Book of Common Prayer
Psalm 87[a]
Zion, Home of All Nations
1 A psalm of the sons of Korah.[b] A song.
The Lord has founded a city[c]
on the holy mountains.
2 He loves the gates of Zion
more than[d] any dwelling in Jacob.
3 Glorious things are said of you,
O city of God. Selah
4 [e]“I number Rahab and Babylon
among those who acknowledge the Lord,
as well as Philistia, Tyre, and Ethiopia;
concerning them it can be said,
‘This one was born there.’ ”[f] Selah
5 However, of Zion it will be said,
“They were all born there,
for the Most High himself establishes her.”[g]
6 The Lord records in the register[h] of the peoples,
“This one was born there.” Selah
7 And as they play, they all sing,[i]
“In you are all my fountains.”
Book IV—Psalms 90–106[a]
Psalm 90[b]
Prayer To Use Time Wisely
1 A prayer of Moses, the man of God.[c]
Lord, you have been our refuge
from generation to generation.
2 Before the mountains were brought forth
or the earth and the world came into existence,
from everlasting to everlasting you are God.
3 You turn men back to dust,
saying, “Return,[d] you children of men.”
4 For to you a thousand years
are like a yesterday that has passed
or one of the watches of the night.[e]
5 You snatch them away like a dream;
they are like the grass of the field,[f]
6 which at dawn flourishes and is green
but by nightfall is withered and dry.
7 [g]We have been brought low by your anger
and overwhelmed with terror by your wrath.
8 You have not forgotten our iniquities;
our secret sins are clearly visible in your sight.
9 All our days pass away under your wrath;
our years are consumed like a sigh.
10 The span of our life numbers seventy years,
or perhaps eighty, if we have enough strength.
Most of them are marked by toil and emptiness;[h]
they pass swiftly, and then we fly away.
11 [i]Who understands the might of your anger
and rightly fears the power of your wrath?
12 Teach us to comprehend how few our days are
so that our hearts may be filled with wisdom.
13 Return,[j] O Lord. How long must we wait?
Show compassion to your servants.
14 Fill us with your kindness in the morning[k]
so that we may exult and be glad all our days.
15 Grant us joy for as many days as you have afflicted us
and for as many years as we have known misfortune.
16 Manifest your works to your servants
and your glory to their children.
17 May the favor[l] of the Lord, our God, rest upon us.
And may the work of our hands prosper—
indeed, may the work of our hands prosper.
Psalm 136[a]
Thanksgiving for the Creation and Redemption
1 [b]Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
for his love endures forever.
2 Give thanks to the God of gods,
for his love endures forever.
3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords,
for his love endures forever.
4 He alone works great wonders,
for his love endures forever.
5 [c]In his wisdom he made the heavens,
for his love endures forever.
6 He spread out the earth upon the waters,[d]
for his love endures forever.
7 He made the great lights,
for his love endures forever.
8 He made the sun to rule over the day,
for his love endures forever.
9 He made the moon and stars to rule the night,
for his love endures forever.
10 [e]He struck down the firstborn of Egypt,
for his love endures forever.
11 He led forth Israel from among them,
for his love endures forever.
12 He did so with a strong hand and outstretched arm,
for his love endures forever.
13 [f]He divided the Red Sea in two,
for his love endures forever.
14 Then he led Israel through its midst,
for his love endures forever.
15 But he swept Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea,
for his love endures forever.
16 [g]Then he led his people through the wilderness,
for his love endures forever.
17 He struck down great kings,
for his love endures forever.
18 He slew powerful kings,
for his love endures forever.
19 Sihon, king of the Amorites,
for his love endures forever.
20 Og, king of Bashan,
for his love endures forever.
21 [h]He gave their land as a heritage,
for his love endures forever.
22 The heritage was for his servant Israel,
for his love endures forever.
23 The Lord remembered us in our wretched state,
for his love endures forever.
24 He rescued us from our enemies,
for his love endures forever.
25 [i]He provides food to every creature,
for his love endures forever.
26 Give thanks to the God of heaven,
for his love endures forever.
Chapter 4[a]
The Defeat of the Israelites.[b] 1 Samuel’s word came to all of Israel. Now the Israelites went out to fight against the Philistines. They were camped at Ebenezer, and the Philistines were encamped in Aphek. 2 The Philistines drew up in battle line against the Israelites, and when they joined up in battle, the Israelites were defeated by the Philistines who killed about four thousand of them on the battlefield.
3 When the soldiers came back into camp, the elders of Israel asked, “Why has the Lord brought defeat upon us today at the hands of the Philistines? Let us go get the Ark of the Covenant from Shiloh so that it can go out before us and save us from the hands of our enemies.”
The Ark Is Captured. 4 So the people sent to Shiloh to bring the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord of hosts who is enthroned between the cherubim.[c] The two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the Ark of the Covenant of God. 5 When the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord came into the camp, all of the Israelites raised such a loud shout that it shook the earth.
6 When the Philistines heard the uproar, they asked, “What is this great uproar in the Hebrew camp?” When they found out that the Ark of the Lord had come into the camp, 7 the Philistines became frightened. They said, “A god has come into the camp!” They said, “Woe to us, for nothing like this has happened before. 8 Woe to us! Who will deliver us out of the hands of these mighty gods? These are the gods who struck the Egyptians with all kinds of plagues in the desert. 9 Be strong. Act manfully, O Philistines, or you will end up as slaves to the Hebrews, just like they were to you. Act manfully and fight!”
10 So the Philistines fought, and the Israelites were defeated, and each man fled to his own tent. The slaughter was great, for Israel lost thirty thousand foot soldiers. 11 The Ark of God was captured and Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were killed.[d]
32 Life of the First Community—II.[a] The entire community of believers was united in heart and soul. No one claimed any of his possessions as his own, for everything was held in common. 33 With great power, the apostles bore witness to the resurrection[b] of the Lord Jesus, and they were all greatly respected. 34 There was never anyone among them in need, because those who were the owners of lands or houses would sell them, bring the proceeds of the sale, 35 and lay them at the feet of the apostles, to be distributed to any who were in need.
36 Barnabas.[c] One such instance involved Joseph, a Levite and a native of Cyprus, to whom the apostles gave the name Barnabas, meaning “son of encouragement.” 37 He sold a field that belonged to him and then brought the money to the apostles and laid it at their feet.
Chapter 5
The Fraud of Ananias and Sapphira.[d] 1 There was a man named Ananias who with his wife Sapphira sold a piece of property. 2 With the approval of his wife, he held back some of the proceeds, and he brought the remainder to the apostles and laid it at their feet.
3 Then Peter asked, “Ananias, why has Satan so gained control of your heart that you lied to the Holy Spirit and retained part of the sale price of the land? 4 While it remained unsold, did it not belong to you? And after it was sold, were not the proceeds yours? What caused you to contrive this scheme? You have lied not to men but to God.”
5 When Ananias heard these words, he collapsed and died, and a great sense of fear seized all who heard about it. 6 The young men came forward and wrapped up his body. Then they carried him out and buried him.
7 After about three hours, his wife came in, unaware of what had happened. 8 Peter said to her, “Tell me whether you sold the land for this much.” She replied, “Yes, that was the price.” 9 Then Peter asked her, “Why did the two of you agree to put the Spirit of the Lord to the test? Listen! The footsteps of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will also carry you out.”
10 Instantly, she fell down at his feet and died. When the young men came in, they found her dead. And so they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. 11 And a great sense of fear seized the whole Church[e] and all those who heard of this.
20 The Great Trial.[a]“When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, you may be certain that her desolation is near. 21 Then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains, and those who are within the city must escape from its boundaries, and those who are in country areas must not return. 22 For those will be days of retribution when all that is written will come to pass.
23 “Woe to those who are pregnant and those who are nursing infants in those days. For there will be great distress on the earth, and terrible wrath shall afflict this people. 24 They will fall by the sword and be carried away as captives among all the nations, and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles have been fulfilled.
25 The Coming of the Son of Man.[b]“There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on earth nations will be in great distress, bewildered at the roaring of the sea and its waves. 26 Men will grow faint with terror and apprehension at what is coming upon the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 27 And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 When these things begin to take place, look up and hold your heads high, because the time of your redemption is drawing near.”
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