Book of Common Prayer
The Privileges of Citizenship in Zion.
A Psalm of the sons of Korah. A Song.
87 His (A)foundation is in the holy mountains.
2 The Lord (B)loves the gates of Zion
More than all the other dwelling places of Jacob.
3 (C)Glorious things are spoken of you,
(D)City of God. Selah
4 “I shall mention [a](E)Rahab and Babylon [b]among those who know Me;
Behold, Philistia and (F)Tyre with [c](G)Cush:
‘This one was born there.’”
5 But of Zion it will be said, “This one and that one were born in her”;
And the Most High Himself will (H)establish her.
6 The Lord will count when He (I)registers the peoples,
“This one was born there.” Selah
7 Then those who (J)sing as well as those who [d](K)play the flutes will say,
“All my (L)springs of joy are in you.”
BOOK 4
God’s Eternity and the Brevity of Human Life.
A Prayer of [a]Moses, the man of God.
90 Lord, You have been our [b](A)dwelling place in all generations.
2 Before (B)the mountains were born
[c]Or You (C)gave birth to the earth and the world,
Even (D)from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.
3 You (E)turn mortals back into dust
And say, “Return, you sons of mankind.”
4 For (F)a thousand years in Your sight
Are like (G)yesterday when it passes by,
[d]Or like a (H)watch in the night.
5 You (I)have [e]swept them away like a flood, they [f](J)fall asleep;
In the morning they are like (K)grass that [g]sprouts anew.
6 In the morning it (L)flourishes and [h]sprouts anew;
Toward evening it (M)wilts and (N)withers away.
7 For we have been (O)consumed by Your anger,
And we have been terrified by Your wrath.
8 You have (P)placed our guilty deeds before You,
Our (Q)hidden sins in the light of Your presence.
9 For (R)all our days have dwindled away in Your fury;
We have finished our years like a [i]sigh.
10 As for the days of our [j]life, [k]they contain seventy years,
Or if due to strength, (S)eighty years,
Yet their pride is only (T)trouble and tragedy;
For it quickly passes, and we (U)disappear.
11 Who [l]understands the (V)power of Your anger
And Your fury, according to the (W)fear [m]that is due You?
12 So (X)teach us to number our days,
That we may [n](Y)present to You a heart of wisdom.
13 Do (Z)return, Lord; (AA)how long will it be?
And [o]be (AB)sorry for Your servants.
14 (AC)Satisfy us in the morning with Your graciousness,
That we may (AD)sing for joy and rejoice all our days.
15 (AE)Make us glad [p]according to the days You have afflicted us,
And the (AF)years we have seen [q]evil.
16 Let Your (AG)work appear to Your servants
And Your (AH)majesty [r]to their children.
17 May the (AI)kindness of the Lord our God be upon us;
And [s](AJ)confirm for us the work of our hands;
Yes, [t]confirm the work of our hands.
Thanks for the Lord’s Goodness to Israel.
136 (A)Give thanks to the Lord, for (B)He is good,
For (C)His [a]faithfulness is everlasting.
2 Give thanks to the (D)God of gods,
For His faithfulness is everlasting.
3 Give thanks to the (E)Lord of lords,
For His faithfulness is everlasting.
4 To Him who (F)alone does great [b]wonders,
For His faithfulness is everlasting;
5 To Him who (G)made the heavens [c](H)with skill,
For His faithfulness is everlasting;
6 To Him who (I)spread out the earth above the waters,
For His faithfulness is everlasting;
7 To Him who (J)made the great lights,
For His faithfulness is everlasting:
8 The (K)sun to rule [d]by day,
For His faithfulness is everlasting,
9 The (L)moon and stars to rule [e]by night,
For His faithfulness is everlasting.
10 To Him who (M)struck [f]the Egyptians, that is, their firstborn,
For His faithfulness is everlasting,
11 And (N)brought Israel out from their midst,
For His faithfulness is everlasting,
12 With a (O)strong hand and an (P)outstretched arm,
For His faithfulness is everlasting.
13 To Him who (Q)divided the [g]Red Sea in parts,
For His faithfulness is everlasting,
14 And (R)allowed Israel to pass through the midst of it,
For His faithfulness is everlasting;
15 But (S)He [h]overthrew Pharaoh and his army in the [i]Red Sea,
For His faithfulness is everlasting.
16 To Him who (T)led His people through the wilderness,
For His faithfulness is everlasting;
17 To Him who (U)struck great kings,
For His faithfulness is everlasting,
18 And (V)brought death to [j]mighty kings,
For His faithfulness is everlasting:
19 (W)Sihon, king of the Amorites,
For His faithfulness is everlasting,
20 And (X)Og, king of Bashan,
For His faithfulness is everlasting,
21 And (Y)gave their land as an inheritance,
For His faithfulness is everlasting,
22 An inheritance to His (Z)servant Israel,
For His faithfulness is everlasting.
23 Who (AA)remembered us in our lowliness,
For His faithfulness is everlasting,
24 And has (AB)rescued us from our enemies,
For His faithfulness is everlasting;
25 Who (AC)gives food to all flesh,
For His faithfulness is everlasting.
26 Give thanks to the (AD)God of heaven,
For His faithfulness is everlasting.
Athaliah Queen of Judah
11 (A)When Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and eliminated all the royal [a]children. 2 But Jehosheba, the daughter of King Joram, sister of Ahaziah, (B)took Joash the son of Ahaziah and abducted him from among the king’s sons who were being put to death, and put him and his nurse in the bedroom. So they hid him from Athaliah, and he was not put to death. 3 So he was kept hidden with her in the house of the Lord for six years, while Athaliah was reigning over the land.
4 (C)Now in the seventh year Jehoiada sent orders and brought the captains of hundreds of (D)the Carites and of the [b]guards, and brought them to himself at the house of the Lord. Then he made a covenant with them and put them under oath at the house of the Lord, and showed them the king’s son. 5 And he commanded them, saying, “This is the thing that you shall do: (E)a third of you, who come in on the Sabbath and keep watch over the king’s house 6 (a third also shall be at the gate Sur, and a third at the gate behind the [c]guards), [d]shall keep watch over the house [e]for defense. 7 And two parts of you, all who go out on the Sabbath, shall also keep watch over the house of the Lord for the king. 8 Then you shall surround the king, each with his weapons in his hand; and whoever comes within the ranks shall be put to death. And (F)you are to be with the king when he goes out and when he comes in.”
9 So the captains of hundreds (G)acted in accordance with everything that Jehoiada the priest commanded. And each one of them took his men who were to come in on the Sabbath, along with those who were to go out on the Sabbath, and they came to Jehoiada the priest. 10 Then (H)the priest gave the captains of hundreds the spears and shields that had been King David’s, which were in the house of the Lord. 11 The [f]guards stood, each with his weapons in his hand, from the right side of the house to the left side of the house, by the altar and by the house, around the king. 12 Then he brought the king’s son out, and (I)put the crown on him and gave him (J)the testimony; and they made him king and anointed him, and they clapped their hands and said, “(K)Long live the king!”
13 (L)When Athaliah heard the noise of the guards and of the people, she came to the people at the house of the Lord. 14 And she looked, and behold, the king was standing (M)by the pillar according to the custom, with the captains and the [g]trumpeters beside the king; and (N)all the people of the land were joyful and were blowing trumpets. Then Athaliah (O)tore her clothes and cried out, “(P)Conspiracy! Conspiracy!” 15 And Jehoiada the priest commanded the captains of hundreds who were appointed over the army and said to them, “Bring her out between the ranks, and whoever follows her, put to death with the sword!” For the priest said, “She is not to be put to death at the house of the Lord.” 16 So they [h]seized her, and when [i]they brought her to the horses’ entrance of the king’s house, she was (Q)put to death there.
17 Then (R)Jehoiada made a covenant between the Lord, the king, and the people, that they would be the Lord’s people, and (S)between the king and the people. 18 And all the people of the land came to (T)the house of Baal and tore it down; they thoroughly smashed (U)his altars and his images in pieces, and they (V)killed Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars. Then the priest appointed sentries over the house of the Lord. 19 And he took the captains of hundreds and the (W)Carites, and the [j]guards and all the people of the land; and they brought the king down from the house of the Lord, and came by way of (X)the gate of the [k]guards to the king’s house. And he sat on the throne of the kings. 20 So (Y)all the people of the land rejoiced and the city was [l]peaceful. For they had put Athaliah to death with the sword at the king’s house.
10 But to the married I give instructions, (A)not I, but the Lord, that the wife is not to leave her husband 11 (but if she does leave, she must remain unmarried, or else be reconciled to her husband), and that the husband is not to [a]divorce his wife.
12 But to the rest (B)I say, not the Lord, that if any brother has an unbelieving wife, and she consents to live with him, he must not [b]divorce her. 13 And [c]if any woman has an unbelieving husband, and he consents to live with her, she must not [d]divorce her husband. 14 For the unbelieving husband is sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified through [e]her believing husband; for otherwise your children are unclean, but now they are (C)holy. 15 Yet if the unbelieving one is leaving, [f]let him leave; the brother or the sister is not under bondage in such cases, but God has called [g]us (D)in peace. 16 For how do you know, wife, whether you will (E)save your husband? Or how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?
17 Only, (F)as the Lord has assigned to each one, as God has called each, in this way let him walk. And (G)so I direct in (H)all the churches. 18 Was any man called when he was already circumcised? He is not to become uncircumcised. Has anyone been called in uncircumcision? (I)He is not to be circumcised. 19 (J)Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but what matters is (K)the keeping of the commandments of God. 20 (L)Each person is to remain in that [h]state in which he was called.
21 Were you called as a slave? Do not let it concern you. But if you are also able to become free, take advantage of that. 22 For the one who was called in the Lord as a slave, is (M)the Lord’s freed person; likewise the one who was called as free, is (N)Christ’s slave. 23 (O)You were bought for a price; do not become slaves of people. 24 Brothers and sisters, (P)each one is to remain with God in that condition in which he was called.
19 “(A)Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves (B)treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; 21 for (C)where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
22 “(D)The eye is the lamp of the body; so then, if your eye is [a]clear, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if (E)your eye is [b]bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. So if the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!
24 “(F)No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and [c](G)wealth.
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