Book of Common Prayer
Psalm 25[a]
By David.
1 To you, O Yahweh, I lift my soul.
2 I trust you, O my Elohim.
Do not let me be put to shame.
Do not let my enemies triumph over me.
3 No one who waits for you will ever be put to shame,
but all who are unfaithful will be put to shame.
4 Make your ways known to me, O Yahweh,
and teach me your paths.
5 Lead me in your truth and teach me
because you are Elohim, my savior.
I wait all day long for you.
6 Remember, O Yahweh, your compassionate and merciful deeds.
They have existed from eternity.
7 Do not remember the sins of my youth or my rebellious ways.
Remember me, O Yahweh, in keeping with your mercy and your goodness.
8 Yahweh is good and decent.
That is why he teaches sinners the way they should live.
9 He leads humble people to do what is right,
and he teaches them his way.
10 Every path of Yahweh is one of mercy and truth
for those who cling to his promise[b] and written instructions.
11 For the sake of your name, O Yahweh,
remove my guilt, because it is great.
12 Who, then, is this person that fears Yahweh?
He is the one whom Yahweh will teach which path to choose.
13 He will enjoy good things in life,
and his descendants will inherit the land.
14 Yahweh advises those who fear him.
He reveals to them the intent of his promise.
15 My eyes are always on Yahweh.
He removes my feet from traps.
16 Turn to me, and have pity on me.
I am lonely and oppressed.
17 Relieve my troubled heart,
and bring me out of my distress.
18 Look at my misery and suffering,
and forgive all my sins.
19 See how my enemies have increased in number,
how they have hated me with vicious hatred!
20 Protect my life, and rescue me!
Do not let me be put to shame.
I have taken refuge in you.
21 Integrity and honesty will protect me because I wait for you.
22 Rescue Israel, O Elohim, from all its troubles!
Psalm 9
For the choir director; according to muth labben;[a] a psalm by David.[b]
1 I will give you thanks, O Yahweh, with all my heart.
I will tell about all the miracles you have done.
2 I will find joy and be glad about you.
I will make music to praise your name, O Elyon.
3 When my enemies retreat, they will stumble and die in your presence.
4 You have defended my just cause:
You sat down on your throne as a fair judge.
5 You condemned nations.
You destroyed wicked people.
You wiped out their names forever and ever.
6 The enemy is finished—in ruins forever.
You have uprooted their cities.
Even the memory of them has faded.
7 Yet, Yahweh is enthroned forever.
He has set up his throne for judgment.
8 He alone judges the world with righteousness.
He judges its people fairly.
9 Yahweh is a stronghold for the oppressed,
a stronghold in times of trouble.
10 Those who know your name trust you, O Yahweh,
because you have never deserted those who seek your help.
11 Make music to praise Yahweh, who is enthroned in Zion.
Announce to the nations what he has done.
12 The one who avenges murder has remembered oppressed people.
He has never forgotten their cries.
13 Have pity on me, O Yahweh.
Look at what I suffer because of those who hate me.
You take me away from the gates of death
14 so that I may recite your praises one by one
in the gates of Zion
and find joy in your salvation.
15 The nations have sunk into the pit they have made.
Their feet are caught in the net they have hidden to trap others.
16 Yahweh is known by the judgment he has carried out.
The wicked person is trapped
by the work of his own hands. Higgaion Selah
17 Wicked people, all the nations who forget Elohim,
will return to the grave.
18 Needy people will not always be forgotten.
Nor will the hope of oppressed people be lost forever.
19 Arise, O Yahweh.
Do not let mortals gain any power.
Let the nations be judged in your presence.
20 Strike them with terror, O Yahweh.
Let the nations know that they are only mortal. Selah
Psalm 15
A psalm by David.
1 O Yahweh, who may stay in your tent?
Who may live on your holy mountain?
2 The one who walks with integrity,
does what is righteous,
and speaks the truth within his heart.
3 The one who does not slander with his tongue,
do evil to a friend,
or bring disgrace on his neighbor.
4 The one who despises those rejected by Yahweh
but honors those who fear Yahweh.
The one who makes a promise and does not break it,
even though he is hurt by it.
5 The one who does not collect interest on a loan
or take a bribe against an innocent person.
Whoever does these things will never be shaken.
32 “People who are not Israelites
will come from distant countries because of your great name,
mighty hand, and powerful arm.
When they come to pray facing this temple,
33 then hear them in heaven, the place where you live.
Do everything they ask you
so that all the people of the world may know your name
and fear you like your people Israel
and learn that this temple which I built bears your name.
34 “When your people go to war against their enemies
(wherever you may send them)
and they pray to you toward this city you have chosen
and the temple I built for your name,
35 then hear their prayer for mercy in heaven,
and do what is right for them.
36 “They may sin against you.
(No one is sinless.)
You may become angry with them and hand them over to an enemy
who takes them to another country as captives,
whether it is far or near.
37 If they come to their senses,
are sorry for what they’ve done,
and plead with you in the land where they are captives,
saying, ‘We have sinned. We have done wrong.
We have been wicked,’
38 if they change their attitude toward you
in the land where they are captives,
if they pray to you
toward the land that you gave their ancestors,
and the city you have chosen,
and the temple I have built for your name,
39 then in heaven, the place where you live, hear their prayer for mercy.
Do what is right for them.
Forgive your people, who have sinned against you.
40 “Finally, my Elohim, may your eyes be open and your ears attentive
to the prayers offered in this place.
41 “Now arise, and come to your resting place, Yahweh Elohim—
you and the ark of your power.
Clothe your priests, Yahweh Elohim, with salvation.
Let your godly ones rejoice in what is good.
42 Yahweh Elohim, do not reject your anointed one.
Remember your mercy to your servant David!”
Solomon Offers Sacrifices(A)
7 When Solomon finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offerings and the other sacrifices, and Yahweh’s glory filled the temple. 2 The priests couldn’t go into Yahweh’s temple because Yahweh’s glory had filled Yahweh’s temple. 3 When all the Israelites saw the fire come down and Yahweh’s glory on the temple, they knelt down with their faces on the pavement. They worshiped and praised Yahweh, by saying, “He is good; his mercy endures forever.”
4 Then the king and all the people offered sacrifices to Yahweh. 5 King Solomon offered 22,000 cattle and 120,000 sheep as sacrifices to the Lord. So the king and all the people dedicated Elohim’s temple.
6 The priests were standing at their posts. So were the Levites who had Yahweh’s musical instruments which King David made for praising Yahweh with “his mercy endures forever” and which he used to offer praise. The priests were opposite the Levites blowing trumpets while all Israel was standing there.
7 Solomon designated the courtyard in front of Yahweh’s temple as a holy place. He sacrificed the burnt offerings, grain offerings, and the fat because the bronze altar that he had made and that was in front of the Lord was not able to hold all of them.
Don’t Favor Rich People over Poor People
2 My brothers and sisters, practice your faith in our glorious Lord Yeshua Christ by not favoring one person over another. 2 For example, two men come to your worship service. One man is wearing gold rings and fine clothes; the other man, who is poor, is wearing shabby clothes. 3 Suppose you give special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say to him, “Please have a seat.” But you say to the poor man, “Stand over there,” or “Sit on the floor at my feet.” 4 Aren’t you discriminating against people and using a corrupt standard to make judgments?
5 Listen, my dear brothers and sisters! Didn’t God choose poor people in the world to become rich in faith and to receive the kingdom that he promised to those who love him? 6 Yet, you show no respect to poor people. Don’t rich people oppress you and drag you into court? 7 Don’t they curse the good name of Yeshua, the name that was used to bless you?
8 You are doing right if you obey this law from the highest authority: “Love your neighbor as you love yourself.” 9 If you favor one person over another, you’re sinning, and this law convicts you of being disobedient. 10 If someone obeys all of God’s laws except one, that person is guilty of breaking all of them. 11 After all, the one who said, “Never commit adultery,” is the same one who said, “Never murder.” If you do not commit adultery but you murder, you become a person who disobeys God’s laws.
12 Talk and act as people who are going to be judged by laws that bring freedom. 13 No mercy will be shown to those who show no mercy to others. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
The Trial in Front of the Jewish Council(A)
53 The men took Yeshua to the chief priest. All the chief priests, the leaders, and the experts in Moses’ Teachings had gathered together. 54 Peter followed him at a distance and went into the chief priest’s courtyard. He sat with the guards and warmed himself facing the glow of a fire.
55 The chief priests and the whole Jewish council were searching for some testimony against Yeshua in order to execute him. But they couldn’t find any. 56 Many gave false testimony against him, but their statements did not agree.
57 Then some men stood up and gave false testimony against him. They said, 58 “We heard him say, ‘I’ll tear down this temple made by humans, and in three days I’ll build another temple, one not made by human hands.’” 59 But their testimony did not agree even on this point.
60 So the chief priest stood up in the center and asked Yeshua, “Don’t you have any answer to what these men testify against you?”
61 But he was silent.
The chief priest asked him again, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?”
62 Yeshua answered, “Yes, I am, and you will see the Son of Man in the highest position in heaven. He will be coming with the clouds of heaven.”
63 The chief priest tore his clothes in horror and said, “Why do we need any more witnesses? 64 You’ve heard him dishonor God! What’s your verdict?”
All of them condemned him with the death sentence. 65 Some of them began to spit on him. They covered his face and hit him with their fists. They said to him, “Prophesy!” Even the guards took him and slapped him.
The Names of God Bible (without notes) © 2011 by Baker Publishing Group.