Book of Common Prayer
Psalm 40
For the choir director; a psalm by David.
1 I waited patiently for Yahweh.
He turned to me and heard my cry for help.
2 He pulled me out of a horrible pit,
out of the mud and clay.
He set my feet on a rock
and made my steps secure.
3 He placed a new song in my mouth,
a song of praise to our Elohim.
Many will see this and worship.
They will trust Yahweh.
4 Blessed is the person
who places his confidence in Yahweh
and does not rely on arrogant people
or those who follow lies.
5 You have done many miraculous things, O Yahweh my Elohim.
You have made many wonderful plans for us.
No one compares to you!
I will tell others about your miracles,
which are more than I can count.
6 You were not pleased with sacrifices and offerings.
You have dug out two ears for me.[a]
You did not ask for burnt offerings or sacrifices for sin.
7 Then I said, “I have come!
(It is written about me in the scroll of the book.)
8 I am happy to do your will, O my Elohim.”
Your teachings are deep within me.
9 I will announce the good news of righteousness
among those assembled for worship.
I will not close my lips.
You know that, O Yahweh.
10 I have not buried your righteousness deep in my heart.
I have been outspoken about your faithfulness and your salvation.
I have not hidden your mercy and your truth
from those assembled for worship.
11 Do not withhold your compassion from me, O Yahweh.
May your mercy and your truth always protect me.
12 Countless evils have surrounded me.
My sins have caught up with me so that I can no longer see.
They outnumber the hairs on my head.
I have lost heart.
13 O Yahweh, please rescue me!
Come quickly to help me, O Yahweh![b]
14 Let all those who seek to end my life
be confused and put to shame.
Let those who want my downfall
be turned back and disgraced.
15 Let those who say to me, “Aha! Aha!”
be stunned by their own shame.
16 Let all who seek you rejoice and be glad because of you.
Let those who love your salvation continually say,
“Yahweh is great!”
17 But I am oppressed and needy.
May Adonay think of me.
You are my help and my savior.
O my Elohim, do not delay!
Psalm 54
For the choir director; on stringed instruments; a maskil by David when people from the city of Ziph told Saul that David was hiding among them.
1 O Elohim, save me by your name,
and defend me with your might.
2 O Elohim, hear my prayer,
and open your ears to the words from my mouth.
3 Strangers have attacked me.
Ruthless people seek my life.
They do not think about Elohim.[a] Selah
4 Elohim is my helper!
Adonay is the provider for my life.
5 My enemies spy on me.
Pay them back with evil.
Destroy them with your truth!
6 I will make a sacrifice to you along with a freewill offering.
I will give thanks to your good name, O Yahweh.
7 Your name rescues me from every trouble.
My eyes will gloat over my enemies.
Psalm 51
For the choir director; a psalm by David when the prophet Nathan came to him after David’s adultery with Bathsheba.
1 Have pity on me, O Elohim, in keeping with your mercy.
In keeping with your unlimited compassion, wipe out my rebellious acts.
2 Wash me thoroughly from my guilt,
and cleanse me from my sin.
3 I admit that I am rebellious.
My sin is always in front of me.
4 I have sinned against you, especially you.
I have done what you consider evil.
So you hand down justice when you speak,
and you are blameless when you judge.
5 Indeed, I was born guilty.
I was a sinner when my mother conceived me.
6 Yet, you desire truth and sincerity.[a]
Deep down inside me you teach me wisdom.
7 Purify me from sin with hyssop,[b] and I will be clean.[c]
Wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
8 Let me hear sounds of joy and gladness.
Let the bones that you have broken dance.
9 Hide your face from my sins,
and wipe out all that I have done wrong.
10 Create a clean heart in me, O Elohim,
and renew a faithful spirit within me.
11 Do not force me away from your presence,
and do not take Ruach Qodesh from me.
12 Restore the joy of your salvation to me,
and provide me with a spirit of willing obedience.
13 Then I will teach your ways to those who are rebellious,
and sinners will return to you.
14 Rescue me from the guilt of murder,
O Elohim, my savior.
Let my tongue sing joyfully about your righteousness!
15 O Adonay, open my lips,
and my mouth will tell about your praise.
16 You are not happy with any sacrifice.
Otherwise, I would offer one to you.
You are not pleased with burnt offerings.
17 The sacrifice pleasing to Elohim is a broken spirit.
O Elohim, you do not despise a broken and sorrowful heart.
18 Favor Zion with your goodness.
Rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.
19 Then you will be pleased with sacrifices offered in the right spirit—
with burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings.
Young bulls will be offered on your altar.
Don’t Daydream or Speak Carelessly When You Worship
5 [a]Watch your step when you go to the house of Elohim. It is better to go there and listen than to bring the sacrifices fools bring. Fools are unaware that they are doing something evil.
2 Don’t be in a hurry to talk. Don’t be eager to speak in the presence of Elohim. Since Elohim is in heaven and you are on earth, limit the number of your words.
3 Daydreaming comes when there are too many worries.
Careless speaking comes when there are too many words.
4 When you make a promise to Elohim, don’t be slow to keep it because Elohim doesn’t like fools. Keep your promise. 5 It is better not to make a promise than to make one and not keep it. 6 Don’t let your mouth talk you into committing a sin. Don’t say in the presence of a temple messenger, “My promise was a mistake!” Why should Elohim become angry at your excuse and destroy what you’ve accomplished?
7 In spite of many daydreams, pointless actions, and empty words, you should still fear Elohim.
The Relationship between Law and Promise
15 Brothers and sisters, let me use an example from everyday life. No one can cancel a person’s will or add conditions to it once that will is put into effect. 16 The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his descendant. Scripture doesn’t say, “descendants,” referring to many, but “your descendant,” referring to one. That descendant is Christ. 17 This is what I mean: The laws given to Moses 430 years after God had already put his promise to Abraham into effect didn’t cancel the promise to Abraham. 18 If we have to gain the inheritance by following those laws, then it no longer comes to us because of the promise. However, God freely gave the inheritance to Abraham through a promise.
19 What, then, is the purpose of the laws given to Moses? They were added to identify what wrongdoing is. Moses’ laws did this until the descendant to whom the promise was given came.[a] It was put into effect through angels, using a mediator. 20 A mediator is not used when there is only one person involved, and God has acted on his own.
21 Does this mean, then, that the laws given to Moses contradict God’s promises? That’s unthinkable! If those laws could give us life, then certainly we would receive God’s approval because we obeyed them. 22 But Scripture states that the whole world is controlled by the power of sin. Therefore, a promise based on faith in Yeshua Christ could be given to those who believe.
Jesus Walks on the Sea(A)
22 Yeshua quickly made his disciples get into a boat and cross to the other side ahead of him while he sent the people away. 23 After sending the people away, he went up a mountain to pray by himself. When evening came, he was there alone.
24 The boat, now hundreds of yards from shore, was being thrown around by the waves because it was going against the wind.
25 Between three and six o’clock in the morning, he came to them. He was walking on the sea. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified. They said, “It’s a ghost!” and began to scream because they were afraid.
27 Immediately, Yeshua said, “Calm down! It’s me. Don’t be afraid!”
28 Peter answered, “Lord, if it is you, order me to come to you on the water.”
29 Yeshua said, “Come!” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water toward Yeshua. 30 But when he noticed how strong the wind was, he became afraid and started to sink. He shouted, “Lord, save me!”
31 Immediately, Yeshua reached out, caught hold of him, and said, “You have so little faith! Why did you doubt?”
32 When they got into the boat, the wind stopped blowing. 33 The men in the boat bowed down in front of Yeshua and said, “You are truly the Son of God.”
34 They crossed the sea and landed at Gennesaret. 35 The men there recognized Yeshua and sent messengers all around the countryside. The people brought him everyone who was sick. 36 They begged him to let them touch just the edge of his clothes. Everyone who touched his clothes was made well.
The Names of God Bible (without notes) © 2011 by Baker Publishing Group.