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 Song of Moses
15 Then Moses and the ·Israelites [L sons/T children of Israel] sang this song to the Lord:
“I will sing to the Lord,
because he ·is worthy of great honor [is highly exalted; has triumphed gloriously].
He has ·thrown the horse and its rider
into the sea.
2 The Lord ·gives me strength and makes me sing [L is my strength and my song];
he ·has saved me [L is my salvation].
He is my God,
and I will praise him.
He is the God of my ·ancestors [fathers],
and I will ·honor [exalt] him.
3 The Lord is a ·warrior [L man of war];
·the Lord [L Yahweh; 3:14–17] is his name.
4 The chariots and soldiers of ·the king of Egypt [L Pharaoh]
he has ·thrown [cast] into the sea.
·The king’s [L His] ·best [handpicked; elite] officers
are drowned in the ·Red [or Reed; 10:19] Sea.
5 The ·deep waters [floods] covered them,
and they sank ·to the bottom [L into the depths] like a ·rock [stone].
6 Your right hand, Lord,
is ·amazingly [gloriously] strong.
Lord, your right hand
broke the enemy to pieces.
7 In your great victory
you ·destroyed [demolished] those who ·were [L rose up] against you.
·Your anger destroyed them [L You sent out your anger],
·like fire burning straw [L it consumed them like chaff/stubble/straw].
8 Just a blast of your ·breath [or anger],
and the waters piled up.
The moving water stood like a ·wall [or heap];
the ·deep waters [floods] ·became solid [congealed] in the ·middle [L heart] of the sea.
9 “The enemy ·bragged [L said],
‘I’ll ·chase them [L pursue] and ·catch them [L overtake].
I’ll ·take all their riches [L divide the plunder];
·I’ll take all I want [L My desire/appetite will have my fill of them].
I’ll ·pull out [draw] my sword,
and my hand will destroy them.’
10 But you blew on them with your ·breath [or wind]
and covered them with the sea.
They sank like lead
in the ·raging water [mighty waters].
11 “·Are there any gods like you [L Who is like you among the gods], Lord?
·There are no gods [L Who is…?] like you.
You are ·wonderfully holy [splendid/majestic in holiness],
·amazingly powerful [awesome in power],
·a worker of miracles [doing wonders].
12 You ·reached out with [extend; stretch out] your right hand,
and the earth swallowed ·our enemies [L them].
13 You ·keep your loving promise
and lead [L led by your covenant love] the people you have ·saved [L redeemed; ransomed].
With your strength you will guide them
to your holy ·place [abode; C the Promised Land].
14 “The ·other nations [L peoples] will hear this and tremble with fear;
·terror [writhing; pangs] will take hold of the Philistines.
15 The ·leaders of the tribes [chiefs] of Edom will be ·very frightened [scared];
the powerful men of Moab will ·shake with fear [be seized by shaking];
the people of Canaan will ·lose all their courage [L melt].
16 Terror and horror will fall on them.
·When they see your strength [L By the power of your arm],
they will be as still as a ·rock [stone].
They will be still until your people pass by, Lord.
They will be still until the people you have ·taken as your own [purchased; acquired; or created] pass by.
17 You will ·lead your people [L bring them] and ·place [L plant] them
on ·your very own mountain [L the mountain of your possession/inheritance],
the place that you, Lord, made for ·yourself to live [your abode],
the ·temple [sanctuary], Lord, that your hands have ·made [established].
18 The Lord will ·be king [reign] forever!”
19 The horses, chariot drivers, and chariots of ·the king of Egypt [L Pharaoh] went into the sea, and the Lord ·covered them with [L returned on them the] water from the sea. But the Israelites walked through the sea on dry land. 20 Then Aaron’s sister Miriam, a prophetess, took a tambourine in her hand. All the women followed her, playing tambourines and dancing. 21 Miriam told them:
“Sing to the Lord,
because he ·is worthy of great honor [is highly exalted; or has triumphed gloriously];
he has thrown the horse and its rider
into the sea.”
A Call to Holy Living
13 ·So [Therefore; For this reason] ·prepare your minds for service [prepare your minds for action; or, be alert; L gird the loins of your mind] and ·have self-control [be disciplined]. ·All your hope should be for [Focus all your hope on] the gift of grace that will be ·yours [brought/given to you] ·when Jesus Christ is shown to you [L at the revelation of Jesus Christ]. 14 ·Now that you are [As; or Like] obedient ·children of God [L children] ·do not live as you did in the past. You did not understand, so you did the evil things you wanted [L do not be shaped by the desires/lusts of your former ignorance]. 15 But be holy in all ·you do [your behavior/conduct], just as ·God, the One [L the One] who called you, is holy. 16 [L For; Because] It is written in the Scriptures: “You must be holy, because I am holy [Lev. 11:45; 19:2; 20:7].”
17 ·You pray to God and call him Father, and he [L Since you address as Father the one who] judges each person’s ·work [deeds] ·equally [impartially; without prejudice]. So while you are ·here on earth [living as exiles/strangers/sojourners], you should live with ·respect [fear] for God [Prov. 1:7]. 18 [L For] You know that in the past you were living in a ·worthless [meaningless; futile; vain; Eccl. 1:2] way, a way passed down from ·the people who lived before you [your ancestors]. But you were saved [ransomed; redeemed] from that useless life. You were ·bought [ransomed; redeemed; C like a slave whose freedom was purchased by a payment], not with something that ·ruins [perishes; spoils] like silver or gold, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ [Is. 52:3], who was like ·a pure and perfect lamb [a lamb without defect or blemish; Lev. 1:3]. 20 Christ was ·chosen [destined; L foreknown] before ·the world was made [L the foundation/creation of the world], but he was ·shown to the world [revealed] in these last times for your sake. 21 Through Christ you ·believe [have faith/trust] in God, who raised Christ from the dead and gave him glory. So your faith and your hope are in God.
22 Now that your obedience to the truth has purified your ·souls [or lives], you can have ·true [genuine; sincere] love for your Christian brothers and sisters. So love each other ·deeply [earnestly] ·with all your [L from the] heart.[a] 23 You have been born ·again [or anew], and this new life did not come from ·something that dies [L a perishable seed], but from ·something that cannot die [L an imperishable seed]. You were born ·again [or anew] through ·God’s living message that continues forever [L the living and abiding/enduring word of God]. 24 ·The Scripture says [L For; Therefore],
“All ·people are [T flesh is] like the grass,
and all their glory is like the flowers of the ·field [L grass].
The grass ·dies [withers] and the flowers ·fall [drop off],
25 but the word of the Lord ·will live [remains; abides; endures] forever [Is. 40:6–8].”
And this is the word that was ·preached [or proclaimed as Good News/Gospel] to you.
18 “I will not leave you all alone like orphans [C orphans had little or no support in ancient society]; I will ·come back [L come] to you. 19 In a little while the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you will live, too. 20 On that day you will know that I am in my Father, and that you are in me and I am in you. 21 Those who ·know [L have] my commands and ·obey [keep] them are the ones who love me, and my Father will love those who love me. I will love them and will ·show [reveal] myself to them.”
22 Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot [C probably Judas son of James; Luke 6:16; Acts 1:13]) said, “But, Lord, ·why do [how is it that; what has happened that] you plan to ·show [reveal] yourself to us and not to the rest of the world?”
23 Jesus answered, “If people love me, they will ·obey my teaching [L keep my word]. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. 24 Those who do not love me do not ·obey my teaching [L keep my words]. This ·teaching [word] that you hear is not really mine; it is from my Father, who sent me.
25 “I have told you all these things while I ·am [remain; abide] with you. 26 But the ·Helper [Counselor; Advocate; see 14:15] will teach you ·everything [all things] and will ·cause you to remember [remind you of] all that I told you. This Helper is the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my name.
27 “I leave you peace [C the Greek word for “peace” reflects the Hebrew shalom, a typical Hebrew farewell; but Jesus’ peace, in the sense of wholeness, is also a characteristic of the messianic kingdom]; my peace I give you. I do not give it to you as the world does. So don’t let your hearts be troubled or afraid. 28 You heard me say to you, ‘I am going, but I am coming back to you.’ If you loved me, you should ·be happy [rejoice] that I am going back to the Father, because he is greater than I am. 29 I have told you this now, before it happens, so that when it happens, you will believe [13:19]. 30 I will not talk with you much longer, because the ·ruler [prince] of this world [C Satan] is coming. He has ·no power [no claim/hold; L nothing] over me, 31 but the world must know that I love the Father, so I do ·exactly what [just as] the Father ·told [commanded] me to do [C go to the cross].
“·Come now [L Get up; Rise up], let us go.
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