Book of Common Prayer

The Difference between Good and Sinful People

1 Happy is the man who does not walk in the way sinful men tell him to, or stand in the path of sinners, or sit with those who laugh at the truth. ² But he finds joy in the Law of the Lord and thinks about His Law day and night. ³ This man is like a tree planted by rivers of water, which gives its fruit at the right time and its leaf never dries up. Whatever he does will work out well for him.

⁴ Sinful men are not like this. They are like straw blown away by the wind. ⁵ So the sinful will not stand. They will be told they are guilty and have to suffer for it. Sinners will not stand with those who are right with God. ⁶ For the Lord knows the way of those who are right with Him. But the way of the sinful will be lost from God forever.

God’s Chosen One Will Rule

2 Why are the nations so shaken up and the people planning foolish things? ² The kings of the earth stand in a line ready to fight, and all the leaders are against the Lord and against His Chosen One. ³ They say, “Let us break their chains and throw them away from us.”

⁴ He Who sits in the heavens laughs. The Lord makes fun of them. ⁵ Then He will speak to them in His anger and make them afraid, saying, ⁶ “But as for Me, I have set My King on Zion, My holy mountain.” ⁷ I will make known the words of the Lord. He said to Me, “You are My Son. Today I have become Your Father. ⁸ Ask of Me, and I will give the nations for you to own. The ends of the earth will belong to You. ⁹ You will break them using a piece of iron. And they will be broken in pieces like pots of clay.”

¹⁰ So, kings, be wise. Listen, you rulers of the earth. ¹¹ Serve the Lord with fear, and be full of joy as you shake in fear. ¹² Kiss the Son. Be afraid that He may be angry and destroy you in the way. For His anger is quick. Happy are all who put their trust in Him.

Morning Prayer of Trust

3 O Lord, how many are they who hate me! How many rise up against me! ² Many are saying of me, “There is no help for him in God.” ³ But You, O Lord, are a covering around me, my shining-greatness, and the One Who lifts my head. ⁴ I was crying to the Lord with my voice. And He answered me from His holy mountain. ⁵ I lay down and slept, and I woke up again, for the Lord keeps me safe.

⁶ I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people who stand all around against me. ⁷ Rise up, O Lord! Save me, O my God! For You have hit on the face all those who hate me, and you have broken the teeth of the sinful. ⁸ It is You Who saves, O Lord. May You bring happiness to Your people.

Evening Prayer of Trust

4 Answer me when I call, O my God Who is right and good! You have made a way for me when I needed help. Be kind to me, and hear my prayer.

² O sons of men, how long will you turn my honor into shame? How long will you love what is of no use, and run after lies? ³ Know that the Lord has set apart him who is God-like for Himself. The Lord hears when I call to Him.

⁴ Shake with anger and do not sin. When you are on your bed, look into your hearts and be quiet. ⁵ Give the gifts that are right and good, and trust in the Lord.

⁶ Many are asking, “Who will show us any good?” Let the light of Your face shine on us, O Lord. ⁷ You have filled my heart with more happiness than they have when there is much grain and wine. ⁸ I will lie down and sleep in peace. O Lord, You alone keep me safe.

Prayer for Help against the Sinful

7 O Lord my God, in You I have put my trust. Save me from all those who come for me, and keep me safe. ² Or they will tear me like a lion, carrying me away where there is no one to help. ³ O Lord my God, if I have done this, and there is guilt on my hands, ⁴ if I have done wrong to him who was at peace with me, or without a reason have robbed him who worked against me, ⁵ let him who hates me come for me and catch me. Let him break me under his feet until I die, and lay my honor in the dust.

⁶ Rise up in Your anger, O Lord. Rise up against the anger of those who hate me. Awake, my God, and help me. Prove what is right. ⁷ Let the people gather around You, and rule over them from Your throne. ⁸ May the Lord judge which people are guilty or not. O Lord, judge in my favor if I am right with You, and if I am without blame. ⁹ Let the sins of the sinful stop. But build up those who are right with You. For the God Who is right and good tests both the hearts and the minds. ¹⁰ I am kept safe by God, Who saves those who are pure in heart.

¹¹ God is always right in how He judges. He is angry with the sinful every day. ¹² If a man is not sorry for his sins and will not turn from them, God will make His sword sharp. He will string His bow and make it ready. ¹³ He takes up His sword and the bow of death. And He makes arrows of fire.

¹⁴ See how the sinful man thinks up sins and plans trouble and lies start growing inside him. ¹⁵ He has dug out a deep hole, and has fallen into the hole he has dug. ¹⁶ The trouble he makes will return to him. When he hurts others it will come down on his own head. ¹⁷ I will give thanks to the Lord because He is right and good. I will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High.

¹¹ My son, listen when the Lord punishes you. Do not give up when He tells you what you must do. ¹² The Lord punishes everyone He loves. He whips every son He receives.

¹³ Happy is the man who finds wisdom, and the man who gets understanding. ¹⁴ For it is better than getting silver and fine gold. ¹⁵ She is worth more than stones of great worth. Nothing you can wish for compares with her. ¹⁶ Long life is in her right hand. Riches and honor are in her left hand. ¹⁷ Her ways are pleasing, and all her paths are peace. ¹⁸ She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her. Happy are all who hold her near. ¹⁹ The Lord built the earth by wisdom. He built the heavens by understanding. ²⁰ By what He knows, the seas were broken up and water falls from the sky.

¹⁸ My children, let us not love with words or in talk only. Let us love by what we do and in truth. ¹⁹ This is how we know we are Christians. It will give our heart comfort for sure when we stand before Him. ²⁰ Our heart may say that we have done wrong. But remember, God is greater than our heart. He knows everything. ²¹ Dear friends, if our heart does not say that we are wrong, we will have no fear as we stand before Him. ²² We will receive from Him whatever we ask if we obey Him and do what He wants. ²³ This is what He said we must do: Put your trust in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ, and love each other. Christ told us to do this. ²⁴ The person who obeys Christ lives by the help of God and God lives in him. We know He lives in us by the Holy Spirit He has given us.

The Spirits Must Be Tested

4 Dear Christian friends, do not believe every spirit. But test the spirits to see if they are from God for there are many false preachers in the world. ² You can tell if the spirit is from God in this way: Every spirit that says Jesus Christ has come in a human body is from God. ³ And every spirit that does not say Jesus has come in a human body is not from God. It is the teaching of the false-christ. You have heard that this teaching is coming. It is already here in the world. ⁴ My children, you are a part of God’s family. You have stood against these false preachers and had power over them. You had power over them because the One Who lives in you is stronger than the one who is in the world. ⁵ Those false teachers are a part of the world. They speak about the things of the world. The world listens to them. ⁶ We are a part of God’s family. The person who knows God will listen to us. The person who is not a part of God’s family will not listen to us. In this way, we can tell what is the spirit of truth and what is the spirit of false teaching.

John the Baptist Asks about Jesus ^(A)

11 When Jesus finished telling His twelve followers what to do, He went away from there to teach and preach in their towns.

² When John the Baptist was in prison, he heard what Jesus was doing. He sent his followers. ³ They asked, “Are You the One Who was to come, or should we look for another?” ⁴ Jesus said to them, “Go and tell John what you see and hear. ⁵ The blind are made to see. Those who could not walk are walking. Those who have had bad skin diseases are healed. Those who could not hear are hearing. The dead are raised up to life and the Good News is preached to poor people. ⁶ He is happy who is not ashamed of Me and does not turn away because of Me.”