Book of Common Prayer
A Prayer for the King
Of Solomon.
72 God, give the king your good judgment
and the king’s son your ·goodness [righteousness].
2 Help him judge your people ·fairly [rightly]
and decide what is ·right [just] for the poor.
3 Let there be ·peace [or prosperity] on the mountains
and ·goodness [righteousness] on the hills for the people.
4 Help him be ·fair [just] to the poor
and ·save [give victory to] the ·needy [or children of the needy]
and ·punish [crush] those who ·hurt [oppress; exploit] them.
5 May they ·respect [fear] you as long as the sun
and as long as the moon, throughout the generations.
6 Let him ·be [L come down] like rain on the mown grass,
like showers that water the earth.
7 Let ·goodness [righteousness] ·be plentiful [bloom forth] while he lives.
Let ·peace [or prosperity] continue ·as long as there is a [L until there is no] moon.
8 ·Let his kingdom go [L May he have dominion/rule] from sea to sea,
and from the ·Euphrates River [L river] to the ends of the earth.
9 Let the people of the ·desert [wilderness] ·bow down to [cringe/cower before] him,
and make his enemies lick the dust.
10 Let the kings of Tarshish [48:7] and the ·faraway lands [L islands]
bring him ·gifts [tribute].
Let the kings of Sheba [C an unknown location, perhaps present-day Yemen, Eritrea, or Ethiopia; see 1 Kin. 10:1–13] and Seba [C either in southern Egypt or further south; Gen. 10:7; Is. 43:3; 45:14]
bring their ·presents [tribute] to him.
11 Let all kings ·bow down [bend the knee] to him
and all nations serve him [Ps. 2].
12 He will ·help [protect] the poor when they cry out
and the needy when no one else will help.
13 He will ·be kind to [take pity on] the poor and the needy,
and he will ·save their lives [give victory to the needy].
14 He will ·save [redeem] them from ·cruel people who try to hurt them [L violence and oppression],
because their ·lives [L blood] are precious to ·him [L his eyes].
15 Long live the king!
Let him receive gold from Sheba [v. 10].
Let people always pray for him
and ·bless [praise] him all day long.
16 Let ·the fields grow plenty of grain [L there be much grain in the land/earth]
and ·the hills be covered with crops [L let there be abundance on the top of the mountains; or let it wave on the top of the mountains].
·Let the land be as fertile as Lebanon [L May its fruit be like that of Lebanon],
and let the cities grow like the grass in a field.
17 Let ·the king be famous [L his name/fame be] forever;
let ·him be remembered as long as the sun shines [L his name/fame continue as long as the sun].
Let the nations be ·blessed [praised] because of him,
and may they all ·bless [praise] him [Gen. 12:3].
18 ·Praise [Blessed be] the Lord God, the God of Israel,
who alone does such ·miracles [wonderful things].
19 Praise his glorious name forever.
Let his glory [C manifest presence] fill the whole world.
Amen and amen.
20 This ends the prayers of David son of Jesse [C at one time it did, but see other Davidic psalms at Ps. 101, 103, 108–110, and others].
73 You made me and ·formed [fashioned; or established] me with your hands.
Give me understanding so I can learn your commands.
74 Let those who ·respect [fear; Prov. 1:7] you rejoice when they see me,
because I put my hope in your word.
75 Lord, I know that your ·laws [judgments] are ·right [righteous]
and that it was ·right [faithful] for you to ·punish [humble] me.
76 Comfort me with your ·love [loyalty],
as you promised me, your servant.
77 ·Have mercy [L Let your mercy/compassion come] on me so that I may live.
I ·love [delight in] your ·teachings [laws; instructions].
78 Make ·proud [arrogant] people ashamed because they ·lied about me [perverted me with lies].
But I will ·think about [meditate on] your ·orders [precepts].
79 Let those who ·respect [fear; Prov. 1:7] you return to me,
those who know your ·rules [decrees; testimonies].
80 ·Let me obey your demands perfectly [L May my heart be blameless in regard to your statutes/ordinances/requirements]
so I will not be ashamed.
81 I ·am weak from waiting for you to save me [grow weak for your salvation/victory],
but I hope in your word.
82 My eyes ·are tired from looking [grow weak] for your promise.
I ask, “When will you comfort me?”
83 Even though I am like a wine bag in smoke [C shrunken and dried out],
I do not forget your ·demands [statutes; ordinances; requirements].
84 ·How long will I live [L Like what are the days of your servant]?
When will you ·judge [perform judgment on] those who are ·hurting [pursuing] me?
85 ·Proud [Arrogant] people have dug pits [C to trap him].
They ·have nothing to do with your teachings [L are not according to your teachings/instructions/laws].
86 All of your commands ·can be trusted [are reliable].
Liars are ·hurting [pursuing] me. Help me!
87 They have almost put me in the ·grave [L earth],
but I have not ·rejected [abandoned; forsaken] your ·orders [precepts].
88 Give me life ·by your love [L according to your loyalty]
so I can ·obey [keep; guard] your ·rules [decrees; testimonies].
89 ·Lord, your word is everlasting [or The Lord is everlasting];
·it [L your word] ·continues forever [L is firm] in heaven.
90 Your ·loyalty [faithfulness; truth] will go on and on;
you ·made [established] the earth, and it ·still stands [endures].
91 All things ·continue [endure] to this day because of your ·laws [judgments],
because all things ·serve you [L are your servants].
92 If I had not ·loved [delighted in] your ·teachings [instructions; laws],
I would have ·died [perished] ·from my sufferings [in my afflictions].
93 I will never forget your ·orders [precepts],
because you have given me life by them.
94 I am yours. ·Save me [Give me victory].
I ·want to obey [seek] your ·orders [precepts].
95 Wicked people ·are waiting [hope] to ·destroy me [make me perish],
but I will ·think about [consider] your ·rules [decrees; testimonies].
96 Everything I see has its limits,
but your commands ·have none [L are very broad].
Christians Should Obey the Law
13 All of you must ·yield [obey; submit; be subject] to the government ·rulers [authorities]. [L Because; For] ·No one rules [L There is no authority] ·unless God has given him the power to rule [L except by/through God], and ·no one rules now without that power from God [L those that exist are appointed/established by God]. 2 So those who ·are against the government [rebel/resist the authority] are really ·against [resisting; opposing] what God has ·commanded [ordained; instituted]. And they will bring ·punishment [judgment] on themselves. 3 [L For] Those who do ·right [good] do not have to fear the rulers; only those who do ·wrong [evil] fear them. Do you want to be unafraid of the ·rulers [L authority]? Then do what is ·right [good], and they will ·praise [commend] you. 4 The ruler is God’s servant ·to help you [for your good]. But if you do wrong, then be afraid. ·He has the power to punish [L For he does not bear the sword in vain]; he is God’s servant ·to punish [an avenger for (God’s) wrath to] those who do wrong. 5 So you must ·yield [submit; be subject] to the government, not only because ·you might be punished [L of wrath], but because ·you know it is right [of (your) conscience].
6 This is also why you pay taxes. [L Because] Rulers are ·working for God [God’s servants/ministers] ·and give their time to [devoting themselves to] their work. 7 Pay everyone what you owe them: taxes to those you owe taxes, ·fees [tolls] to those you owe ·fees [tolls], ·respect [reverence; fear] to those you owe ·respect [reverence; fear], and honor to those you owe honor.
Loving Others
8 Do not owe ·people [L anyone] anything, except always owe love to each other, because the person who loves others has ·obeyed all [fulfilled] the law. 9 [L For] The law says, “You must not be guilty of adultery. You must not murder anyone. You must not steal. You must not ·want to take your neighbor’s things [covet; Ex. 20:13–15, 17; Deut. 5:17–21].” All these commands and all others are really summed up in this one ·rule [command; word]: “Love your neighbor as you love yourself [Lev. 19:18].” 10 Love never ·hurts [does wrong/evil to] a neighbor, so loving is ·obeying all [fulfilling] the law.
11 Do this ·because you know the times in which we live [L knowing the time/season]. It is ·now [or already the] ·time [hour] for you to wake up from your sleep, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. 12 The night [C a metaphor for the present evil age] is ·almost finished [advancing], and the day [C the time of final judgment and reward] is ·almost here [near; or at hand]. So we should ·stop doing [put aside; cast off] ·things that belong to [L the deeds/works of] darkness and ·take up the weapons [or put on the armor] ·used for fighting in [or that belong to; L of] the light. 13 Let us ·live [walk] ·in a right way [properly; decently], like people who belong to the day. We should not have wild parties or get drunk. There should be no ·sexual sins of any kind [L sexual immorality or debauchery/sensuality], no ·fighting [strife; quarrels] or jealousy. 14 But clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ and ·forget about satisfying [or give no opportunity to the desires of; or don’t think about ways to gratify] ·your sinful self [the sinful nature; T the flesh].
Use What You Have(A)
16 “No one after lighting a lamp covers it with a bowl or hides it under a bed. Instead, the person puts it on a lampstand so those who come in will see the light. 17 [L For] Everything that is ·hidden [secret] will ·become clear [be revealed; disclosed; brought into the open] and every ·secret [hidden; concealed] thing will be made known [L and come to light]. 18 So ·be careful [pay attention; L see] how you listen. [L For] Those who ·have understanding [L have] will be given more. But those who do not ·have understanding [L have], even what they think they have will be taken away from them.”
Jesus’ True Family(B)
19 Jesus’ mother and brothers came to see him, but there was such a crowd they could not get to him. 20 Someone ·said [reported] to Jesus, “Your mother and your ·brothers [or brothers and sisters; C the Greek word can mean “siblings”] are standing outside, wanting to see you.”
21 Jesus answered them, “My mother and my ·brothers [or brothers and sisters] are those who listen to God’s ·teaching [word] and ·obey [do; practice] it!”
Jesus Calms a Storm(C)
22 One day Jesus and his ·followers [disciples] got into a boat, and he said to them, “Let’s go across the lake.” And so they started across. 23 While they were sailing, Jesus fell asleep. A very strong wind blew up on the lake, causing the boat to ·fill with water [nearly swamp], and they were in danger.
24 The ·followers [disciples] went to Jesus and woke him, saying, “Master! Master! We ·will drown [are perishing/going to die]!”
Jesus got up and ·gave a command to [reprimanded; rebuked] the wind and the waves. They stopped, and it became calm [C paralleling God’s subduing of the waters (representing chaos); Ps. 65:7; 89:9; 107:29]. 25 Jesus said to ·his followers [L them], “Where is your faith?”
·The followers [L They] were afraid and amazed and said to each other, “Who [L then] is this that commands even the wind and the water, and they obey him?”
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