Book of Common Prayer
Psalm 87
By Korah’s descendants; a psalm; a song.
1 The city Yahweh has founded stands on holy mountains.
2 Yahweh loves the city of Zion
more than any other place in Jacob.
3 Glorious things are said about you, O city of Elohim! Selah
4 The Lord says, “I will add Egypt and Babylon
as well as Philistia, Tyre, and Sudan
to the list of those who acknowledge me.
Each nation will claim that it was born there.”
5 But it will be said of Zion,
“Every race is born in it.
Elyon will make it secure.”
6 Yahweh will record this in the Book of Nations:
“Every race claims that it was born there.” Selah
7 Singers and dancers will sing,
“Zion is the source of all our blessings.”
BOOK FOUR
(Psalms 90–106)
Psalm 90
A prayer by Moses, the man of Elohim.
1 O Adonay, you have been our refuge throughout every generation.
2 Before the mountains were born,
before you gave birth to the earth and the world, you were El.
You are El from everlasting to everlasting.
3 You turn mortals back into dust
and say, “Return, descendants of Adam.”
4 Indeed, in your sight a thousand years are like a single day,
like yesterday—already past—
like an hour in the night.
5 You sweep mortals away.
They are a dream.
They sprout again in the morning like cut grass.
6 In the morning they blossom and sprout.
In the evening they wither and dry up.
7 Indeed, your anger consumes us.
Your rage terrifies us.
8 You have set our sins in front of you.
You have put our secret sins in the light of your presence.
9 Indeed, all our days slip away because of your fury.
We live out our years like one long sigh.
10 Each of us lives for 70 years—
or even 80 if we are in good health.
But the best of them[a] bring trouble and misery.
Indeed, they are soon gone, and we fly away.
11 Who fully understands the power of your anger?
A person fears you more when he better understands your fury.[b]
12 Teach us to number each of our days
so that we may grow in wisdom.
13 Return, Yahweh! How long . . . ?
Change your plans about us, your servants.
14 Satisfy us every morning with your mercy
so that we may sing joyfully and rejoice all our days.
15 Make us rejoice for as many days as you have made us suffer,
for as many years as we have experienced evil.
16 Let us, your servants, see what you can do.
Let our children see your glorious power.
17 Let the kindness of Adonay our Elohim be with us.
Make us successful in everything we do.
Yes, make us successful in everything we do.
Psalm 136
1 Give thanks to Yahweh because he is good,
because his mercy endures forever.
2 Give thanks to the Elohim of gods
because his mercy endures forever.
3 Give thanks to the Adonay of lords
because his mercy endures forever.
4 Give thanks to the only one who does miraculous things—
because his mercy endures forever.
5 to the one who made the heavens by his understanding—
because his mercy endures forever.
6 to the one who spread out the earth on the water—
because his mercy endures forever.
7 to the one who made the great lights—
because his mercy endures forever.
8 the sun to rule the day—
because his mercy endures forever.
9 the moon and stars to rule the night—
because his mercy endures forever.
10 Give thanks to the one who killed the firstborn males in Egypt—
because his mercy endures forever.
11 He brought Israel out from among them—
because his mercy endures forever.
12 with a mighty hand and a powerful arm—
because his mercy endures forever.
13 Give thanks to one who divided the Red Sea—
because his mercy endures forever.
14 He led Israel through the middle of it—
because his mercy endures forever.
15 He swept Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea—
because his mercy endures forever.
16 Give thanks to the one who led his people through the desert—
because his mercy endures forever.
17 Give thanks to the one who defeated powerful kings—
because his mercy endures forever.
18 He killed mighty kings—
because his mercy endures forever.
19 King Sihon of the Amorites—
because his mercy endures forever.
20 and King Og of Bashan—
because his mercy endures forever.
21 He gave their land as an inheritance—
because his mercy endures forever.
22 as an inheritance for his servant Israel—
because his mercy endures forever.
23 He remembered us when we were humiliated—
because his mercy endures forever.
24 He snatched us from the grasp of our enemies—
because his mercy endures forever.
25 He gives food to every living creature—
because his mercy endures forever.
26 Give thanks to El of heaven
because his mercy endures forever.
Jacob’s Arrival in Haran
29 Jacob continued on his trip and came to the land in the east. 2 He looked around, and out in a field he saw a well with a large stone over the opening. Three flocks of sheep were lying down near it, because the flocks were watered from that well. 3 When all the flocks were gathered there, the stone would be rolled off the opening of the well so that the sheep could be watered. Then the stone would be put back in place over the opening of the well.
4 Jacob asked some people, “My friends, where are you from?”
“We’re from Haran,” they replied.
5 He asked them, “Do you know Laban, Nahor’s grandson?”
They answered, “We do.”
6 “How is he doing?” Jacob asked them.
“He’s fine,” they answered. “Here comes his daughter Rachel with the sheep.”
7 “It’s still the middle of the day,” he said. “It isn’t time yet to gather the livestock. Water the sheep. Then let them graze.”
8 They replied, “We can’t until all the flocks are gathered. When the stone is rolled off the opening of the well, we can water the sheep.”
9 While he was still talking to them, Rachel arrived with her father’s sheep, because she was a shepherd. 10 Jacob saw Rachel, daughter of his uncle Laban, with his uncle Laban’s sheep. He came forward and rolled the stone off the opening of the well and watered his uncle Laban’s sheep. 11 Then Jacob kissed Rachel and sobbed loudly. 12 When Jacob told Rachel that he was her father’s nephew and that he was Rebekah’s son, she ran and told her father.
13 As soon as Laban heard the news about his sister’s son Jacob, he ran to meet him. He hugged and kissed him and brought him into his home. Then Jacob told Laban all that had happened. 14 Laban said to him, “You are my own flesh and blood.”
Jacob Obtains Wives
Jacob stayed with him for a whole month. 15 Then Laban said to him, “Just because you’re my relative doesn’t mean that you should work for nothing. Tell me what your wages should be.”
16 Laban had two daughters. The name of the older one was Leah, and the name of the younger one was Rachel. 17 Leah had attractive eyes,[a] but Rachel had a beautiful figure and beautiful features. 18 Jacob loved Rachel. So he offered, “I’ll work seven years in return for your younger daughter Rachel.”
19 Laban responded, “It’s better that I give her to you than to any other man. Stay with me.” 20 Jacob worked seven years in return for Rachel, but the years seemed like only a few days to him because he loved her.
How to Treat Christians Who Are Weak in Faith
14 Welcome people who are weak in faith, but don’t get into an argument over differences of opinion. 2 Some people believe that they can eat all kinds of food. Other people with weak faith believe that they can eat only vegetables. 3 People who eat all foods should not despise people who eat only vegetables. In the same way, the vegetarians should not criticize people who eat all foods, because God has accepted those people. 4 Who are you to criticize someone else’s servant? The Lord will determine whether his servant has been successful. The servant will be successful because the Lord makes him successful.
5 One person decides that one day is holier than another. Another person decides that all days are the same. Every person must make his own decision. 6 When people observe a special day, they observe it to honor the Lord. When people eat all kinds of foods, they honor the Lord as they eat, since they give thanks to God. Vegetarians also honor the Lord when they eat, and they, too, give thanks to God. 7 It’s clear that we don’t live to honor ourselves, and we don’t die to honor ourselves. 8 If we live, we honor the Lord, and if we die, we honor the Lord. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. 9 For this reason Christ died and came back to life so that he would be the Lord of both the living and the dead.
10 Why do you criticize or despise other Christians? Everyone will stand in front of God to be judged. 11 Scripture says,
“As certainly as I live, says the Lord,
everyone will worship me,
and everyone will praise God.”
12 All of us will have to give an account of ourselves to God.
13 So let’s stop criticizing each other. Instead, you should decide never to do anything that would make other Christians have doubts or lose their faith.
14 The Lord Yeshua has given me the knowledge and conviction that no food is unacceptable in and of itself. But it is unacceptable to a person who thinks it is. 15 So if what you eat hurts another Christian, you are no longer living by love. Don’t destroy anyone by what you eat. Christ died for that person. 16 Don’t allow anyone to say that what you consider good is evil.
17 God’s kingdom does not consist of what a person eats or drinks. Rather, God’s kingdom consists of God’s approval and peace, as well as the joy that the Holy Spirit gives. 18 The person who serves Christ with this in mind is pleasing to God and respected by people.
19 So let’s pursue those things which bring peace and which are good for each other. 20 Don’t ruin God’s work because of what you eat. All food is acceptable, but it’s wrong for a person to eat something if it causes someone else to have doubts. 21 The right thing to do is to avoid eating meat, drinking wine, or doing anything else that causes another Christian to have doubts. 22 So whatever you believe about these things, keep it between yourself and God. The person who does what he knows is right shouldn’t feel guilty. He is blessed. 23 But if a person has doubts and still eats, he is condemned because he didn’t act in faith. Anything that is not done in faith is sin.
47 The person who belongs to God understands what God says. You don’t understand because you don’t belong to God.”
48 The Jews replied to Yeshua, “Aren’t we right when we say that you’re a Samaritan and that you’re possessed by a demon?”
49 Yeshua answered, “I’m not possessed. I honor my Father, but you dishonor me. 50 I don’t want my own glory. But there is someone who wants it, and he is the judge. 51 I can guarantee this truth: Whoever obeys what I say will never see death.”
52 The Jews told Yeshua, “Now we know that you’re possessed by a demon. Abraham died, and so did the prophets, but you say, ‘Whoever does what I say will never taste death.’ 53 Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? The prophets have also died. Who do you think you are?”
54 Yeshua said, “If I bring glory to myself, my glory is nothing. My Father is the one who gives me glory, and you say that he is your God. 55 Yet, you haven’t known him. However, I know him. If I would say that I didn’t know him, I would be a liar like all of you. But I do know him, and I do what he says. 56 Your father Abraham was pleased to see that my day was coming. He saw it and was happy.”
57 The Jews said to Yeshua, “You’re not even fifty years old. How could you have seen Abraham?”
58 Yeshua told them, “I can guarantee this truth: Before Abraham was ever born, I am.”
59 Then some of the Jews picked up stones to throw at Yeshua. However, Yeshua was concealed, and he left the temple courtyard.
The Names of God Bible (without notes) © 2011 by Baker Publishing Group.