Book of Common Prayer
Childlike Trust in the Lord
A song ·for going up to worship [of ascents; C perhaps sung while traveling to Jerusalem to celebrate an annual religious festival like Passover]. Of David.
131 Lord, my heart is not proud;
·I don’t look down on others [L my eyes are not haughty/lifted up].
I don’t ·do [consider doing] great things,
and I ·can’t do [don’t consider doing] ·miracles [wonderful acts].
2 But I ·am calm and quiet [L have stilled and quieted my soul]
like a ·baby [L weaned child] with its mother,
like a ·baby [L weaned child] with its mother [C a relationship with God is like that of a mother with her weaned child resting comfortably in her arms].
3 People of Israel, put your hope in the Lord
now and forever.
In Praise of the Temple
A song ·for going up to worship [of ascents; C perhaps sung while traveling to Jerusalem to celebrate an annual religious festival like Passover].
132 Lord, remember David
and all his ·suffering [afflictions].
2 He ·made an oath [swore] to the Lord,
a ·promise [vow] to the Mighty God of Jacob [Gen. 49:24].
3 He said, “I will not ·go home to my house [L enter into the tent of my house],
or ·lie down on my bed [L go up to the couch of my bed],
4 or ·close [L give sleep to] my eyes,
or ·let myself sleep [L slumber to my pupils]
5 until I find a place for the Lord.
I want to provide a home for the Mighty God of Jacob [Gen. 49:24].”
6 We heard about it [C the Ark] in ·Bethlehem [L Ephrathah].
We found it in the fields of Jearim [C Kiriath Jearim; 1 Sam 6:21—7:2].
7 Let’s go to ·the Lord’s house [L his dwelling].
Let’s worship at his footstool [C the Ark].
8 Rise, Lord, and come to your resting place;
come with the Ark that shows your strength.
9 May your priests ·do what is right [L be clothed with righteousness].
May your ·people [saints; loyal ones] sing for joy.
10 For the sake of your servant David,
do not ·reject [L turn from the face of] your ·appointed [anointed] king.
11 The Lord ·made a promise [swore] to David,
a sure promise that he will not take back [2 Sam. 7:12–16, 28].
He promised, “I will ·make one of your descendants
rule as king after you [L set on your throne from the fruit of your womb; Acts 2:30].
12 If your sons ·keep [observe; guard] my ·agreement [covenant; treaty]
and the ·rules [decrees; testimonies] that I teach them,
then their sons after them will ·rule [L sit]
on your throne forever and ever.”
13 The Lord has chosen ·Jerusalem [L Zion; C the location of the Temple];
he ·wants [desires] it for his home.
14 He says, “This is my resting place forever.
Here is where I ·want to stay [L will sit/reside because I desire it].
15 I will bless her with ·plenty [provisions];
I will ·fill [satisfy] her poor with ·food [bread].
16 I will ·cover [L clothe] her priests with ·salvation [victory],
and ·those who worship me [L her saints/loyal ones] will really sing for joy.
17 “I will ·make a king come from the family of [L cause a horn to sprout up for; C an animal’s horn symbolizes strength] David [Luke 1:69–70].
I will ·provide my appointed one descendants to rule after him [L prepare a lamp for my anointed king; 2 Sam. 21:17].
18 I will ·cover [L clothe] his enemies with shame,
but his crown will shine.”
The Love of God’s People
A song ·for going up to worship [of ascents; C perhaps sung while traveling to Jerusalem to celebrate an annual religious festival like Passover]. Of David.
133 ·It is [L How] good and pleasant
when ·God’s people [L brothers] live together [C in unity]!
2 It is like ·perfumed [fine] oil on the head
and running down his beard [Ex. 30:22–33].
It ran down Aaron’s beard
and on to the collar of his robes.
3 It is like the dew of Mount Hermon [C in the extreme north of Israel]
falling on the hills of ·Jerusalem [L Zion; C the location of the Temple].
There the Lord ·gives [L commanded] his blessing
of life forever.
Temple Guards, Praise the Lord
A song ·for going up to worship [of ascents; C perhaps sung while traveling to Jerusalem to celebrate an annual religious festival like Passover].
134 ·Praise [L Bless] the Lord, all you servants of the Lord,
you who ·serve [L stand] at night in the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord.
2 Raise your hands in the ·Temple [L holy place]
and ·praise [bless] the Lord.
3 May the Lord bless you from Mount Zion [L the location of the Temple],
he who made heaven and earth [Gen. 1].
The Lord Saves, Idols Do Not
135 Praise the Lord!
Praise the name of the Lord;
praise him, you servants of the Lord,
2 you who stand in the Lord’s ·Temple [L house]
and in the ·Temple courtyards [L courtyards of the house of our God].
3 Praise the Lord, because the Lord is good;
·sing praises [make a psalm] to him, because it is pleasant.
4 The Lord has chosen the people of Jacob for himself;
he has chosen the people of Israel ·for his very own [as his special possession/treasure; Ex. 19:5–6; Deut. 7:6; 14:2; Mal. 3:17].
5 I know that the Lord is great.
Our Lord is greater than all the gods.
6 The Lord does what he pleases,
in heaven and on earth,
in the seas and the deep oceans.
7 He brings the clouds from the ends of the earth.
He ·sends [L makes] the lightning with the rain.
He brings out the wind from his storehouses [Job 38:22–23].
8 He ·destroyed [L struck] the firstborn sons in Egypt
the firstborn of both people and animals [Ex. 12].
9 He ·did [L sent] many signs and ·miracles [wonders] in Egypt
against ·the king [L Pharaoh] and all his servants [L the plagues; Ex. 7–12].
10 He ·defeated [L struck] many nations
and killed ·powerful [strong] kings:
11 Sihon king of the Amorites,
Og king of Bashan [Num. 21:21–35],
and all the kings of Canaan [Num. 21:1–3; Josh. 1–12].
12 Then he gave their land as a ·gift [L inheritance],
a ·gift [L inheritance] to his people, the Israelites [Josh. 13–24].
13 Lord, your name is everlasting;
Lord, you will be remembered forever.
14 The Lord ·defends [vindicates] his people
and ·has mercy on [shows grace to] his servants.
15 The idols of other nations are made of silver and gold,
the work of human hands.
16 They have mouths, but they cannot speak.
They have eyes, but they cannot see.
17 They have ears, but they cannot hear.
They have no breath in their mouths.
18 People who make idols will be like them,
and so will those who ·trust [have confidence in] them [115:4–8; Is. 44:9–20; 46:6–7; Jer. 10:1–9; Hab. 2:18–19].
19 ·Family [L House] of Israel, ·praise [bless] the Lord.
·Family [L House] of Aaron [C the priests], ·praise [bless] the Lord.
20 ·Family [L House] of Levi [C assistants to the priests], ·praise [bless] the Lord.
You who ·respect [fear] the Lord [Prov. 1:7] should ·praise [bless] him.
21 You ·people of [L who live in] Jerusalem, ·praise [bless] the Lord on Mount Zion [C the location of the Temple].
Praise the Lord!
Joab Scolds David
19 People told Joab, “Look, the king is ·sad [mourning] and crying ·because of [for] Absalom.” 2 David’s army had won the battle that day. But ·it became a very sad day for all the people [L the victory that day turned to mourning], because they heard that the king was ·very sad [grieving] for his son. 3 The ·people [men; soldiers] ·came into the city quietly [L stole/crept into the city] that day. They were like an army that had been ·defeated in battle and had run away [L shamed for fleeing in battle]. 4 The king covered his face and cried loudly, “My son Absalom! Absalom, my son, my son!”
5 Joab went into the king’s house and said, “Today you have ·shamed [humiliated] all your men. They ·saved [rescued; T delivered] your life and the lives of your sons, daughters, wives, and ·slave women [L concubines; C secondary wives; 3:7]. 6 You have shamed them because you love those who hate you, and you hate those who love you. Today you have made it clear that your commanders and men mean nothing to you. What if Absalom had lived and all of us were dead? I can see you would be ·pleased [content]. 7 Now go out and ·encourage [reassure; speak kindly to] your servants. I swear by the Lord that if you don’t go out, ·no man will be left with you by tonight [L not one man will stay with you tonight]! That will be worse than ·all the troubles [any disaster/evil] you have had from your youth until today.”
8 So the king went to the city gate [C a place where public meetings and court cases were held; 15:2]. When the news spread that the king was at the gate, ·everyone [all the soldiers] came to see him.
David Goes Back to Jerusalem
·All the Israelites who had followed Absalom [L Israel] had run away to their ·homes [L tents]. 9 People in all the tribes of Israel began to argue, saying, “The king ·saved [rescued; T delivered] us from the Philistines and our other enemies, but he ·left [fled] the country because of Absalom. 10 We ·appointed [anointed] Absalom to rule us, but now he has died in battle. ·We should make [L Why do you say nothing about making…?] David the king again.”
11 King David sent a message to Zadok and Abiathar, the priests, that said, “Speak to the elders of Judah. Say, ‘Even in my house ·I have heard what all the Israelites are saying [the talk of Israel has reached the king]. So why are you the last tribe to bring the king back to his ·palace [L house; C even David’s own tribe was wavering in their support]? 12 You are my ·brothers [relatives; kin], my own ·family [L bone and flesh]. Why are you the last tribe to ·bring [welcome] back the king?’ 13 And say to Amasa, ‘·You are part of my own family [L Are you not my bone and flesh?]. May God punish me terribly if I don’t make you commander of the army [L from now on; for life] in Joab’s place!’”
14 ·David [or Amasa; L He] ·touched [turned; swayed] the hearts of all the people of Judah ·at once [as one]. They sent a message to the king that said, “Return with all ·your men [L who serve you].” 15 Then the king returned as far as the Jordan River. The men of Judah came to Gilgal to meet him and to ·bring [escort] him across the Jordan.
16 Shimei son of Gera, a Benjaminite who lived in Bahurim, hurried down with the men of Judah to meet King David. 17 With Shimei came a thousand Benjaminites. Ziba, the servant from Saul’s family, also came, bringing his fifteen sons and twenty servants with him. They all hurried to the Jordan River ·to meet [arriving before] the king. 18 The people went across the ·Jordan [L ford] to help ·bring [escort] the king’s family back to Judah and to do whatever the king wanted. As the king was crossing the river, Shimei son of Gera came to him and ·bowed facedown on the ground [prostrated himself] in front of the king. 19 He said to the king, “My master, don’t hold me guilty. ·Don’t remember [Forget] the wrong ·I [L your servant] did when you left Jerusalem! ·Don’t hold it against me [Put it out of your mind]. 20 I know I have sinned. That is why I am the first person from Joseph’s ·family [L house; C that is, the first Israelite] to come down and meet you today, my master and king!”
21 But Abishai son of Zeruiah said, “·Shimei should die [L Should not Shimei die…?] because he cursed you, the Lord’s ·appointed king [anointed; 16:5–14]!”
22 David said, “·This does not concern [L What does this have to do with…?] you, sons of Zeruiah! Today you’re ·against me [my adversary]! No one will be put to death in Israel today. Today I know I am king over Israel!” 23 Then the king ·promised [vowed to] Shimei, “You won’t die [1 Kin. 2:8–9, 41–46].”
Paul Is Accused
24 Five days later Ananias, the high priest [23:1], ·went to the city of Caesarea [L came down] with some of the elders and a ·lawyer [orator; C one who speaks in court] named Tertullus. They had come to make charges against Paul before the governor. 2 Paul was called into the meeting, and Tertullus began to accuse him, saying, “Most Excellent Felix! Our people enjoy ·much [or a long period of] peace because of you, and many ·wrong things in our country are being made right [or improvements/reforms have been made] through your ·wise help [or foresight]. 3 We ·accept [acknowledge] these things always and in every place, ·and we are thankful for them [or …with much gratitude/thanksgiving]. 4 But not wanting to ·take any more of your time [detain you; or bore you], I ·beg [encourage; urge] you ·to be kind and [or because you are kind/patient to] listen to our few words. 5 We have found this man to be a ·troublemaker [pest; plague], ·stirring up [or instigating riots among] ·his people [L Jews] everywhere in the world. He is a ·leader [ringleader] of the Nazarene ·group [party; faction; sect]. 6 Also, he was trying to ·make the Temple unclean [defile/profane/desecrate the Temple], but we ·stopped [or grabbed; arrested] him. |And we wanted to judge him by our own law. 7 But the ·officer [tribune] Lysias came and used much force to take him from us. 8 And Lysias commanded ·those who wanted to accuse Paul [his accusers] to come to you.|[a] By ·asking him questions [cross-examining him] yourself, you can ·decide [learn; come to know] ·if all these things are true [or the nature of our accusations].” 9 The ·others [L Jews] ·agreed [or joined in the attack] and said that all of this was true.
10 When the governor ·made a sign [motioned; gestured] for ·Paul [L him] to speak, Paul ·said [responded], “I know you have been a judge over this nation for ·a long time [L many years]. So I ·am happy to [gladly; confidently] defend myself before you. 11 You can ·learn [find out; verify] for yourself that I went to worship in Jerusalem ·only [L no more than] twelve days ago. 12 ·Those who are accusing me [L They] did not find me arguing with anyone in the Temple or stirring up the ·people [crowd] in the synagogues or in the city. 13 They cannot prove the ·things they are saying [charges; accusations] against me now. 14 But I will ·tell you this [admit/confess this to you]: I worship the God of our ·ancestors [forefathers; fathers] as a follower of ·the Way of Jesus [L the Way; 22:4], which they call a ·sect [faction; cult]. But I believe everything that is ·taught in [or in agreement with; L according to] the law of Moses and that is written in the books of the Prophets. 15 I have the same hope in God that they ·have [accept]—the hope that all people, ·good and bad [righteous and unrighteous], will surely be ·raised from the dead [resurrected; C the righteous to salvation, the wicked for judgment; Is. 26:19; Dan. 12:2]. 16 This is why I always try to ·do what I believe is right [L have a clear conscience] before God and people.
17 “After being away from Jerusalem for ·several [L many] years, I went back to bring ·money [alms; gifts for the poor] to my ·people [nation; Rom. 15:26; 1 Cor. 16:1; 2 Cor. 8:4; 9:1, 13] and to ·offer sacrifices [present offerings]. 18 I was doing this when they found me in the Temple. I ·had finished the cleansing ceremony [or I was ritually pure; 21:20–29] ·and had not made any trouble; no people were gathering around me [L with neither crowd nor trouble]. 19 But there were some ·people [L Jews] from Asia who should be here, standing before you. If ·I have really done anything wrong [L they have anything against me], they are the ones who should accuse me. 20 Or ·ask these people here [L let these people themselves state] if they found any ·wrong [crime; unrighteousness] in me when I stood before the ·council in Jerusalem [Sanhedrin]. 21 But I did shout one thing when I stood before them: ‘·You are judging me [or I am on trial before you] today ·because I believe that people will rise from [or with respect to the issue of the resurrection of] the dead!’”
22 Felix already ·understood much about [L knew accurately the facts about] the ·Way of Jesus [L Way; 22:4]. He ·stopped the trial [adjourned the hearing] and said, “When ·commander [tribune] Lysias comes ·here [L down], I will decide your case.” 23 Felix ·told [L ordered] the ·officer [centurion] to keep ·Paul [L him] guarded but to give him some freedom and to let his ·friends [L own people] ·bring what he needed [meet his needs; L serve him].
The Most Important Command(A)
28 One of the ·teachers of the law [scribes] came and heard Jesus arguing with the Sadducees. Seeing that Jesus gave good answers to their questions, he asked Jesus, “Which of the commands is most important?”
29 Jesus answered, “The most important command is this: ‘·Listen, people of Israel [T Hear, O Israel]! The Lord our God is ·the only Lord [one Lord]. 30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength’ [Deut. 6:4–5; C these are the opening words of the Shema, the prayer said by pious Jews twice a day]. 31 The second command is this: ‘Love your neighbor as you love yourself’ [Lev. 19:18]. There are no commands ·more important [greater] than these.”
32 The man answered, “·That was a good answer [Well said!], Teacher. You were right when you said God is ·the only Lord [one] and there is no other God besides him. 33 One must love God with all his heart, all his mind, and all his strength. And one must love his neighbor as he loves himself. These commands are more important than all the ·animals [burnt offerings] and sacrifices we offer to God [1 Sam. 15:22; Hos. 6:6; Mic. 6:6–8].”
34 When Jesus saw that the man answered him ·wisely [thoughtfully; with insight], Jesus said to him, “You are close to the kingdom of God.” And after that, no one ·was brave enough [dared] to ask Jesus any more questions.
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