Book of Common Prayer
A Prayer for the House of God
132 O Lord, remember David and all of his suffering. 2 Remember how he swore to the Lord, and how he made a promise to the Powerful One of Jacob: 3 “For sure I will not go into my house or lie on my bed, 4 or let sleep come and close my eyes, 5 until I find a place for the Lord, a house of worship for the Powerful One of Jacob.”
6 See, we heard about it in Ephrathah. We found it in the field of Jaar. 7 Let us go into the House of God. Let us worship at His feet. 8 Rise up, O Lord. Go to the place where You can rest, You and the special box of the Way of Worship which is Your strength. 9 Let Your religious leaders be dressed with what is right and good. And let those who belong to You sing for joy.
10 Because of David Your servant, do not turn away from Your chosen one. 11 The Lord has made a sure promise to David that He will never break: “I will set upon your throne your own children. 12 If your sons will keep My Law and My Word which I will teach them, then their sons will sit upon your throne forever.”
13 For the Lord has chosen Zion. He has wanted it for a place to live: 14 “This is the place where I can rest forever. Here I will live, for I have wanted it. 15 I will give her many good things. I will give her poor people much bread. 16 I will dress her religious leaders with saving power. And those in her that belong to Me will sing for joy. 17 There I will make the horn of David grow and will make a lamp ready for My chosen one. 18 I will dress those who hate him with shame. But the crown on him will shine.”
Peace through the One from the Family of Jesse
11 Then One will come from the family of Jesse. A branch will grow out of his roots. 2 And the Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of wise words and strength, the spirit of much learning and the fear of the Lord. 3 He will be glad in the fear of the Lord. He will not judge by what His eyes see, or decide by what His ears hear. 4 But He will judge the poor in a right and good way. He will be fair in what He decides for the people of the earth who have much trouble. He will punish the earth with His powerful mouth, and kill the sinful with the breath of His lips. 5 He will wear a belt of what is right and good and faithful around His body.
6 The wolf will live with the lamb. The leopard will lie down with the baby goat. The calf and the young lion and the young fat animal will lie down together. And a little boy will lead them. 7 The cow and the bear will eat side by side. And their young will lie down together. The lion will eat straw like the ox. 8 The nursing child will play by the hole of the cobra. And another child will put his hand in the hole of a snake whose bite is poison. 9 They will not hurt or destroy in all My holy mountain. For the earth will be as full of much learning from the Lord as the seas are full of water.
The People of Israel and Judah Return
10 In that day the nations will turn to the One from the family of Jesse. He will be honored by the people as someone special to see. And His place of rest will be full of His shining-greatness.
11 Jesus makes men holy. He takes away their sins. Both Jesus and the ones being made holy have the same Father. That is why Jesus is not ashamed to call them His brothers. 12 Jesus is saying to His Father, “I will tell My brothers Your name. I will sing songs of thanks for You among the people.” (A) 13 And again He says, “I will put My trust in God.” At another time He said, “Here I am with the children God gave Me.” (B)
14 It is true that we share the same Father with Jesus. And it is true that we share the same kind of flesh and blood because Jesus became a man like us. He died as we must die. Through His death He destroyed the power of the devil who has the power of death. 15 Jesus did this to make us free from the fear of death. We no longer need to be chained to this fear. 16 Jesus did not come to help angels. Instead, He came to help men who are of Abraham’s family. 17 So Jesus had to become like His brothers in every way. He had to be one of us to be our Religious Leader to go between God and us. He had loving-pity on us and He was faithful. He gave Himself as a gift to die on a cross for our sins so that God would not hold these sins against us any longer. 18 Because Jesus was tempted as we are and suffered as we do, He understands us and He is able to help us when we are tempted.
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