Book of Common Prayer
33 He changes rivers into a desert,
springs into thirsty ground,
34 and fertile ground into a layer of salt
because of the wickedness of the people living there.
35 He changes deserts into lakes
and dry ground into springs.
36 There he settles those who are hungry,
and they build cities to live in.
37 They plant in fields and vineyards
that produce crops.
38 He blesses them, and their numbers multiply,
and he does not allow a shortage of cattle.
39 They became few in number and were humiliated
because of oppression, disaster, and sorrow.
40 He poured contempt on their influential people
and made them stumble around in a pathless desert.
41 But now he lifts needy people high above suffering
and makes their families like flocks.
42 Decent people will see this and rejoice,
but all the wicked people will shut their mouths.
43 Let those who think they are wise
pay attention to these things
so that they may understand Yahweh’s blessings.
Psalm 108[a]
A song; a psalm by David.
1 My heart is confident, O Elohim.
I want to sing and make music even with my soul.[b]
2 Wake up, harp and lyre!
I want to wake up at dawn.
3 I want to give thanks to you among the people, O Yahweh.
I want to make music to praise you among the nations
4 because your mercy is higher than the heavens.
Your truth reaches the skies.
5 May you be honored above the heavens, O Elohim.
Let your glory extend over the whole earth.
6 Save us with your powerful hand, and answer us
so that those who are dear to you may be rescued.
7 Elohim has promised the following through his holiness:
“I will triumph!
I will divide Shechem.
I will measure the valley of Succoth.
8 Gilead is mine.
Manasseh is mine.
Ephraim is the helmet on my head.
Judah is my scepter.
9 Moab is my washtub.
I will throw my shoe over Edom.
I will shout in triumph over Philistia.”
10 Who will bring me into the fortified city?
Who will lead me to Edom?
11 Isn’t it you, O Elohim, who rejected us?
Isn’t it you, O Elohim, who refused to accompany our armies?
12 Give us help against the enemy
because human assistance is worthless.
13 With Elohim we will display great strength.
He will trample our enemies.
Psalm 33
1 Joyfully sing to Yahweh, you righteous people.
Praising the Lord is proper for decent people.
2 Give thanks with a lyre to Yahweh.
Make music for him on a ten-stringed harp.
3 Sing a new song to him.
Play beautifully and joyfully on stringed instruments.
4 The word of Yahweh is correct,
and everything he does is trustworthy.
5 Yahweh loves righteousness and justice.
His mercy fills the earth.
6 The heavens were made by the word of Yahweh
and all the stars by the breath of his mouth.
7 He gathers the water in the sea like a dam
and puts the oceans in his storehouses.
8 Let all the earth fear Yahweh.
Let all who live in the world stand in awe of him.
9 He spoke, and it came into being.
He gave the order, and there it stood.
10 Yahweh blocks the plans of the nations.
He frustrates the schemes of the people of the world.
11 Yahweh’s plan stands firm forever.
His thoughts stand firm in every generation.
12 Blessed is the nation whose Elohim is Yahweh.
Blessed are the people he has chosen as his own.
13 Yahweh looks down from heaven.
He sees all of Adam’s descendants.
14 From the place where he sits enthroned,
he looks down upon all who live on earth.
15 The one who formed their hearts
understands everything they do.
16 No king achieves a victory with a large army.
No warrior rescues himself by his own great strength.
17 Horses are not a guarantee for victory.
Their great strength cannot help someone escape.
18 Yahweh’s eyes are on those who fear him,
on those who wait with hope for his mercy
19 to rescue their souls from death
and keep them alive during a famine.
20 We wait for Yahweh.
He is our help and our Magen.
21 In him our hearts find joy.
In his holy name we trust.
22 Let your mercy rest on us, O Yahweh,
since we wait with hope for you.
Edom Refuses to Allow Israel to Pass through Its Territory
14 Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom. He said, “This is what your brother Israel says: You know all the hardships we’ve had. 15 Our ancestors went to Egypt, and we lived there for many years. The Egyptians mistreated us and our ancestors. 16 When we cried out to Yahweh, he heard us, sent a messenger, and brought us out of Egypt.
“Now we’re here in Kadesh, a city on the edge of your territory. 17 Please let us go through your country. We won’t go through any of your fields or vineyards, or drink any of the water from your wells. We’ll stay on the king’s highway and never leave it until we’ve passed through your territory.”
18 But the Edomites answered, “You may not pass through our country. If you try, we’ll come out and attack you.”
19 The Israelites replied, “We’ll stay on the main road, and if we or our livestock drink any of your water, we’ll pay for it. We want to pass through on foot. That’s all.”
20 But the Edomites said, “You may not pass through.” Then they came out and attacked with many well-armed troops. 21 Since the Edomites refused to let Israel go through their territory, the Israelites turned around and went a different way.
Aaron’s Death
22 The whole community of Israel left Kadesh and came to Mount Hor. 23 At Mount Hor, near the border of Edom, Yahweh said to Moses and Aaron, 24 “Aaron must now join his ancestors in death, since he cannot enter the land I’m giving the Israelites. This is because you both rebelled against my command at the oasis of Meribah. 25 Bring Aaron and his son Eleazar up on Mount Hor. 26 Take off Aaron’s priestly clothes, and put them on his son Eleazar. Then Aaron will die there and join his ancestors.”
27 Moses did as Yahweh commanded. The whole community saw them go up on Mount Hor. 28 Moses took off Aaron’s priestly clothes and put them on his son Eleazar. Aaron died there on top of the mountain. Then Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain. 29 The whole community saw that Aaron had died, and all the Israelites mourned for Aaron 30 days.
No Longer Slaves to Sin, but God’s Servants
6 What should we say then? Should we continue to sin so that God’s kindness[a] will increase? 2 That’s unthinkable! As far as sin is concerned, we have died. So how can we still live under sin’s influence?
3 Don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Yeshua were baptized into his death? 4 When we were baptized into his death, we were placed into the tomb with him. As Christ was brought back from death to life by the glorious power of the Father, so we, too, should live a new kind of life. 5 If we’ve become united with him in a death like his, certainly we will also be united with him when we come back to life as he did. 6 We know that the person we used to be was crucified with him to put an end to sin in our bodies. Because of this we are no longer slaves to sin. 7 The person who has died has been freed from sin.
8 If we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 We know that Christ, who was brought back to life, will never die again. Death no longer has any power over him. 10 When he died, he died once and for all to sin’s power. But now he lives, and he lives for God. 11 So consider yourselves dead to sin’s power but living for God in the power Christ Yeshua gives you.
The King Comes to Jerusalem(A)
21 When they came near Jerusalem and had reached Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Yeshua sent two disciples ahead of him. 2 He said to them, “Go into the village ahead of you. You will find a donkey tied there and a colt with it. Untie them, and bring them to me. 3 If anyone says anything to you, tell him that the Lord needs them. That person will send them at once.”
4 This happened so that what the prophet had said came true:
5 “Tell the people of Zion,
‘Your king is coming to you.
He’s gentle,
riding on a donkey,
on a colt, a young pack animal.’”
6 The disciples did as Yeshua had directed them. 7 They brought the donkey and the colt and put their coats on them for Yeshua to sit on. 8 Most of the people spread their coats on the road. Others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 The crowd that went ahead of him and that followed him was shouting,
“Hosanna to the Son of David!
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!
Hosanna in the highest heaven!”
10 When Yeshua came into Jerusalem, the whole city was in an uproar. People were asking, “Who is this?”
11 The crowd answered, “This is the prophet Yeshua from Nazareth in Galilee.”
The Names of God Bible (without notes) © 2011 by Baker Publishing Group.