Book of Common Prayer
This One Was Born in Zion
Psalm 87
1 A psalm of the sons of Korah, a song.
His foundation is in the holy mountains.
2 Adonai loves the gates of Zion
more than all the dwellings of Jacob.
3 Glorious things are spoken of you,
city of God. Selah
4 “I will mention Rahab and Babylon among those who acknowledge Me—
behold Philistia and Tyre, with Cush:
‘This one was born there.’”
5 But of Zion it will be said:
“This one and that one were born in her.”
And Elyon Himself will establish her.
6 Adonai will count in the register of the peoples:
“This one was born there.” Selah
7 Then singing and dancing—
all my fountains of joy are in you!
Get a Heart of Wisdom
Psalm 90
1 A prayer of Moses the man of God.
My Lord, You have been our dwelling
from generation to generation.
2 Before the mountains were born,
or You gave birth to the earth and the world,
even from everlasting to everlasting,
You are God!
3 You turn mankind back to dust, saying,
“Return, children of Adam!”
4 For a thousand years in Your sight
are like a day just passing by,
or like a watch in the night.
5 You sweep them away in their sleep.
In the morning they are like sprouting grass—
6 in the morning it flourishes and springs up,
by evening it withers and dries up.
7 For we are consumed by Your anger
and terrified by Your wrath.
8 You have set our iniquities before You,
our secret sins in the light of Your presence.
9 For all our days have passed away under Your wrath.
We spent our years like a sigh.
10 The span of our years is seventy
—or with strength, eighty—
yet at best they are trouble and sorrow.
For they are soon gone, and we fly away.
11 Who knows the power of Your anger?
Your fury leads to awe of you.
12 So teach us to number our days,
so that we may get a heart of wisdom.
13 Relent, Adonai! How long?
Have compassion on Your servants.
14 Satisfy us in the morning with Your love,
so we may sing for joy
and be glad all our days.
15 Gladden us for as many days as You have humbled us,
as many years as we have seen misery.
16 Let Your work appear to Your servants,
and Your splendor on their children.
17 Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us.
Establish the work of our hands for us—
yes, establish the work of our hands.
His Chesed Endures Forever!
Psalm 136
1 Praise Adonai, for He is good,
for His lovingkindness endures forever.
2 Praise the God of gods,
for His lovingkindness endures forever.
3 Praise the Lord of lords,
for His lovingkindness endures forever,
4 who alone did great wonders,
for His lovingkindness endures forever,
5 who made the heavens by wisdom,
for His lovingkindness endures forever,
6 who spread the earth on the waters,
for His lovingkindness endures forever,
7 who made great lights,
for His lovingkindness endures forever—
8 the sun to rule by day,
for His lovingkindness endures forever,
9 the moon and stars to rule by night,
for His lovingkindness endures forever,
10 who struck Egypt in their firstborn,
for His lovingkindness endures forever,
11 and led out Israel from among them,
for His lovingkindness endures forever,
12 with a strong hand and outstretched arm,
for His lovingkindness endures forever,
13 who cut the Sea of Reeds into parts,
for His lovingkindness endures forever,
14 and made Israel pass through the midst of it,
for His lovingkindness endures forever,
15 but hurled Pharaoh and his army into the Sea of Reeds,
for His lovingkindness endures forever,
16 who led His people through the desert,
for His lovingkindness endures forever,
17 who struck down great kings,
for His lovingkindness endures forever,
18 and slew mighty kings,
for His lovingkindness endures forever,
19 Sihon, king of the Amorites,
for His lovingkindness endures forever,
20 and Og, king of Bashan,
for His lovingkindness endures forever,
21 and gave their land for an inheritance,
for His lovingkindness endures forever,
22 an inheritance for Israel His servant,
for His lovingkindness endures forever.
23 He remembered us in our lowly estate,
for His lovingkindness endures forever,
24 and separated between us
and He delivered us from our adversaries,
for His lovingkindness endures forever,
25 who gives food to all flesh,
for His lovingkindness endures forever.
26 Praise the God of heaven,
for His lovingkindness endures forever!
Wicked Queen Athaliah Overthrown
11 Now when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the royal offspring. 2 But Jehosheba, daughter of King Joram and sister of Ahaziah, took Joash son of Ahaziah and stole him away from among the king’s sons who were being put to death. She put him and his nurse in the bedroom, so he was hidden from Athaliah, so that he was not killed. 3 He remained with her, hidden in the House of Adonai for six years, while Athaliah was reigning over the country.
4 Now in the seventh year, Jehoiada sent and fetched the captains of the hundreds, of both the Carites and the guards, and had them come to him in the House of Adonai. After he cut a covenant with them and put them under oath in the House of Adonai, he showed them the king’s son. 5 Then he commanded them saying, “This is what you will do: one-third of you—those going on duty on Shabbat—keeps watch over the palace. 6 Then another third will be stationed at the Sur Gate and the last third will be at the gate behind the guards—so you will keep watch over the house on every side. 7 Your other two divisions, who are off duty on Shabbat, will also keep watch over the House of Adonai for the king. 8 So you are to surround the king on every side—every man with his weapons in his hand—whoever breaks through the ranks must be put to death. You must be with the king in his comings and goings.”
9 So the captains of hundreds did all that Jehoiada the kohen commanded. Each of the captains took his men—those who were on duty on Shabbat and those who were off duty on Shabbat—and presented themselves to Jehoiada the kohen. 10 The kohen delivered to the captains of hundreds the spear and shields that belonged to King David that were in the House of Adonai. 11 So the guards stood, every man with his weapons in his hand, from the right side of the House to the left side of the House, by the altar and the House, around the king on every side.
12 Then he brought out the king’s son and put the crown and the insignia on him, and so they proclaimed him king and anointed him. Then they clapped their hands and shouted, “Long live the king!”
13 When Athaliah heard the noise of the guards and the people, she came to the people in the House of Adonai. 14 She looked and behold, the king was standing by the pillar, as was the custom, with the captains and the trumpets beside the king, and all the people of the land rejoicing and blowing trumpets. Then Athaliah tore her clothes and cried, “Treason, treason!”
15 Then Jehoiada the kohen ordered the captains of hundreds, appointed over the army, and said to them, “Bring her out between the ranks—whoever follows her, put him to death with the sword.” For the kohen said, “Let her not be put to death in the House of Adonai.”
16 So they laid hands on her, and brought her to the horses’ entry of the royal palace, where she was put to death.
17 Then Jehoiada cut a covenant between Adonai and the king and the people—that they would be Adonai’s people—and also between the king and the people. 18 Next, all the people of the land went to the temple of Baal and tore it down. They broke his altars and his images into pieces thoroughly, and slew Mattan, the priest of Baal, before the altars. Moreover, the kohen appointed officers over the House of Adonai. 19 Then he took the captains over hundreds, the Carites, the guard, and all the people of the land, and they brought the king down from the House of Adonai, and came by the way of the gate of the guards to the royal palace. So he sat on the royal throne. 20 Then all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was quiet—they had already slain Athaliah with the sword in the royal palace.
10 But to the married I command—not I, but the Lord[a]—a wife is not to be separated from her husband 11 (but if she gets separated, let her remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband), and the husband is not to divorce his wife.
12 But to the rest I say—I, not the Lord—if any brother has a wife who is not a believer, and she agrees to live with him, he must not divorce her. 13 And if any woman has a husband who is not a believer, and he agrees to live with her, she must not divorce him. 14 For the unbelieving husband is made holy through the wife, and the unbelieving wife is made holy through her husband.[b] Otherwise your children would be unclean, but now they are holy. 15 But if the unbeliever separates, let him be separated. The brother or the sister is not bound in such cases, but God has called you to shalom. 16 For how do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?
Remain As You Were Called
17 Only, as the Lord has assigned to each one, as God has called each, let him walk in this way. I give this rule in all of Messiah’s communities. 18 Was anyone called when he already had been circumcised? Let him not make himself uncircumcised. Has anyone been called while uncircumcised? Let him not allow himself to be circumcised. 19 Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing[c]—but keeping God’s commandments matters. 20 Let each one remain in the calling in which he was called. 21 Were you called as a slave? Don’t let that bother you—but if indeed you can become free, make the most of the opportunity. 22 For the one who was called in the Lord as a slave is the Lord’s freedman. Likewise the one who was called while free is Messiah’s slave. 23 You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men. 24 Brothers and sisters, let each one—in whatever way he was called—remain that way with God.
19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust[a] destroy and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in or steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. Therefore if your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eye is bad, your body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!
24 “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will stick by one and look down on the other. You cannot serve God and money.”[b]
Tree of Life (TLV) Translation of the Bible. Copyright © 2015 by The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society.