Book of Common Prayer
1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful;
2 but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on His law doth he meditate day and night.
3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither, and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
4 The ungodly are not so, but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.
5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
6 For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly shall perish.
2 Why do the heathen rage, and the people devise a vain thing?
2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying,
3 “Let us break Their bonds asunder, and cast away Their cords from us.”
4 He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh; the Lord shall hold them in derision.
5 Then shall He speak unto them in His wrath, and vex them in His sore displeasure:
6 “Yet have I set My King upon My holy hill of Zion.”
7 “I will declare the decree: The Lord hath said unto Me, ‘Thou art My Son; this day have I begotten Thee.
8 Ask of Me, and I shall give Thee the heathen for Thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for Thy possession.
9 Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; Thou shalt dash them to pieces like a potter’s vessel.’”
10 Be wise now therefore, O ye kings; be instructed, ye judges of the earth.
11 Serve the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling.
12 Kiss the Son, lest He be angry and ye perish from the way, when His wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in Him.
3 Lord, how they have increased that trouble me! Many are they that rise up against me!
2 Many there be that say of my soul, “There is no help for him in God.” Selah
3 But Thou, O Lord, art a shield for me, my glory and the lifter up of mine head.
4 I cried unto the Lord with my voice, and He heard me from His holy hill. Selah
5 I laid me down and slept; I awaked, for the Lord sustained me.
6 I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people that have set themselves against me round about.
7 Arise, O Lord! Save me, O my God! For Thou hast smitten all mine enemies upon the cheekbone; Thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly.
8 Salvation belongeth unto the Lord. Thy blessing is upon Thy people. Selah
4 Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness! Thou hast set me at large when I was in distress; have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer.
2 O ye sons of men, how long will ye turn my glory into shame? How long will ye love vanity and seek after lies? Selah
3 But know that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for Himself; the Lord will hear when I call unto Him.
4 Stand in awe, and sin not; commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah
5 Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the Lord.
6 There are many that say, “Who will show us any good?” Lord, lift Thou up the light of Thy countenance upon us.
7 Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time when their corn and wine increased.
8 I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep; for Thou Lord only, makest me dwell in safety.
7 O Lord my God, in Thee do I put my trust. Save me from all them that persecute me; and deliver me,
2 lest they tear my soul like a lion, rending it in pieces while there is none to deliver.
3 O Lord my God, if I have done this, if there be iniquity on my hands,
4 if I have rewarded evil unto him that was at peace with me (yea, I have delivered him that without cause is mine enemy),
5 let the enemy persecute my soul and take it; yea, let him tread down my life upon the earth, and lay mine honor in the dust. Selah
6 Arise, O Lord, in Thine anger; lift up Thyself against the rage of mine enemies, and awaken for me the judgment that Thou hast commanded.
7 So shall the congregation of the people compass Thee about; for their sakes, therefore, return Thou on high.
8 The Lord shall judge the people: Judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness and according to mine integrity that is in me.
9 O let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end, but establish the just; for the righteous God trieth the hearts and reins.
10 My defense is of God, who saveth the upright in heart.
11 God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day.
12 If he turn not, He will whet His sword; He hath bent His bow and made it ready.
13 He hath also prepared for Him the instruments of death; He ordaineth His arrows against the persecutors.
14 Behold, the wicked travaileth with iniquity, and hath conceived mischief and brought forth falsehood.
15 He made a pit and dug it, and has fallen into the ditch which he hath made.
16 His mischief shall return upon his own head; and his violent dealings shall come down upon his own pate.
17 I will praise the Lord according to His righteousness, and will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High.
10 Hear the word of the Lord, ye rulers of Sodom; give ear unto the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah:
11 “To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto Me?” saith the Lord. “I am full of the burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs or of hegoats.
12 When you come to appear before Me, who hath required this from your hand, to tread My courts?
13 Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto Me. The new moons and Sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot endure. It is iniquity, even the solemn meeting.
14 Your new moons and your appointed feasts My soul hateth; they are a trouble unto Me, I am weary of bearing them.
15 And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide Mine eyes from you; yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear; your hands are full of blood.
16 Wash you, make you clean, put away the evil of your doings from before Mine eyes. Cease to do evil,
17 learn to do well. Seek judgment, relieve the oppressed; judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.
18 “Come now, and let us reason together,” saith the Lord. “Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
19 If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land;
20 but if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword”; for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.
1 Paul, and Silvanus, and Timothy, Unto the church of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace be unto you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
2 We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers,
3 remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father,
4 knowing, brethren beloved, of your election by God.
5 For our Gospel came unto you not in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Ghost and in much assurance, as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake.
6 And ye became followers of us and of the Lord, having received the Word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Ghost,
7 so that ye were examples to all who believe in Macedonia and Achaia.
8 For from you sounded forth the Word of the Lord, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to Godward is spread abroad, so that we need not speak anything.
9 For they themselves show of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God,
10 and to wait for His Son from Heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus, who delivered us from the wrath to come.
20 And it came to pass that on one of those days, as He taught the people in the temple and preached the Gospel, the chief priests and the scribes came upon Him with the elders
2 and spoke unto Him, saying, “Tell us by what authority doest thou these things? Or who is he that gave thee this authority?
3 And He answered and said unto them, “I will also ask you one thing, and answer Me:
4 The baptism of John — was it from Heaven, or of men?”
5 And they reasoned among themselves, saying, “If we shall say ‘From Heaven,’ he will say, ‘Why then have ye not believed him?’
6 But if we say, ‘Of men,’ all the people will stone us, for they are persuaded that John was a prophet.”
7 And they answered that they could not tell from whence it was.
8 And Jesus said unto them, “Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things.”
Copyright © 1994 by Deuel Enterprises, Inc.