Book of Common Prayer
Zion, the City of God
A psalm of the sons of Korah. A song.
87 The city he founded[a] is on the holy mountains.(A)
2 The Lord loves Zion’s city gates
more than all the dwellings of Jacob.(B)
3 Glorious things are said about you,
city of God.(C) Selah
4 ‘I will make a record of those who know me:
Rahab, Babylon, Philistia, Tyre, and Cush –
each one was born there.’(D)
5 And it will be said of Zion,
‘This one and that one were born in her.’
The Most High himself will establish her.(E)
6 When he registers the peoples,
the Lord will record,
‘This one was born there.’(F) Selah
7 Singers and dancers[b] alike will say,[c]
‘My whole source of joy is[d] in you.’(G)
BOOK IV
(Psalms 90–106)
Eternal God and Mortal Man
A prayer of Moses, the man of God.
90 Lord, you have been our refuge[a]
in every generation.(A)
2 Before the mountains were born,
before you gave birth to the earth and the world,
from eternity to eternity, you are God.(B)
3 You return mankind to the dust,
saying, ‘Return, descendants of Adam.’(C)
4 For in your sight a thousand years
are like yesterday that passes by,
like a few hours of the night.(D)
5 You end their lives;[b] they sleep.(E)
They are like grass that grows in the morning –
6 in the morning it sprouts and grows;
by the evening it withers and dries up.(F)
7 For we are consumed by your anger;
we are terrified by your wrath.(G)
8 You have set our iniquities before you,
our secret sins in the light of your presence.(H)
9 For all our days ebb away under your wrath;
we end our years like a sigh.(I)
10 Our lives last[c] for seventy years
or, if we are strong, eighty years.
Even the best of them are[d] struggle and sorrow;
indeed, they pass quickly and we fly away.(J)
11 Who understands the power of your anger?
Your wrath matches the fear that is due you.(K)
12 Teach us to number our days carefully
so that we may develop wisdom in our hearts.[e](L)
13 Lord – how long?
Turn and have compassion on your servants.(M)
14 Satisfy us in the morning with your faithful love
so that we may shout with joy and be glad all our days.(N)
15 Make us rejoice for as many days as you have humbled us,
for as many years as we have seen adversity.(O)
16 Let your work be seen by your servants,
and your splendour by their children.(P)
17 Let the favour of the Lord our God be on us;
establish for us the work of our hands –
establish the work of our hands!(Q)
God’s Love Is Eternal
136 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.(A)
His faithful love endures for ever.
2 Give thanks to the God of gods.
His faithful love endures for ever.
3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords.(B)
His faithful love endures for ever.
4 He alone does great wonders.(C)
His faithful love endures for ever.
5 He made the heavens skilfully.(D)
His faithful love endures for ever.
6 He spread the land on the waters.(E)
His faithful love endures for ever.
7 He made the great lights:(F)
His faithful love endures for ever.
8 the sun to rule by day,
His faithful love endures for ever.
9 the moon and stars to rule by night.(G)
His faithful love endures for ever.
10 He struck the firstborn of the Egyptians(H)
His faithful love endures for ever.
11 and brought Israel out from among them
His faithful love endures for ever.
12 with a strong hand and outstretched arm.(I)
His faithful love endures for ever.
13 He divided the Red Sea(J)
His faithful love endures for ever.
14 and led Israel through,(K)
His faithful love endures for ever.
15 but hurled Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea.(L)
His faithful love endures for ever.
16 He led his people in the wilderness.(M)
His faithful love endures for ever.
17 He struck down great kings
His faithful love endures for ever.
18 and slaughtered famous kings –
His faithful love endures for ever.
19 Sihon king of the Amorites
His faithful love endures for ever.
20 and Og king of Bashan –
His faithful love endures for ever.
21 and gave their land as an inheritance,
His faithful love endures for ever.
22 an inheritance to Israel his servant.(N)
His faithful love endures for ever.
23 He remembered us in our humiliation(O)
His faithful love endures for ever.
24 and rescued us from our foes.(P)
His faithful love endures for ever.
25 He gives food to every creature.(Q)
His faithful love endures for ever.
26 Give thanks to the God of heaven!(R)
His faithful love endures for ever.
Satan Bound
20 Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven holding the key to the abyss(A) and a great chain(B) in his hand. 2 He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent who is the devil and Satan,[a](C) and bound(D) him for a thousand years. 3 He threw him into the abyss, closed it, and put a seal on it(E) so that he would no longer deceive the nations(F) until the thousand years were completed. After that, he must be released for a short time.
The Saints Reign with Christ
4 Then I saw thrones, and people seated on them who were given authority to judge.(G) I also saw the souls of those(H) who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus(I) and because of the word of God, who had not worshipped the beast or his image, and who had not accepted the mark on their foreheads or their hands.(J) They came to life(K) and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.(L) 5 The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were completed.
This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed(M) and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! The second death(N) has no power[b] over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.(O)
His Death and Resurrection Predicted
21 From(A) then on Jesus began to point out to his disciples that it was necessary for him to go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders, chief priests, and scribes, be killed, and be raised the third day.(B) 22 Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, ‘Oh no,[a] Lord! This will never happen to you! ’
23 Jesus turned and told Peter, ‘Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me because you’re not thinking about God’s concerns[b] but human concerns.’(C)
Take Up Your Cross
24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, ‘If anyone wants to follow after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.(D) 25 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of me will find it.(E) 26 For what will it benefit someone if he gains the whole world yet loses his life? Or what will anyone give in exchange for his life?(F) 27 For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father,(G) and then he will reward each according to what he has done. 28 Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.’(H)
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