Book of Common Prayer
A Royal Wedding Song
Psalm 45
1 For the music director, according to “Lilies.” Of the sons of Korah, a contemplative song, a love song.
2 My heart is stirred with a good word.
I speak my verses to the king.
My tongue is the pen of a skillful writer.
3 You are the most handsome of the sons of men.
Grace pours from your lips.
Therefore God has blessed you forever.
4 Gird your sword on your thigh, O mighty one,
in your splendor and your majesty.
5 In your majesty ride victoriously,
on behalf of truth, meekness and justice.
Let your right hand display awesome things.
6 Your arrows are sharp.
Peoples fall beneath you—
into the heart of the king’s enemies.
7 Your throne, O God, is forever and ever,
and a scepter of justice is the scepter of Your kingdom.
8 You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness.
Therefore, God, your God, anointed you with the oil of gladness above your companions.[a]
9 All your robes have myrrh, aloes, cassia.
From ivory palaces, stringed instruments
make you glad.
10 Kings’ daughters are among your honored women.
At your right hand stands the queen
in gold of Ophir.
11 “Listen, O daughter, consider and incline your ear.
Forget your people and your father’s house.
12 Then the king will desire your beauty.
Honor him, for he is your lord.
13 A daughter of Tyre comes with a gift.
The richest people will court your favor.”
14 All glorious is the king’s daughter within the palace—
her gown is interwoven with gold.[b]
15 She will be led to the king in embroidered garments.
Her virgins, her companions following her, are coming in to you.
16 They are led in with joy and gladness—
they enter into the palace of the king.
17 Your sons will take your fathers’ place.
You will make them princes throughout the land.
18 I will cause your name to be remembered in all generations.
Therefore the nations will praise you forever and ever.
In Celebration of God’s Reign
Psalm 47
1 For the music director, a psalm for the sons of Korah.
2 Clap your hands, all you peoples!
Shout to God with the voice of joy!
3 For Adonai Elyon is awesome,
a great King over all the earth.
4 He subdues peoples under us,
and nations under our feet.
5 He chooses our inheritance for us,
the glory of Jacob whom He loved. Selah
6 God is gone up amidst shouting,
Adonai amidst the sound of the shofar.
7 Sing praises to God, sing praises!
Sing praises to our King, sing praises!
8 For God is the King of all the earth.
Sing praises with a skillful song.
9 God reigns over the nations.
God sits upon His holy throne.
10 The princes of the peoples are gathered as a people of the God of Abraham.
For the shields of earth belong to God—
He is greatly exalted!
Consider Zion’s Towers
Psalm 48
1 A song, a psalm of the sons of Korah.
2 Great is Adonai, and greatly to be praised
in the city of our God—His holy mountain.
3 A beautiful height—the joy of the whole earth—
is Mount Zion, on the northern side of the city of the great King.[a]
4 God, in her palaces,
is known as a stronghold.
5 For behold, the kings assembled,
they advanced together.
6 They saw, then they were astounded,
they fled in terror.
7 Trembling seized them there,
pain like a woman in labor.
8 With an east wind
You broke the ships of Tarshish.
9 As we have heard, so have we seen,
in the city of Adonai-Tzva’ot,
in the city of our God.
God will establish her forever. Selah
10 We have meditated on Your lovingkindness, O God,
in the midst of Your Temple.
11 Like Your Name, O God,
so is Your praise
to the ends of the earth.
Your right hand is full of righteousness.
12 Mount Zion is glad,
the daughters of Judah rejoice,
because of Your judgments.
13 Walk about Zion, go around her.
Count her towers.
14 Consider her ramparts,
go through her palaces,
so you may describe it to the next generation.
15 For this God is our God, forever and ever!
He will guide us to the end.
23 In the thirty-first year of King Asa of Judah, Omri began to reign over Israel, and reigned 12 years, six years in Tirzah. 24 Then he bought the hill of Samaria from Shemer for two talents of silver, and built a city on the hill. He named the city that he built Samaria, based on the name Shemer, the owner of the hill.
25 But Omri did what was evil in Adonai’s eyes, and acted more wickedly than all who were before him. 26 For he walked in all the ways of Jeroboam son of Nebat and in the sins that he had caused Israel to commit, vexing Adonai God of Israel, with their useless idols. 27 Now the rest of the deeds of Omri that he did and the valiant deeds that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel? 28 So Omri slept with his fathers and was buried in Samaria.
Ahab Even Worse
Then his son Ahab became king in his place. 29 In the thirty-eighth year of King Asa of Judah, Ahab son of Omri began to reign over Israel; and Ahab son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria 22 years. 30 But Ahab son of Omri did what was evil in Adonai’s eyes, more than all who were before him. 31 Now, as if it was a trifling thing to walk in the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, he also took as wife Jezebel the daughter of King Ethbaal of the Sidonians, and went and served Baal and worshipped him. 32 He also erected an altar for Baal in the temple of Baal that he had built in Samaria. 33 Also Ahab made the Asherah pole. So Ahab did yet more to provoke the Adonai God of Israel than all the kings of Israel who were before him.
Curse of Jericho Rebuilt
34 During his days, Hiel of Bethel rebuilt Jericho. At the cost of Abiram his firstborn, he laid its foundation, and at the cost of his youngest son Segub, he set up its gates—according to the word of Adonai, which He had spoken through Joshua son of Nun.
Even in Chains, Proclaiming Messiah
12 Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually resulted in the advancement of the Good News. 13 And so my imprisonment in the cause of Messiah has become well known throughout the whole Praetorian Guard and to everyone else. 14 Because of my imprisonment, most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord to dare more than ever to speak the message fearlessly. 15 Some are proclaiming the Messiah out of envy and strife, but others out of good will. 16 The latter do so out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the Good News. 17 The former proclaim Messiah not sincerely, but out of selfishness—expecting to stir up trouble for me in my imprisonment. 18 But what does it matter? Only that in every way, whether in dishonesty or in truth, Messiah is being proclaimed—and in this I rejoice!
To Live Is Messiah
Yes, and I will keep rejoicing, 19 for I know that this will turn out for my deliverance, through your intercession and the help of the Ruach of Messiah Yeshua. 20 My eager expectation and hope is that in no way will I be put to shame, but that with complete boldness Messiah will even now, as always, be exalted in my body—whether through life or through death. 21 For to me, to live is Messiah and to die is gain. 22 But if to live on in the body means fruit from my work, what shall I choose? I do not know. 23 I am torn between the two—having a desire to leave and be with Messiah, which is far better; 24 yet for your sake, to remain in the body is more necessary. 25 Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for the sake of your progress and joy in the faith— 26 so that your confidence in Messiah Yeshua might overflow because of me through my coming to you again.
27 Only live your lives in a manner worthy of the Good News of the Messiah. Then, whether I come and see you or I am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit—striving side by side with one mind for the faith of the Good News 28 and not being frightened in any way by your opponents. For them this is a sign of destruction, but for you salvation—and that from God. 29 For to you was granted for Messiah’s sake not only to trust in Him, but also to suffer for His sake— 30 experiencing the same struggle you saw in me and now you are hearing in me.
The Empty Tomb
16 When Shabbat was over, Miriam of Magdala, Miriam the mother of Jacob, and Salome bought spices, so that they might come and anoint Yeshua’s body. 2 Very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they come to the tomb. 3 They were saying to each other, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?”
4 Looking up, they see that the stone (it was really huge) had been rolled away. 5 As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe; and they were startled. 6 But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You are looking for Yeshua of Natzeret, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here! See the place where they put Him. 7 But go, tell His disciples and Peter, ‘He is going before you to the Galilee. There you will see Him, just as He told you.’”
8 And going outside, they fled from the tomb, gripped by trembling and amazement. They didn’t say anything to anybody, for they were afraid.
He Is Risen[a]
9 After He had risen early on the first day of the week, He appeared first to Miriam of Magdala, from whom He had driven out seven demons. 10 She went and brought word to those who had been with Him, while they were mourning and weeping. 11 When they heard that He was alive and had been seen by her, they refused to believe.
12 After that, He appeared in a different form to two of them as they were walking on their way to the country. 13 They went and reported it to the rest, but they did not believe them either. 14 Later He appeared to them, the eleven, as they were reclining at the table. He rebuked them for their unbelief and hardheartedness, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had been raised.
Tell the World!
15 He told them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the Good News to every creature. 16 He who believes and is immersed shall be saved, but he who does not believe shall be condemned. 17 These signs will accompany those who believe: in My name they will drive out demons; they will speak new languages; 18 they will handle snakes; and if they drink anything deadly, it will not harm them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will get well.”
19 Then the Lord Yeshua, after He had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. 20 And they went out and proclaimed everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word by the signs that follow.
Tree of Life (TLV) Translation of the Bible. Copyright © 2015 by The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society.