Book of Common Prayer
The Whole Creation Invoked to Praise the Lord.
148 [a]Praise [b]the Lord!
Praise the Lord (A)from the heavens;
Praise Him (B)in the heights!
2 Praise Him, (C)all His angels;
Praise Him, (D)all His heavenly armies!
3 Praise Him, sun and moon;
Praise Him, all stars of light!
4 Praise Him, [c](E)highest heavens,
And the (F)waters that are above the heavens!
5 They are to praise the name of the Lord,
For (G)He commanded and they were created.
6 He has also (H)established them forever and ever;
He has made a (I)decree, and it will not pass away.
7 Praise the Lord from the earth,
(J)Sea monsters, and all the ocean (K)depths;
8 (L)Fire and hail, (M)snow and (N)clouds;
(O)Stormy wind, (P)fulfilling His word;
9 (Q)Mountains and all hills;
Fruit (R)trees and all cedars;
10 (S)Animals and all cattle;
(T)Crawling things and winged fowl;
11 (U)Kings of the earth and all peoples;
Rulers and all judges of the earth;
12 Both young men and virgins;
Old men and children.
13 They are to praise the name of the Lord,
For His (V)name alone is exalted;
His (W)majesty is above earth and heaven.
14 And He has (X)lifted up a horn for His people,
(Y)Praise for all His godly ones,
For the sons of Israel, a people (Z)near to Him.
[d]Praise [e]the Lord!
Israel Invoked to Praise the Lord.
149 [f]Praise [g]the Lord!
Sing a (AA)new song to the Lord,
And His praise (AB)in the congregation of the godly ones.
2 Israel shall be joyful in (AC)his Maker;
The sons of Zion shall rejoice in their (AD)King.
3 They shall praise His name with (AE)dancing;
They shall sing praises to Him with (AF)tambourine and lyre.
4 For the Lord (AG)takes pleasure in His people;
He will (AH)glorify the lowly with salvation.
5 The (AI)godly ones shall be jubilant in glory;
They shall (AJ)sing for joy on their beds.
6 The (AK)high praises of God shall be in their [h]mouths,
And a (AL)two-edged (AM)sword in their hands,
7 To (AN)execute vengeance on the nations,
And punishment on the peoples,
8 To bind their kings (AO)with chains,
And their (AP)dignitaries with shackles of iron,
9 To (AQ)execute against them the judgment written.
This is an (AR)honor for all His godly ones.
[i]Praise [j]the Lord!
A Psalm of Praise.
150 [k]Praise [l]the Lord!
Praise God in His (AS)sanctuary;
Praise Him in His mighty [m](AT)expanse.
2 Praise Him for His (AU)mighty deeds;
Praise Him according to His excellent (AV)greatness.
3 Praise Him with (AW)trumpet sound;
Praise Him with (AX)harp and lyre.
4 Praise Him with (AY)tambourine and dancing;
Praise Him with (AZ)stringed instruments and (BA)flute.
5 Praise Him with loud (BB)cymbals;
Praise Him with resounding cymbals.
6 (BC)Everything that has breath shall praise [n]the Lord.
[o]Praise [p]the Lord!
God’s Rescue of Israel from Egypt.
114 When Israel went forth (A)from Egypt,
The house of Jacob from a people of a (B)foreign language,
2 Judah became (C)His sanctuary;
Israel, (D)His dominion.
3 The (E)sea looked and fled;
The (F)Jordan turned back.
4 The mountains (G)skipped like rams,
The hills, like lambs.
5 What (H)ails you, sea, that you flee?
Jordan, that you turn back?
6 Mountains, that you skip like rams?
Hills, like lambs?
7 (I)Tremble, earth, before the Lord,
Before the God of Jacob,
8 Who (J)turned the rock into a (K)pool of water,
The (L)flint into a fountain of water.
Heathen Idols Contrasted with the Lord.
115 (M)Not to us, Lord, not to us,
But (N)to Your name give glory,
Because of Your mercy, because of Your [a]truth.
2 (O)Why should the nations say,
“(P)Where, then, is their God?”
3 But our (Q)God is in the heavens;
He (R)does whatever He pleases.
4 Their (S)idols are silver and gold,
The (T)work of human hands.
5 They have mouths, but they (U)cannot speak;
They have eyes, but they cannot see;
6 They have ears, but they cannot hear;
They have noses, but they cannot smell;
7 [b]They have hands, but they cannot feel;
[c]They have feet, but they cannot walk;
They cannot make a sound with their throat.
8 (V)Those who make them [d]will become like them,
Everyone who trusts in them.
9 (W)Israel, (X)trust in the Lord;
He is their (Y)help and their shield.
10 House of (Z)Aaron, trust in the Lord;
He is their help and their shield.
11 You who [e](AA)fear the Lord, trust in the Lord;
He is their help and their shield.
12 The Lord (AB)has been mindful of us; He will bless us.
He will bless the house of Israel;
He will bless the house of Aaron.
13 He will (AC)bless those who [f]fear the Lord,
(AD)The small together with the great.
14 May the Lord (AE)increase you,
You and your children.
15 May you be blessed of the Lord,
(AF)Maker of heaven and earth.
The Prayer of Dedication
22 Then (A)Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of all the assembly of Israel, and he (B)spread out his hands toward heaven. 23 And he said, “Lord, God of Israel, (C)there is no God like You in heaven above or on earth beneath, (D)keeping the covenant and showing faithfulness to Your servants who walk before You with all their heart, 24 You who have kept with Your servant, my father David, that which You [a]promised him; You have spoken with Your mouth and have fulfilled it with Your hand, as it is this day. 25 Now then, Lord, God of Israel, keep with Your servant David my father that which You have [b]promised him, saying, ‘[c](E)You shall not be deprived of a man to sit on the throne of Israel, if only your sons are careful about their way, to walk before Me as you have walked.’ 26 Now then, God of Israel, let Your words, please, be confirmed, (F)which You have spoken to Your servant, my father David.
27 “But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, (G)heaven and the [d]highest heaven cannot contain You, how much less this house which I have built! 28 Nevertheless, turn Your attention to the (H)prayer of Your servant and to his plea, Lord, my God, to listen to the cry and to the prayer which Your servant prays before You today, 29 (I)so that Your eyes may be open toward this house night and day, toward (J)the place of which You have said, ‘My name shall be there,’ to listen to the prayer which Your servant will pray toward this place. 30 And (K)listen to the plea of Your servant and of Your people Israel, (L)when they pray toward this place; hear in heaven Your dwelling place; hear and (M)forgive!
31 “(N)If a person sins against his neighbor and is compelled to take an oath of innocence, and he comes and takes an oath before Your altar in this house, 32 then hear in heaven and act and judge Your servants, (O)condemning the wicked by [e]bringing his way on his own head, and acquitting the righteous by giving him according to his righteousness.
33 “(P)When Your people Israel are [f]defeated before an enemy because they have sinned against You, (Q)if they turn to You again and confess Your name and pray and implore Your [g]favor in this house, 34 then hear in heaven, and forgive the sin of Your people Israel, and bring them back to the land which You gave their fathers.
35 “(R)When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain because they have sinned against You, and they pray toward this place and praise Your name, and turn from their sin when You afflict them, 36 then hear in heaven and forgive the sin of Your servants and Your people Israel; (S)indeed, teach them the good way in which they are to walk. And (T)provide rain on Your land, which You have given to Your people as an inheritance.
37 “(U)If there is a famine in the land, if there is a plague, if there is [h]blight or mildew, locust or grasshopper, if their enemy harasses them in the land of their [i]cities, whatever plague, whatever sickness there is, 38 whatever prayer or plea [j]is offered by any person or by all Your people Israel, [k]each knowing the affliction of his own heart, and spreading his [l]hands toward this house; 39 then hear in heaven, Your dwelling place, and forgive and act, and give to each in accordance with all his ways, (V)whose heart You know—for (W)You alone know the hearts of all [m]mankind— 40 so that they will [n]fear You all the days that they live on the [o]land which You have given to our fathers.
7 But [a]stay away from (A)worthless (B)stories that are typical of old women. Rather, [b]discipline yourself for the purpose of (C)godliness; 8 for (D)bodily training is just slightly beneficial, but (E)godliness is beneficial for all things, since it (F)holds promise for the (G)present life and also for the life to come. 9 (H)It is a trustworthy statement deserving full acceptance. 10 For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have set (I)our hope on (J)the living God, who is (K)the Savior of all mankind, especially of believers.
11 [c](L)Prescribe and teach these things. 12 (M)Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, (N)love, faith, and purity, show yourself (O)an example [d]of those who believe. 13 (P)Until I come, give your attention to the public [e](Q)reading, to exhortation, and teaching. 14 Do not neglect the spiritual gift within you, which was granted to you through words of (R)prophecy with (S)the laying on of hands by the [f](T)council of elders. 15 Take pains with these things; be absorbed in them, so that your progress will be evident to all. 16 (U)Pay close attention to yourself and to the teaching; persevere in these things, for as you do this you will (V)save both yourself and those who hear you.
47 (A)The one who is of God hears the words of God; for this reason you do not hear them, because you are not of God.”
48 (B)The Jews answered and said to Him, “Do we not rightly say that You are a (C)Samaritan, and You (D)have a demon?” 49 Jesus answered, “I do not (E)have a demon; on the contrary, I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me. 50 But (F)I am not seeking My glory; there is One who seeks it, and judges. 51 Truly, truly I say to you, if anyone (G)follows My word, he will never (H)see death.” 52 (I)The Jews said to Him, “Now we know that You (J)have a demon. Abraham died, and the prophets as well; and yet You say, ‘If anyone (K)follows My word, he will never (L)taste of death.’ 53 You (M)are not greater than our father Abraham, who died, are You? The prophets died too. Whom do You make Yourself out to be?” 54 Jesus answered, “(N)If I glorify Myself, My glory is nothing; (O)it is My Father who glorifies Me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God’; 55 and (P)you have not come to know Him, (Q)but I know Him. And if I say that I do not know Him, I will be (R)a liar like you; (S)but I do know Him, and I (T)follow His word. 56 (U)Your father Abraham was (V)overjoyed that he would see My day, and he saw it and rejoiced.” 57 (W)So the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and You have seen Abraham?” 58 Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly I say to you, before Abraham [a]was born, [b](X)I am.” 59 Therefore they (Y)picked up stones to throw at Him, but Jesus (Z)hid Himself and left the temple grounds.
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