Book of Common Prayer
Psalm 140[a]
Prayer for Deliverance from the Wicked
1 For the leader. A psalm of David.
I
2 Deliver me, Lord, from the wicked;
preserve me from the violent,(A)
3 From those who plan evil in their hearts,
who stir up conflicts every day,
4 [b]Who sharpen their tongue like a serpent,
venom of asps upon their lips.(B)
Selah
II
5 Keep me, Lord, from the clutches of the wicked;
preserve me from the violent,
who plot to trip me up.(C)
6 [c]The arrogant have set a trap for me;
they have spread out ropes for a net,
laid snares for me by the wayside.
Selah
7 I say to the Lord: You are my God;(D)
listen, Lord, to the words of my pleas.
8 Lord, my master, my strong deliverer,
you cover my head on the day of armed conflict.
9 Lord, do not grant the desires of the wicked one;
do not let his plot succeed.
Selah
III
10 Those who surround me raise their heads;
may the mischief they threaten overwhelm them.
11 Drop burning coals upon them;(E)
cast them into the watery pit never more to rise.
12 Slanderers will not survive on earth;
evil will hunt down the man of violence to overthrow him.
13 For I know the Lord will take up the cause of the needy,
justice for the poor.
14 Then the righteous will give thanks to your name;
the upright will dwell in your presence.(F)
Psalm 142[a]
A Prayer in Time of Trouble
1 A maskil of David, when he was in the cave.[b] A prayer.
2 With my own voice I cry to the Lord;
with my own voice I beseech the Lord.
3 Before him I pour out my complaint,
tell of my distress in front of him.
4 When my spirit is faint within me,(A)
you know my path.(B)
As I go along this path,
they have hidden a trap for me.(C)
5 I look to my right hand to see(D)
that there is no one willing to acknowledge me.
My escape has perished;
no one cares for me.
6 I cry out to you, Lord,
I say, You are my refuge,(E)
my portion in the land of the living.(F)
7 Listen to my cry for help,
for I am brought very low.(G)
Rescue me from my pursuers,
for they are too strong for me.
8 Lead my soul from prison,
that I may give thanks to your name.
Then the righteous shall gather around me[c]
because you have been good to me.
Psalm 141[a]
Prayer for Deliverance from the Wicked
1 A psalm of David.
Lord, I call to you; hasten to me;
listen to my plea when I call.
2 Let my prayer be incense[b] before you;
my uplifted hands an evening offering.(A)
3 Set a guard, Lord, before my mouth,
keep watch over the door of my lips.(B)
4 Do not let my heart incline to evil,
to perform deeds in wickedness.
On the delicacies of evildoers
let me not feast.
5 [c]Let a righteous person strike me; it is mercy if he reproves me.
Do not withhold oil from my head(C)
while my prayer opposes their evil deeds.
6 May their leaders be cast over the cliff,
so that they hear that my speeches are pleasing.
7 Like the plowing and breaking up of the earth,
our bones are strewn at the mouth of Sheol.
8 For my eyes are upon you, O Lord, my Lord;(D)
in you I take refuge; do not take away my soul.
9 Guard me from the trap they have set for me,
from the snares of evildoers.(E)
10 Let the wicked fall into their own nets,
while only I pass over them safely.
Psalm 143[a]
A Prayer in Distress
1 A psalm of David.
Lord, hear my prayer;
in your faithfulness listen to my pleading;
answer me in your righteousness.
2 Do not enter into judgment with your servant;
before you no one can be just.(A)
3 The enemy has pursued my soul;
he has crushed my life to the ground.(B)
He has made me dwell in darkness
like those long dead.(C)
4 My spirit is faint within me;
my heart despairs.(D)
5 I remember the days of old;
I ponder all your deeds;
the works of your hands I recall.(E)
6 I stretch out my hands toward you,
my soul to you like a parched land.(F)
Selah
7 Hasten to answer me, Lord;
for my spirit fails me.
Do not hide your face from me,
lest I become like those descending to the pit.(G)
8 In the morning let me hear of your mercy,
for in you I trust.
Show me the path I should walk,
for I entrust my life to you.(H)
9 Rescue me, Lord, from my foes,
for I seek refuge in you.
10 Teach me to do your will,
for you are my God.
May your kind spirit guide me
on ground that is level.
11 For your name’s sake, Lord, give me life;
in your righteousness lead my soul out of distress.
12 In your mercy put an end to my foes;
all those who are oppressing my soul,
for I am your servant.(I)
Chapter 2
The Second Interview. 1 One day, when the sons of God(A) came to present themselves before the Lord, the satan also came with them. 2 The Lord said to the satan, “Where have you been?” Then the satan answered the Lord and said, “Roaming the earth and patrolling it.” 3 The Lord said to the satan, “Have you noticed my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him, blameless and upright, fearing God and avoiding evil.(B) He still holds fast to his innocence although you incited me against him to ruin him for nothing.” 4 The satan answered the Lord and said, “Skin for skin![a] All that a man has he will give for his life. 5 (C)But put forth your hand and touch his bone and his flesh. Then surely he will curse you to your face.” 6 And the Lord said to the satan, “He is in your power; only spare his life.”
The Second Trial. 7 So the satan went forth from the presence of the Lord and struck Job with severe boils from the soles of his feet to the crown of his head.
Job’s Reaction. 8 He took a potsherd to scrape himself, as he sat among the ashes. 9 Then his wife said to him,(D) “Are you still holding to your innocence? Curse God and die!”[b] 10 But he said to her, “You speak as foolish women do. We accept good things from God; should we not accept evil?” Through all this, Job did not sin in what he said.(E)
Job’s Three Friends. 11 Now when three of Job’s friends heard of all the misfortune that had come upon him, they set out each one from his own place: Eliphaz from Teman,[c] Bildad from Shuh, and Zophar from Naamath. They met and journeyed together to give him sympathy and comfort. 12 But when, at a distance, they lifted up their eyes and did not recognize him, they began to weep aloud; they tore their cloaks and threw dust into the air over their heads. 13 Then they sat down upon the ground with him seven days and seven nights, but none of them spoke a word to him; for they saw how great was his suffering.
Chapter 9
Saul’s Conversion. 1 [a]Now Saul, still breathing murderous threats against the disciples of the Lord,(A) went to the high priest(B) 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, that, if he should find any men or women who belonged to the Way,[b] he might bring them back to Jerusalem in chains. 3 On his journey, as he was nearing Damascus, a light from the sky suddenly flashed around him.(C) 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?”(D) 5 He said, “Who are you, sir?” The reply came, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.(E) 6 Now get up and go into the city and you will be told what you must do.”(F) 7 The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, for they heard the voice but could see no one.(G) 8 Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing;[c] so they led him by the hand and brought him to Damascus.(H) 9 For three days he was unable to see, and he neither ate nor drank.
27 Do not work for food that perishes but for the food that endures for eternal life,[a] which the Son of Man will give you. For on him the Father, God, has set his seal.”(A) 28 So they said to him, “What can we do to accomplish the works of God?” 29 Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in the one he sent.” 30 So they said to him, “What sign can you do, that we may see and believe in you? What can you do?(B) 31 [b]Our ancestors ate manna in the desert, as it is written:(C)
‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’”
32 So Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave the bread from heaven; my Father gives you the true bread from heaven.(D) 33 For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”
34 (E)So they said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.” 35 [c]Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst.(F) 36 But I told you that although you have seen [me], you do not believe.(G) 37 Everything that the Father gives me will come to me, and I will not reject anyone who comes to me, 38 because I came down from heaven not to do my own will but the will of the one who sent me.(H) 39 And this is the will of the one who sent me, that I should not lose anything of what he gave me, but that I should raise it [on] the last day.(I) 40 For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him may have eternal life, and I shall raise him [on] the last day.”(J)
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