Book of Common Prayer
Psalm 50
A psalm by Asaph.
1 Yahweh, the only true El, has spoken.
He has summoned the earth
from where the sun rises to where it sets.
2 Elohim shines from Zion,
the perfection of beauty.
3 Our Elohim will come and will not remain silent.
A devouring fire is in front of him
and a raging storm around him.
4 He summons heaven and earth to judge his people:
5 “Gather around me, my godly people
who have made a pledge to me through sacrifices.”
6 The heavens announce his righteousness
because Elohim is the Shophet. Selah
7 “Listen, my people, and I will speak.
Listen, Israel, and I will testify against you:
I am Elohim, your Elohim!
8 I am not criticizing you for your sacrifices or burnt offerings,
which are always in front of me.
9 But I will not accept another young bull from your household
or a single male goat from your pens.
10 Every creature in the forest,
even the cattle on a thousand hills, is mine.
11 I know every bird in the mountains.
Everything that moves in the fields is mine.
12 If I were hungry, I would not tell you,
because the world and all that it contains are mine.
13 Do I eat the meat of bulls or drink the blood of goats?
14 Bring your thanks to Elohim as a sacrifice,
and keep your vows to Elyon.
15 Call on me in times of trouble.
I will rescue you, and you will honor me.”
16 But Elohim says to wicked people,
“How dare you quote my decrees
and mouth my promises![a]
17 You hate discipline.
You toss my words behind you.
18 When you see a thief, you want to make friends with him.
You keep company with people who commit adultery.
19 You let your mouth say anything evil.
Your tongue plans deceit.
20 You sit and talk against your own brother.
You slander your own mother’s son.
21 When you did these things, I remained silent.
That made you think I was like you.
I will argue my point with you
and lay it all out for you to see.
22 Consider this, you people who forget Eloah.
Otherwise, I will tear you to pieces,
and there will be no one left to rescue you.
23 Whoever offers thanks as a sacrifice honors me.
I will let everyone who continues in my way
see the salvation that comes from Elohim.”
Psalm 59
For the choir director; al tashcheth; a miktam by David when Saul sent men to watch David’s home and kill him.
1 Rescue me from my enemies, O my Elohim.
Protect me from those who attack me.
2 Rescue me from troublemakers.
Save me from bloodthirsty people.
3 They lie in ambush for me right here!
Fierce men attack me, O Yahweh,
but not because of any disobedience,
4 or any sin, or any guilt on my part.
They hurry to take positions against me.
Wake up, and help me; see for yourself.
5 O Yahweh Elohim Tsebaoth, Elohim of Israel,
arise to punish all the nations.
Have no pity on any traitors. Selah
6 They return in the evening.
They howl like dogs.
They prowl the city.
7 See what pours out of their mouths—
swords from their lips!
They think, “Who will hear us?”
8 O Yahweh, you laugh at them.
You make fun of all the nations.
9 O my strength, I watch for you!
Elohim is my stronghold, my merciful Elohim!
10 Elohim will come to meet me.
He will let me gloat over those who spy on me.
11 Do not kill them.
Otherwise, my people may forget.
Make them wander aimlessly by your power.
Bring them down, O Adonay, our Magen,
12 because of the sins from their mouths
and the words on their lips.
Let them be trapped by their own arrogance
because they speak curses and lies.
13 Destroy them in your rage.
Destroy them until not one of them is left.
Then they will know that Elohim rules Jacob
to the ends of the earth. Selah
14 They return in the evening.
They howl like dogs.
They prowl the city.
15 They wander around to find something to eat.
If they are not full enough,
they will stay all night.
16 But I will sing about your strength.
In the morning I will joyfully sing about your mercy.
You have been my stronghold
and a place of safety in times of trouble.
17 O my strength, I will make music to praise you!
Elohim is my stronghold, my merciful Elohim!
Psalm 60
For the choir director; according to shushan eduth;[a] a miktam by David; for teaching. When David fought Aram Naharaim and Aram Zobah, and when Joab came back and killed 12,000 men from Edom in the Dead Sea region.
1 O Elohim, you have rejected us.
You have broken down our defenses.
You have been angry.
Restore us!
2 You made the land quake.
You split it wide open.
Heal the cracks in it
because it is falling apart.
3 You have made your people experience hardships.
You have given us wine that makes us stagger.
4 Yet, you have raised a flag for those who fear you
so that they can rally to it
when attacked by bows and arrows. Selah
5 Save us with your powerful hand, and answer us
so that those who are dear to you may be rescued.[b]
6 Elohim has promised the following through his holiness:
“I will triumph!
I will divide Shechem.
I will measure the valley of Succoth.
7 Gilead is mine.
Manasseh is mine.
Ephraim is the helmet on my head.
Judah is my scepter.
8 Moab is my washtub.
I will throw my shoe over Edom.
I will shout in triumph over Philistia.”
9 Who will bring me into the fortified city?
Who will lead me to Edom?
10 Isn’t it you, O Elohim, who rejected us?
Isn’t it you, O Elohim, who refused to accompany our armies?
11 Give us help against the enemy
because human assistance is worthless.
12 With Elohim we will display great strength.
He will trample our enemies.
Psalm 93
1 Yahweh rules as king! He is clothed with majesty.
Yahweh has clothed himself; he has armed himself with power.
The world was set in place; it cannot be moved.
2 Your throne was set in place a long time ago.
You are eternal.
3 The ocean rises, O Yahweh.
The ocean rises with a roar.
The ocean rises with its pounding waves.
4 Yahweh above is mighty—
mightier than the sound of raging water,
mightier than the foaming waves of the sea.
5 Your written testimonies are completely reliable.
O Yahweh, holiness is what makes your house beautiful for days without end.
Psalm 96
1 Sing to Yahweh a new song!
Sing to Yahweh, all the earth!
2 Sing to Yahweh! Praise his name!
Day after day announce that Yahweh saves his people.
3 Tell people about his glory.
Tell all the nations about his miracles.
4 Yahweh is great!
He should be highly praised.
He should be feared more than all other gods
5 because all the gods of the nations are idols.
Yahweh made the heavens.
6 Splendor and majesty are in his presence.
Strength and beauty are in his holy place.
7 Give to Yahweh, you families of the nations.
Give to Yahweh glory and power.
8 Give to Yahweh the glory he deserves.
Bring an offering, and come into his courtyards.
9 Worship Yahweh in his holy splendor.
Tremble in his presence, all the earth!
10 Say to the nations, “Yahweh rules as king!”
The earth stands firm; it cannot be moved.
He will judge people fairly.
11 Let the heavens rejoice and the earth be glad.
Let the sea and everything in it roar like thunder.
12 Let the fields and everything in them rejoice.
Then all the trees in the forest will sing joyfully
13 in Yahweh’s presence because he is coming.
He is coming to judge the earth.
He will judge the world with righteousness
and its people with his truth.
Elijah Comes to King Ahab
18 A while later in the third year of the drought, Yahweh spoke his word to Elijah: “Present yourself to Ahab. I will allow rain to fall on the ground.” 2 So Elijah went to present himself to Ahab.
The famine was particularly severe in Samaria. 3 Ahab sent for Obadiah, who was in charge of the palace. Obadiah was a devout worshiper of Yahweh. 4 (When Jezebel was killing Yahweh’s prophets, Obadiah had hidden 100 prophets in caves. He put 50 prophets in each cave and kept them alive by providing bread and water for them.) 5 Ahab told Obadiah, “Let’s go throughout the countryside to every spring and stream. If we can find grass, then we can keep the horses and mules alive and not lose any animals.” 6 So they split up in order to cover the entire countryside. Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went the other way by himself.
7 Obadiah was on the road when he met Elijah. Obadiah recognized him and immediately bowed down to the ground. “Is it you, my master Elijah?” he asked.
8 “Yes,” Elijah answered him. “Tell your master that Elijah is here.”
9 Obadiah asked, “What have I done wrong to make you hand me over to Ahab to be killed? 10 I solemnly swear, as Yahweh your Elohim lives, my master has searched for you in every region and kingdom. When people would say, ‘He isn’t here,’ my master made that kingdom or region take an oath that they hadn’t found you.
11 “Now you say, ‘Tell your master that Elijah is here.’ 12 This is what will happen: When I leave you, the Ruach Yahweh will take you away to some unknown place. I’ll tell Ahab, but he won’t be able to find you. Then he will kill me.
“I have been faithful to Yahweh since I was a child. 13 Haven’t you heard what I did when Jezebel killed Yahweh’s prophets? Haven’t you heard how I hid 100 of Yahweh’s prophets in caves? I hid 50 prophets in each cave and provided bread and water for them. 14 Now you say that I should tell my master that Elijah is here. He will kill me.”
15 Elijah said, “I solemnly swear, as Yahweh Tsebaoth whom I serve lives, I will present myself to Ahab.”
16 So Obadiah went to tell Ahab.
Elijah and the Prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel
Ahab went to meet Elijah. 17 When he saw Elijah, Ahab said, “Is that you, you troublemaker of Israel?”
18 Elijah answered, “I haven’t troubled Israel. You and your father’s family have done it by disobeying Yahweh’s commands and following the various Baal gods. 19 Order all Israel to gather around me on Mount Carmel. And bring the 450 prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of Asherah who eat at Jezebel’s table.”
12 My dear friends, you have always obeyed, not only when I was with you but even more now that I’m absent. In the same way continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling. 13 It is God who produces in you the desires and actions that please him.
14 Do everything without complaining or arguing. 15 Then you will be blameless and innocent. You will be God’s children without any faults among people who are crooked and corrupt. You will shine like stars among them in the world 16 as you hold firmly to the word of life. Then I can brag on the day of Christ that my effort was not wasted and that my work produced results. 17 My life is being poured out as a part of the sacrifice and service I offer to God for your faith. Yet, I am filled with joy, and I share that joy with all of you. 18 For this same reason you also should be filled with joy and share that joy with me.
Paul Will Send Timothy and Epaphroditus
19 I hope that the Lord Yeshua will allow me to send Timothy to you soon so that I can receive some encouraging news about you. 20 I don’t have anyone else like Timothy. He takes a genuine interest in your welfare. 21 Everyone else looks after his own interests, not after those of Yeshua Christ. 22 But you know what kind of person Timothy proved to be. Like a father and son we worked hard together to spread the Good News. 23 I hope to send him as soon as I see how things are going to turn out for me. 24 But the Lord gives me confidence that I will come to visit you soon.
25 I feel that I must send Epaphroditus—my brother, coworker, and fellow soldier—back to you. You sent him as your personal representative to help me in my need. 26 He has been longing to see all of you and is troubled because you heard that he was sick. 27 Indeed, he was so sick that he almost died. But God had mercy not only on him but also on me and kept me from having one sorrow on top of another. 28 So I’m especially eager to send him to you. In this way you will have the joy of seeing him again and I will feel relieved. 29 Give him a joyful Christian welcome. Make sure you honor people like Epaphroditus highly. 30 He risked his life and almost died for the work of Christ in order to make up for the help you couldn’t give me.
The Escape to Egypt
13 After they had left, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. The angel said to him, “Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, because Herod intends to search for the child and kill him.”
14 Joseph got up, took the child and his mother, and left for Egypt that night. 15 He stayed there until Herod died. What the Lord had spoken through the prophet came true: “I have called my son out of Egypt.”
16 When Herod saw that the wise men had tricked him, he became furious. He sent soldiers to kill all the boys two years old and younger in or near Bethlehem. This matched the exact time he had learned from the wise men. 17 Then the words spoken through the prophet Jeremiah came true:
18 “A sound was heard in Ramah,
the sound of crying in bitter grief.
Rachel was crying for her children.
She refused to be comforted
because they were dead.”
From Egypt to Nazareth
19 After Herod was dead, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt. 20 The angel said to him, “Get up, take the child and his mother, and go to Israel. Those who tried to kill the child are dead.”
21 Joseph got up, took the child and his mother, and went to Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus had succeeded his father Herod as king of Judea, Joseph was afraid to go there. Warned in a dream, he left for Galilee 23 and made his home in a city called Nazareth. So what the prophets had said came true: “He will be called a Nazarene.”
The Names of God Bible (without notes) © 2011 by Baker Publishing Group.