Book of Common Prayer
A psalm by the descendants of Korah. A song.
The Holy City for All People
87 God’s[a] foundation is in the holy mountains.
2 The Lord loves the gates of Zion
more than the dwellings of Jacob.
3 Glorious things are spoken about you,
city of God.
4 I will mention Rahab and Babylon
among those who acknowledge me—
including Philistia, Tyre, and Ethiopia[b]—
“This one was born there,” they say.[c]
5 Indeed, about Zion it will be said:
“More than one person[d] was born in it,” and
“The Most High himself did[e] it.”
6 The Lord will record,
as he registers the peoples,[f]
“This one was born there.”
BOOK IV (Psalms 90-106)
A prayer by Moses, the godly man
Life is Short
90 Lord, you’ve been our refuge[a]
from generation to generation.
2 Before the mountains were formed
or the earth and the world were brought forth,
you are God from eternity to eternity.
3 You return people to dust
merely by[b] saying, “Return, you mortals!”
4 One thousand years in your sight are but a single day
that passes by, just like a night watch.
5 You will sweep them away while they are asleep—
by morning they are like growing grass.
6 In the morning it blossoms and is renewed,
but toward evening, it fades and withers.
7 Indeed, we are consumed[c] by your anger
and terrified by your wrath.
8 You have set our iniquities before you,
what we have concealed in the light of your presence.
9 All our days pass[d] away in your wrath;
our years fade away[e] and end like a sigh.
10 We live for 70 years,
or 80 years if we’re healthy,[f]
yet even in the prime years[g] there are troubles and sorrow.
They pass by quickly and we fly away.
11 Who can know the intensity of your anger?
Because our fear of you matches your wrath,
12 teach us to keep account of our days
so we may develop inner wisdom.
13 Please return, Lord! When will it be?
Comfort your servants.
14 Satisfy us in the morning with your gracious love
so we may sing for joy
and rejoice every day.
15 Cause us to rejoice throughout the time when you have afflicted us,
the years when we have known[h] trouble.
16 May your awesome deeds be revealed to your servants,
as well as your splendor to their children.
17 May your favor be on us, Lord our God;
make our endeavors successful;
yes, make our endeavors secure!
God’s Gracious Love
136 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
for his gracious love is everlasting.
2 Give thanks to the God of gods,
for his gracious love is everlasting.
3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords,
for his gracious love is everlasting—
4 To the one who alone does great and wondrous things,
for his gracious love is everlasting—
5 to the one who by wisdom made the heavens,
for his gracious love is everlasting—
6 to the one who spread out the earth over the waters,
for his gracious love is everlasting—
7 to the one who made the great lights,
for his gracious love is everlasting—
8 the sun to illumine[a] the day,
for his gracious love is everlasting—
9 and the moon and stars to illumine[b] the night,
for his gracious love is everlasting—
10 to the one who struck the firstborn of Egypt,
for his gracious love is everlasting—
11 and brought Israel out from among them,
for his gracious love is everlasting—
12 with a strong hand and an active[c] arm,
for his gracious love is everlasting.
13 To the one who split the Reed[d] Sea in two
for his gracious love is everlasting—
14 and made Israel pass through the middle of it,
for his gracious love is everlasting—
15 and cast Pharaoh and his armies into the Reed[e] Sea,
for his gracious love is everlasting.
16 To the one who led his people into the wilderness,
for his gracious love is everlasting—
17 to the one who struck down great kings,
for his gracious love is everlasting—
18 and killed famous kings,
for his gracious love is everlasting—
19 including Sihon king of the Amorites,
for his gracious love is everlasting—
20 and Og king of Bashan,
for his gracious love is everlasting—
21 and gave their land as an inheritance,
for his gracious love is everlasting—
22 to Israel his servant as a possession,
for his gracious love is everlasting—
23 He it is who remembered us in our lowly circumstances,
for his gracious love is everlasting—
24 and rescued us from our enemies,
for his gracious love is everlasting.
25 He gives food to all creatures,
for his gracious love is everlasting.
26 Give thanks to the God of Heaven,
for his gracious love is everlasting.
4 Then he told me, “Son of Man, go to the house of Israel and tell them what I have to say to them, 5 because you’re not going to a people whose speech you cannot understand or whose language is difficult to speak. Instead, you’re going to the house of Israel. 6 This isn’t a large group of people whose speech is unintelligible to you or whose language is difficult for you to comprehend. Frankly, if I had sent you to that kind of people,[a] they would certainly have listened to you! 7 But the house of Israel won’t listen to you, since they weren’t willing to listen to me. That’s because the entire house of Israel is hard-headed and hard-hearted. 8 So pay attention! I’m going to make you just as obstinate[b] and unyielding as they are.[c] 9 I’m making you harder than flint—like diamond! So you are not to fear them or be intimidated by how they look at you,[d] since they’re a rebellious group.”
Ezekiel is Commissioned to Speak
10 Next, he told me, “Son of Man, take to heart every word that I’m telling you. Listen carefully, 11 then go immediately[e] to the exiles; that is, to your people’s descendants, and tell them, ‘This is what the Lord God says…’ whether they listen or not.”[f]
12 Then the Spirit lifted me up and I heard a great earthquake behind me and the glory of the Lord arose from his place, 13 accompanied by the sound of the wings of the living creatures gently touching each other and with the sound of the wheels emanating from the front, accompanied by a great earthquake.
Ezekiel Addresses the Israelis
14 Then the Spirit lifted me up and carried me away. I went bitterly with an angry attitude as the hand of the Lord rested on me. 15 I came to the exiles at Tel-abib by the Chebar River and sat down among them for seven days, appalled. 16 At the end of the seven days, this message from the Lord came to me: 17 “Son of Man,” he said,[g] “I’ve appointed you to be a watchman[h] over the house of Israel. Therefore when you hear a message that comes from me, you are to warn them for me.
7 As a mortal man,[a] he offered up prayers and appeals with loud cries and tears to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his devotion to God. 8 Son though he was, he learned obedience through his sufferings 9 and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him, 10 having been designated by God to be a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.
You Still Need Someone to Teach You
11 We have much to say about this,[b] but it is difficult to explain because you have become too lazy to understand. 12 In fact, though by now you should be teachers, you still need someone to teach you the basic truths of God’s word.[c] You have become people who need milk instead of solid food. 13 For everyone who lives on milk is still a baby and does not yet know the difference between right and wrong.[d] 14 But solid food is for mature people, whose minds are trained by practice to distinguish good from evil.
Jesus Heals a Boy with a Demon(A)
37 The next day, when they had come down from the mountain, a large crowd met Jesus.[a] 38 Suddenly, a man in the crowd shouted, “Teacher, I beg you to look at my son, because he is my only living child.[b] 39 Without warning a spirit takes control of him, and he suddenly screams, goes into convulsions, and foams at the mouth. The spirit[c] mauls him and refuses to leave him. 40 I begged your disciples to drive it out, but they couldn’t.”
41 Jesus answered, “You unbelieving and perverted generation! How much longer must I be with you[d] and put up with you?[e] Bring your[f] son here!” 42 Even while the boy[g] was coming, the demon knocked him to the ground and threw him into convulsions. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the boy, and gave him back to his father.
Jesus Again Predicts His Death and Resurrection(B)
43 All the people continued to be amazed at the greatness of God. Indeed, everyone was astonished at all the things Jesus[h] was doing. So he told his disciples, 44 “Listen carefully to these words.[i] The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into human hands.” 45 But they didn’t know what this meant. Indeed, the meaning was hidden from them so that they didn’t understand it; and they were afraid to ask him about this statement.
True Greatness(C)
46 Later, an argument started among the disciples[j] as to which of them might be the greatest. 47 But Jesus, knowing their inner thoughts, took a little child and had him stand beside him. 48 Then he told them, “Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me, because the one who is least among all of you is the one who is greatest.”
The Person who is Not against You is for You(D)
49 John said, “Master, we saw someone driving out demons in your name. We tried to stop him, because he wasn’t a follower like us.”
50 Jesus told him, “Don’t stop him! Because whoever is not against you is for you.”
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