Book of Common Prayer
Confidence in Yahweh
A miktam[a] of David.[b]
16 Protect me, O God,
for I take refuge in you.
2 Oh my soul you have said[c] to Yahweh, “You are my Lord.
I have no good apart from you.”
3 With regard to the saints who are in the land,
they are the noble ones in whom is all my desire.
4 Those who hurry after[d] another god increase their sorrows.
I will not pour out their drink offerings of blood,
nor take up their names on my lips.
5 Yahweh is the portion which is my share and my cup.
You hold my lot.
6 The measuring lines have fallen for me in pleasant places.
Yes, my inheritance is delightful for me.
7 I will bless Yahweh who advises me;
yes, at night my innermost being[e] instructs me.
8 I have set Yahweh before me always.
Because he is at my right hand I will not be shaken.
9 Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoices.
Yes, my body will dwell in safety,
10 for you will not abandon my soul to Sheol;
you will not give your faithful one to see the grave.
11 You will make known to me the path of life.
In your presence is fullness of joy.
At your right hand are pleasures forever.
Prayer for Vindication and Protection
A prayer of David.[f]
17 O Yahweh, hear a just cause.
Hear my cry; heed my prayer
I make without deceitful lips.
2 Let my vindication come forth from you;
let your eyes see fairness.
3 You have tried my heart;
you have examined me by night;
you have tested me; you found nothing.
I have decided that my mouth will not transgress.
4 As for the works of humankind,
by the word of your lips,
I have kept from the ways of the violent.
5 I have held my steps in your path
My feet will not slip.
6 As for me, I have called on you
because you will answer me, O God.
Incline your ear to me.
Hear my words.[g]
7 Show wondrously your acts of loyal love,
O Savior of those who take refuge
at your right hand[h]
from those who rise up against them.
8 Keep me as the apple of your eye.[i]
Hide me in the shadow of your wings
9 from the presence[j] of the wicked who destroy me,
those enemies against my life,
they that surround me.
10 They have shut off their calloused[k] heart;
with their mouth they speak arrogantly.
11 Now they surround us at our every step.
They intend[l]
to pin[m] me to the ground.
12 He is like[n] a lion; he longs to tear apart,
and like a strong lion crouching in hiding places.
13 Rise up, O Yahweh, confront him.[o]
Make him bow down.
Rescue with your sword my life from the wicked,
14 from men by your hand, O Yahweh, from men of this world.
Their share is in this life,[p] and you fill their stomach with your treasure.
They are satisfied with children.
They bequeath their excess to their children.
15 By contrast, I in righteousness shall see your face.
Upon awakening I will be satisfied seeing your form.
Suffering and Waiting for Deliverance
For the music director; according to The Doe of the Dawn. A psalm of David.[a]
22 My God, my God why have you forsaken me?
Why are you far from helping me, far from the words of my groaning?
2 O my God, I call by day and you do not answer,
and by night but I have no rest.[b]
3 Yet you are holy,
enthroned on the praises of Israel.
4 Our ancestors[c] trusted you;
they trusted and you delivered them.
5 They cried to you and were saved;
they trusted you and were not ashamed.
6 But I am a worm and not a man,
scorned by humankind and despised by people.
7 All who see me mock me.
They open wide their lips;
they shake the head, saying:
8 “He trusts Yahweh.[d] Let him rescue him.
Let him deliver him because he delights in him.”
9 Yet you took me from the belly;
you made me trust while on my mother’s breasts.
10 On you I was cast from the womb.
From my mother’s belly you have been my God.
11 Do not be far from me
because trouble is near;
because there is no helper.
12 Many bulls have encircled me;
mighty bulls of Bashan have surrounded me.
13 They open their mouth against me
like a lion tearing and roaring.
14 I am poured out like water,
and all my bones are out of joint.
My heart is like wax;
it is melted within me.[e]
15 My strength is dry like a potsherd,
and my tongue is sticking to my jaws;
and you have placed me in the dust of death.
16 Because dogs have surrounded me;
a gang of evildoers has encircled me.
Like the lion[f] they are at my hands and my feet.
17 I can count all my bones;
they gaze, they look at me.
18 They divide my garments among them,
and for my clothing they cast lots.[g]
19 But you, O Yahweh, do not remain distant.
O my help, hasten to help me.
20 Rescue my life from the sword,
my only life from the power of the dogs.[h]
21 Save me from the mouth of the lion,
and from the horns of the wild oxen answer me.
22 I will tell your name to my brothers;
inside the assembly I will praise you.
23 You who revere Yahweh, praise him!
Glorify him, all you seed of Jacob,
and be in awe of him, all you seed of Israel,
24 because he has not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted,
and has not hid his face from him;
but he listened to him when he cried for help.
25 From you is my praise.
In the great assembly,
I will pay my vows before those who revere him.
26 The afflicted will eat and will be satisfied.
Those who seek him will praise Yahweh.
May your[i] heart live forever.
27 All the ends of the earth
will remember and turn to Yahweh.
All the families of the nations
will worship before you.
28 Because the kingship belongs to Yahweh,
and he rules over the nations.
29 All the healthy ones[j] of the earth will eat and worship.
Before him all of those descending into the dust will kneel,
even he who cannot keep his soul alive.
30 Descendants[k] will serve him.
Regarding the Lord, it will be told to the next generation.
31 They will come and tell his saving[l] deeds
to a people yet to be born, that he has done it.
Paul on Malta
28 And after we[a] were brought safely through, then we found out that the island was called Malta. 2 And the local inhabitants showed extraordinary[b] kindness to us, for they lit a fire and[c] welcomed us all, because of the rain that had begun and because of the cold. 3 And when[d] Paul had gathered a large number of sticks and was placing them[e] on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat and[f] fastened itself on his hand. 4 And when the local people saw the creature hanging from his hand, they began saying[g] to one another, “Doubtless this man is a murderer whom, although he[h] was rescued from the sea, Justice[i] has not permitted to live!” 5 He, in turn, shook off the creature into the fire and[j] suffered no harm. 6 But they were expecting that he was going to swell up[k] or suddenly to fall down dead. So after[l] they had waited for a long time and saw nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and[m] began saying[n] that he was a god.
7 Now in the regions around that place were fields belonging to the chief official of the island, named[o] Publius, who welcomed us and[p] entertained us[q] hospitably for three days. 8 And it happened that the father of Publius was lying down, afflicted with fever and dysentery. Paul went[r] to him[s] and after[t] praying, he placed his[u] hands on him and[v] healed him. 9 And after[w] this had taken place, the rest of those on the island who had diseases were coming and being healed also. 10 They also honored us with many honors, and when we[x] were putting out to sea, they gave us[y] the things we needed.[z]
Paul Arrives in Rome at Last
11 Now after three months we put out to sea in a ship that had wintered at the island, an Alexandrian one with the twin gods Castor and Pollux as its insignia.[aa] 12 And putting in at Syracuse, we stayed there three days. 13 From there we got underway[ab] and[ac] arrived at Rhegium, and after one day a south wind came up and[ad] on the second day we came to Puteoli, 14 where we found brothers, and[ae] were implored to stay with them seven days. And in this way we came to Rome. 15 And from there the brothers, when they[af] heard the news about us, came to meet us as far as the Forum of Appius and Three Taverns. When he[ag] saw them, Paul gave thanks to God and[ah] took courage. 16 And when we entered into Rome, Paul was allowed to stay by himself with the soldier who was guarding him.
The Transfiguration
28 Now it happened that about eight days after these words, he took along Peter and John and James and[a] went up on the mountain to pray. 29 And as he was praying, the appearance of his face became different, and his clothing became white, gleaming like lightning.[b] 30 And behold, two men were talking with him, who were Moses and Elijah, 31 who appeared in glory and[c] were speaking about his departure which he was about to fulfill[d] in Jerusalem.
32 Now Peter and those with him were very sleepy,[e] but when they[f] became fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men who were standing with him. 33 And it happened that as they were going away from him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to be here. And let us make three shelters, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah,” not knowing what he was saying. 34 And while[g] he was saying these things, a cloud came and overshadowed them, and they were afraid as they entered into the cloud. 35 And a voice came from the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, my Chosen One. Listen to him!” 36 And after the voice had occurred, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and told no one in those days anything of what they had seen.
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