Book of Common Prayer
Psalm 26
Prayer for Vindication
Davidic.
1 Vindicate me, Lord,
because I have lived with integrity
and have trusted in the Lord without wavering.(A)
2 Test me, Lord, and try me;
examine my heart and mind.(B)
3 For Your faithful love is before my eyes,
and I live by Your truth.(C)
4 I do not sit with the worthless
or associate with hypocrites.
5 I hate a crowd of evildoers,
and I do not sit with the wicked.(D)
6 I wash my hands[a] in innocence(E)
and go around Your altar, Lord,(F)
7 raising my voice in thanksgiving(G)
and telling about Your wonderful works.(H)
Psalm 28
My Strength
Davidic.
1 Lord, I call to You;
my rock, do not be deaf to me.(A)
If You remain silent to me,
I will be like those going down to the Pit.(B)
2 Listen to the sound of my pleading
when I cry to You for help,
when I lift up my hands
toward Your holy sanctuary.(C)
3 Do not drag me away with the wicked,
with the evildoers,
who speak in friendly ways with their neighbors
while malice is in their hearts.(D)
4 Repay them according to what they have done—
according to the evil of their deeds.
Repay them according to the work of their hands;
give them back what they deserve.(E)
5 Because they do not consider
what the Lord has done
or the work of His hands,
He will tear them down and not rebuild them.(F)
Psalm 36
Human Wickedness and God’s Love
For the choir director. A psalm of David, the Lord’s servant.
1 An oracle within my heart
concerning the transgression of the wicked person:
There is no dread of God before his eyes,(A)
2 for in his own eyes he flatters himself too much
to discover and hate his sin.(B)
3 The words of his mouth are malicious and deceptive;(C)
he has stopped acting wisely and doing good.(D)
4 Even on his bed he makes malicious plans.(E)
He sets himself on a path that is not good
and does not reject evil.(F)
5 Lord, Your faithful love reaches to heaven,
Your faithfulness to the clouds.(G)
6 Your righteousness is like the highest mountains;
Your judgments, like the deepest sea.(H)
Lord, You preserve man and beast.(I)
7 God, Your faithful love is so valuable
that people take refuge in the shadow of Your wings.(J)
8 They are filled from the abundance of Your house;
You let them drink from Your refreshing stream,(K)
9 for with You is life’s fountain.(L)
In Your light we will see light.(M)
Psalm 39
The Fleeting Nature of Life
For the choir director, for Jeduthun. A Davidic psalm.
1 I said, “I will guard my ways
so that I may not sin with my tongue;
I will guard my mouth with a muzzle
as long as the wicked are in my presence.”(A)
2 I was speechless and quiet;
I kept silent, even from speaking good,
and my pain intensified.(B)
3 My heart grew hot within me;
as I mused, a fire burned.(C)
I spoke with my tongue:
4 “Lord, reveal to me the end of my life
and the number of my days.
Let me know how short-lived I am.(D)
5 You, indeed, have made my days short in length,
and my life span as nothing in Your sight.
Yes, every mortal man is only a vapor.(E)
6 “Certainly, man walks about like a mere shadow.
Indeed, they frantically rush around in vain,
gathering possessions
without knowing who will get them.(F)
7 Now, Lord, what do I wait for?
My hope is in You.(G)
8 Deliver me from all my transgressions;
do not make me the taunt of fools.(H)
9 I am speechless; I do not open my mouth
because of what You have done.(I)
10 Remove Your torment from me;
I fade away because of the force of Your hand.(J)
11 You discipline a man with punishment for sin,
consuming like a moth what is precious to him;(K)
every man is only a vapor.(L)
13 Therefore My people will go into exile
because they lack knowledge;(A)
her[a] dignitaries are starving,
and her[b] masses are parched with thirst.
14 Therefore Sheol enlarges its throat
and opens wide its enormous jaws,(B)
and down go Zion’s dignitaries, her masses,
her crowds, and those who carouse in her!
15 Humanity is brought low, man is humbled,
and haughty eyes are humbled.(C)
16 But the Lord of Hosts is exalted by His justice,(D)
and the holy God(E) is distinguished by righteousness.(F)
17 Lambs will graze
as if in[c] their own pastures,(G)
and strangers[d] will eat
among the ruins of the rich.
24 Therefore, as a tongue of fire consumes straw
and as dry grass shrivels in the flame,
so their roots will become like something rotten
and their blossoms will blow away like dust,
for they have rejected(A)
the instruction of the Lord of Hosts,
and they have despised
the word of the Holy One of Israel.(B)
25 Therefore the Lord’s anger burns(C) against His people.
He raised His hand against them and struck them;
the mountains quaked,(D)
and their corpses were like garbage in the streets.
In all this, His anger is not removed,
and His hand is still raised to strike.(E)
Exhortations and Blessings
12 Now we ask you, brothers, to give recognition(A) to those who labor among you and lead you in the Lord and admonish you, 13 and to regard them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace(B) among yourselves. 14 And we exhort you, brothers:(C) warn those who are irresponsible,[a] comfort the discouraged, help the weak, be patient(D) with everyone. 15 See to it that no one repays evil for evil(E) to anyone,(F) but always pursue what is good for one another and for all.(G)
16 Rejoice(H) always!
17 Pray constantly.
18 Give thanks in everything,
for this is God’s will(I) for you in Christ Jesus.
19 Don’t stifle the Spirit.
20 Don’t despise prophecies,
21 but test all things.(J)
Hold on to what is good.
22 Stay away(K) from every kind of evil.
23 Now may the God of peace(L) Himself sanctify you completely. And may your spirit,(M) soul, and body be kept sound and blameless for the coming(N) of our Lord(O) Jesus Christ.(P) 24 He who calls(Q) you(R) is faithful, who also will do it. 25 Brothers, pray for us also. 26 Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss. 27 I charge you by the Lord that this letter be read to all the brothers.(S) 28 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
The Parable of the Fig Tree
29 Then He told them a parable: “Look at the fig tree, and all the trees. 30 As soon as they put out leaves you can see for yourselves and recognize that summer is already near. 31 In the same way, when you see these things happening, recognize[a] that the kingdom of God is near. 32 I assure you: This generation will certainly not pass away until all things take place.(A) 33 Heaven and earth will pass away,(B) but My words will never pass away.(C)
The Need for Watchfulness
34 “Be on your guard,(D) so that your minds are not dulled[b] from carousing,[c] drunkenness,(E) and worries of life,(F) or that day will come on you unexpectedly(G) 35 like a trap. For it will come on all who live on the face of the whole earth. 36 But be alert at all times,(H) praying that you may have strength[d] to escape(I) all these things that are going to take place and to stand before the Son of Man.”
37 During(J) the day, He was teaching in the temple complex,(K) but in the evening He would go out and spend the night on what is called the Mount of Olives.(L) 38 Then all the people would come early in the morning to hear Him in the temple complex.(M)
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