hit him, so he was severely wounded by the archers. 4 Then Saul said to his armor-bearer, “Draw your sword and thrust me through with it, or else these uncircumcised will come and thrust me through after torturing me.” But his armor-bearer refused, for he was too afraid. So Saul took the sword and fell on it. 5 When his armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he likewise fell on his sword and died with him. 6 So Saul, his three sons, his armor-bearer, and all his men died together that same day.
7 When the men of Israel who were on the other side of the valley and those across the Jordan saw that the men of Israel had fled and that Saul and his sons were dead, they abandoned the towns and fled. Then the Philistines came and occupied them.
8 It was the next day, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, that they found Saul and his three sons fallen on Mount Gilboa. 9 So they cut off his head and stripped off his armor, and sent them throughout the land of the Philistines, to spread the good news to the house of their idols and to the people. 10 Then they put his armor in the house of the Ashtaroth and fastened his body to the wall of Beth-shan.
11 Now when the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul, 12 all their valiant men set out and walked all night, and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Beth-shan, then went to Jabesh and burned them there. 13 They took their bones and buried them under the tamarisk tree in Jabesh and fasted for seven days.
12 Then the whole group became silent and were listening to Barnabas and Paul as they were describing in detail all the signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles. 13 After they finished speaking, Jacob answered, “Brothers, listen to me. 14 Simon has described how God first showed His concern by taking from the Gentiles a people for His Name. 15 The words of the Prophets agree, as it is written:
16 ‘After this I will return
and rebuild the fallen tabernacle of David.
I will rebuild its ruins
and I will restore it,
17 so that the rest of humanity may seek the Lord—
namely all the Gentiles who are called by My name—
says Adonai,
who makes these things [a] 18 known from of old.’[b]
19 Therefore, I judge not to trouble those from among the Gentiles who are turning to God— 20 but to write to them to abstain from the contamination of idols, and from sexual immorality, and from what is strangled, and from blood. [c] 21 For Moses from ancient generations has had in every city those who proclaim him, since he is read in all the synagogues every Shabbat.”
Power in His Touch
21 When Yeshua had crossed over in the boat again to the other side, a big crowd gathered around Him; and He was by the sea. 22 Then one of the synagogue leaders, named Jairus, comes. Seeing Him, he falls at His feet. 23 He begs Him a great deal, saying, “My little daughter is near death! Come and lay hands on her so that she may be healed and live!”
24 So Yeshua went off with him, and a big crowd was following Him and pressing upon Him. 25 And there was a woman with a blood flow for twelve years, [a] 26 who had suffered much under many doctors. She had spent all that she had without benefit; instead, she grew worse. 27 When she heard about Yeshua, she came through the crowd from behind and touched His garment. 28 For she kept saying, “If I touch even His clothes, I shall be healed.”
29 Right away the blood flow stopped, and she felt in her body that she was healed from her disease. 30 At once Yeshua, knowing in Himself that power had gone out from Him, turned around in the crowd and said, “Who touched My clothes?”
31 His disciples responded, “You see the crowd pressing upon You and you say, ‘Who touched Me?’” 32 But He kept looking around to see who had done this.
33 But the woman, scared and shaking, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth. 34 And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in shalom and be healed from your disease.”
35 While Yeshua was still speaking, messengers come from the house of the synagogue leader, saying, “Your daughter is dead. Why do you still trouble the Teacher?”
36 But ignoring what they said, Yeshua tells the synagogue leader, “Do not be afraid; only believe.” 37 He did not let anyone follow Him except Peter, Jacob, and John, the brother of Jacob.
38 They come to the house of the synagogue leader. He sees a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. 39 After entering, He said to them, “Why make such a fuss and weep? The child didn’t die, but is sleeping.”
40 They start jeering at Him. But after sending all of them out, He takes the child’s father and mother, and those with Him, and enters where the child was. 41 Then, taking hold of the child’s hand, He tells her, “Talitha koum,”[b] which means, “Little girl, I say to you, get up.” 42 Immediately, the girl stood up and began to walk around! (She was twelve years old.) And they were overcome with astonishment. 43 But He gave them strict orders that no one should know about this, and He said something to eat should be given to her.
Tree of Life (TLV) Translation of the Bible. Copyright © 2015 by The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society.