Book of Common Prayer
Nations Conspire Against Israel
Psalm 83
1 A song: a psalm of Asaph.
2 God, do not keep silent.
Do not hold Your peace, O God.
Do not be still.
3 For look, Your enemies make an uproar.
Those who hate You lift up their head.
4 They make a shrewd plot against Your people,
conspiring against Your treasured ones.
5 “Come,” they say, “let’s wipe them out as a nation!
Let Israel’s name be remembered no more!”
6 For with one mind they plot together.
Against You do they make a covenant.
7 The tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites,
Moab and the Hagrites,
8 Gebal, Ammon and Amalek,
Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre,
9 even Assyria has joined them,
becoming a strong arm for Lot’s sons. Selah
10 Do to them as You did to Midian,
to Sisera and Jabin at the Kishon River,
11 who perished at En-dor—
they became as dung for the ground.
12 Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb—
all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna,
13 who said,
“Let us take possession of the pasturelands of God.”
14 My God, make them like tumbleweed,
like chaff before the wind.
15 As a fire burns a forest,
and as a flame sets mountains ablaze,
16 so pursue them with Your tempest,
and terrify them with Your storm.
17 Cover their faces with shame,
so they may seek Your Name—Adonai.
18 Let them be ashamed and dismayed forever.
Let them be humiliated and perish.
19 Let them know that You alone
—whose Name is Adonai—
are El Elyon over all the earth.
Justice of the Kingdom
Psalm 146
1 Halleluyah! Praise Adonai, O my soul!
2 I will praise Adonai all my life.
I will praise my God yet again.
3 Do not put your trust in princes—
in man, in whom there is no salvation.
4 His breath departs,
he returns to his dust.
In that very day his plans perish.
5 Happy is he whose help is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in Adonai his God,
6 who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them,
who keeps truth forever,
7 who executes justice for the oppressed,
who gives bread to the hungry.
Adonai sets the prisoners free.
8 Adonai opens the eyes of the blind.[a]
Adonai raises up those who are bowed down.
Adonai loves the righteous.
9 Adonai protects outsiders,
upholds the fatherless and the widow,
but thwarts the way of the wicked.
10 Adonai will reign forever,
your God, O Zion, from generation to generation.
Halleluyah!
He Builds Up Jerusalem
Psalm 147
1 Halleluyah!
How good it is to sing praises to our God.
How pleasant and fitting is praise.
2 Adonai builds up Jerusalem.
He gathers together the exiles of Israel.
3 He heals the brokenhearted
and binds up their wounds.
4 He determines the number of the stars.
He gives them all their names.
5 Great is our Lord and mighty in power—
His understanding is infinite!
6 Adonai upholds the humble.
He brings the wicked to the ground.
7 Sing to Adonai with thanksgiving.
Sing praises to our God on the harp.
8 He covers the sky with clouds.
He provides rain for the earth.
He makes grass sprout on the hills.
9 He gives food to the cattle
and to the young ravens which cry.
10 He delights not in the horse’s strength,
nor takes pleasure in a man’s legs.
11 Adonai delights in those who revere Him,
in those who trust in His lovingkindness.
12 Exalt Adonai, O Jerusalem!
Praise your God, O Zion!
13 For He strengthens the bars of your gates.
He blesses your children within you.
14 He puts shalom within your borders.
He satisfies you with the finest wheat.
15 He sends earth His command—
His word runs swiftly.
16 He gives snow like wool.
He scatters frost like ashes.
17 He hurls down His hail like pebbles—
who can stand before His cold?
18 He sends forth His word and melts them.
He makes His wind blow and waters flow.
19 He declares His word to Jacob,
His decrees and His rulings to Israel.
20 He has not done so with any other nation.
They have not known His judgments.
Halleluyah!
Restore Your People from Captivity
Psalm 85
1 For the music director, a psalm of the sons of Korah.
2 Adonai, will you favor Your land?
Will You restore Jacob from captivity?
3 Will You bear away Your people’s iniquity,
Will You pardon all their sin?[a] Selah
4 Will You withdraw all Your wrath?
Will You turn from Your burning anger?[b]
5 Restore us, O God of our salvation,
and renounce Your indignation with us.
6 Will You be angry with us forever?
Will You prolong Your anger from generation to generation?
7 Will You not revive us again,
so Your people may rejoice in You?
8 Show us Your mercy, Adonai,
and grant us Your salvation.
9 Let me hear what God Adonai will say.
For He will speak shalom to His people, and to His kedoshim—
but let them not turn back to folly.
10 Surely His salvation is near those who fear Him,
so that glory may dwell in our land.
11 Lovingkindness and truth meet together.
Righteousness and shalom kiss each other.
12 Truth will spring up from the earth,
and justice will look down from heaven.
13 Yes, Adonai will give what is good,
and our land will yield its produce.
14 Righteousness is going before Him
and prepares a way for His feet.
Slow to Anger, Full of Chesed
Psalm 86
1 A prayer of David.
Turn Your ear, Adonai, and answer me,
for I am weak and needy.
2 Watch over my soul, for I am godly.
You are my God—
save Your servant who trusts in You.
3 Be gracious to me, my Lord,
for to You I cry all day.
4 Gladden the soul of Your servant,
for to You, my Lord, I lift up my soul.
5 For You, my Lord, are good,
and ready to forgive
and full of mercy to all who call upon You.
6 Give ear, Adonai, to my prayer,
listen to the voice of my supplications.
7 In the day of my trouble I call upon You,
for You will answer me.
8 There is none like You among the gods,
my Lord, there are no deeds like Yours.
9 All nations You have made will come
and bow down before You, my Lord,
and they will glorify Your Name.
10 For You are great, and do wonders—
You alone are God.
11 Teach me Your way, Adonai,
that I may walk in Your truth.
Give me an undivided heart to fear Your Name.
12 I praise You, O Lord my God, with my whole heart,
and glorify Your Name forever.
13 For great is Your lovingkindness toward me.
You have delivered my soul from the lowest part of Sheol.
14 God, the proud have risen up against me
and a gang of ruthless people have sought my life,
and have not set You before them.
15 But You, my Lord,
are a compassionate and gracious God,
slow to anger, full of love and truth.
16 Turn to me and be gracious to me.
Give Your strength to Your servant,
and save the son of Your maidservant.
17 Make me a sign for good,
so that those who hate me may see it and be ashamed.
For You, Adonai, have helped me and comforted me.
Arise, Shine, O Zion
60 Arise, shine, for your light has come!
The glory of Adonai has risen on you.
2 For behold, darkness covers the earth,
and deep darkness the peoples.
But Adonai will arise upon you,
and His glory will appear over you.
3 Nations will come to your light,
kings to the brilliance of your rising.
4 Lift up your eyes and look all around:
they all gather—they come to you—
your sons will come from far away,
your daughters carried on the hip.
5 Then you will see and be radiant,
and your heart will throb and swell with joy.
For the abundance of the sea will be turned over to you.
The wealth of nations will come to you.
6 A multitude of camels will cover you,
young camels of Midian and Ephah,
all those from Sheba will come.
They will bring gold and frankincense,[a]
and proclaim the praises of Adonai.
7 All Kedar’s flocks will be gathered to you.
Nebaioth’s rams will minister to you.
They will go up with favor on My altar,
and I will beautify My glorious House.
8 Who are these who fly like a cloud,
like doves to their windows?
9 Surely the islands will hope in Me,
with the ships of Tarshish in the lead,
to bring your sons from afar,
their silver and gold with them,
for the Name of Adonai your God,
and for the Holy One of Israel,
because He has glorified you.
10 Foreigners will build up your walls,
and their kings will minister to you.
For in My fury I struck you,
but in My favor I will show you mercy.
11 Your gates will be open continually.
They will not be shut day or night,
so that men may bring to you the wealth of the nations,
with their kings led in procession.
12 For the nation and the kingdom which will not serve you will perish—
those nations will be utterly ruined.
13 The glory of Lebanon will come to you
—cypress, elm and pine together—
to beautify the place of My Sanctuary.
I will give to the place of My feet glory.
14 The sons of those who afflicted you will come bowing to you,
and all those who despised you will fall at the soles of your feet.
They will call you the city of Adonai,
Zion of the Holy One of Israel.
15 Instead of deserted and hated,
no one passing through,
I will make you an eternal pride,
joy from generation to generation.
16 You will also suck the milk of nations
and nurse at the breast of kings.
Then you will know that I, Adonai, am your Savior
and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.
17 “Instead of bronze I will bring gold,
instead of iron I will bring silver,
instead of wood, bronze,
and instead of stones, iron.
I will make shalom your overseer,
and righteousness your taskmasters.
A Workman with the Word
14 Remind them of these things and solemnly charge them before God not to quarrel about words, which is useless—to the ruin of those who are listening. 15 Make every effort to present yourself before God as tried and true, as an unashamed worker cutting a straight path with the word of truth. [a] 16 But avoid godless chatter, for it will lead to further ungodliness 17 and their words will spread like cancer. Among them are Hymeneaus and Philetus— 18 men who have missed the mark concerning the truth, saying that the resurrection has already taken place. They are overturning the faith of some. 19 Nevertheless, the firm foundation of God stands, having this seal: “The Lord knows those who are His,”[b] and, “Let everyone who names the name of the Lord keep away from unrighteousness.” [c] 20 Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay—some for honor and some for common use. 21 Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from these, he will be a vessel for honor—sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work.
22 Now flee from youthful desires; instead, pursue righteousness, faithfulness, love, and shalom, with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. 23 But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they produce quarrels. 24 The Lord’s slave must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, tolerant. 25 Let him give guidance with humility to those who are in opposition—perhaps God may grant them a change of mind, leading to the knowledge of truth. 26 Then they may regain their senses and escape the devil’s snare, in which they had been held captive by him to do his will.
The Cost of Discipleship
17 As Yeshua was setting out on His way, a man ran up to Him, fell on his knees before Him, and asked, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”
18 “Why do you call Me good?” Yeshua said to him. “No one is good except One—that is God. 19 You know the commandments, ‘Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony,’ do not cheat, ‘honor your father and mother.’”[a]
20 The man responded, “Teacher, all these I have kept since my youth!”
21 Looking at him, Yeshua loved him and said, “One thing you lack. Go, sell as much as you have, and give to the poor; and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me.” 22 But at this statement, the man became sad and went away grieving, for he had much property.
23 Then looking around, Yeshua says to His disciples, “How hard it will be for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!” 24 The disciples were amazed at His words. But Yeshua answers again and says to them, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”
26 The disciples were even more astonished, saying among themselves, “Then who can be saved?”
27 Looking at them, Yeshua said, “With men it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God!”[b]
28 Peter began to say to Him, “Look, we’ve left everything to follow You!”
29 “Amen, I tell you,” Yeshua replied, “there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or property, for My sake and for the sake of the Good News, 30 who will not receive a hundred times as much now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and property, along with persecutions; and in the olam ha-ba, eternal life. 31 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”
Tree of Life (TLV) Translation of the Bible. Copyright © 2015 by The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society.