Book of Common Prayer
A Davidic Psalm: As a Reminder.
The Outcast Cries Out
38 Lord! Do not rebuke me in your anger;
do not correct me in your wrath,
2 because your arrows have sunk deep into me,
and your hand has come down hard on me.
3 My body is unhealthy due to your anger,
and my bones have no rest due to my sin.
4 My iniquities loom over my head;
like a cumbersome burden, they are too heavy for me.
5 My wounds have putrefied and festered
because of my foolishness.
6 I am bent over and walk about greatly bowed down;
all day long I go around mourning.
7 My insides[a] are burning
and my body is unhealthy.
8 I am weak and utterly crushed;
I cry out in distress because of my heart’s anguish.
9 Lord, all my longings are before you,
and my groaning is not hidden from you.
10 My heart pounds,
my strength fails me,
even the gleam in my eye is gone.
11 As for my friends and my neighbors,
they stand aloof from my distress;
even my close relatives stand at a distance.
12 Those who seek my life lay snares for me;
those who seek to do me harm brag all day long about their wicked planning.
13 I am like the deaf, who cannot hear,
and like the mute, who cannot open his mouth.
14 Indeed, I have become like a man who hears nothing,
and in whose mouth there is no rebuke.
15 Because I have placed my hope in you, Lord,
you will answer, Lord, my God.
16 For I said, “Do not let them gloat over me,
as they congratulate themselves when my foot slips.”
17 Indeed, I am being set up for a fall,
and I am continuously reminded of my pain.
18 I confess my iniquity,
and my sin troubles me.
19 But my enemies are alive and well;[b]
those who hate me[c] for no reason are numerous.[d]
20 They[e] reward my good with evil,
opposing me because I seek to do good.[f]
21 Don’t forsake me, Lord.
My God, do not be so distant from me.
22 Come quickly and help me,
Lord, my deliverer.
Daleth
Strength Comes from the Word
25 My soul clings to the dust;
revive me according to your word.
26 I have talked about my ways,
and you have answered me;
Teach me your statutes.
27 Help me understand how your precepts function,[a]
and I will meditate on your wondrous acts.
28 I weep because of sorrow;
fortify me according to your word.
29 Remove false paths from me;
and graciously give me your instruction.[b]
30 I have chosen the faithful way;
I have firmly placed your ordinances before me.[c]
31 I cling to your decrees;
Lord, do not put me to shame.
32 I eagerly race along the way of your commands,
for you enable me to do so.[d]
He
Instructed by the Word
33 Teach me, Lord, about the way of your statutes,
and I will observe them without fail.[e]
34 Give me understanding
and I will observe your instruction.[f]
I will keep it with all of my heart.
35 Help me live my life by your commands,
because my joy is in them.
36 Turn my heart to your decrees
and away from unjust gain.
37 Turn my eyes away from gazing at worthless things,
and revive me by your ways.
38 Confirm your promise to your servant,
which is for those who fear you.
39 Turn away the shame that I dread,
because your ordinances are good.
40 Look, I long for your precepts;
revive me through your righteousness.
Vav
A Song of Praise
41 May your gracious love come to me, Lord,
your salvation, just as you said.
42 Then I can answer the one who insults me,
for I place my trust in your word.
43 Never take your truthful words from me,
For I wait for[g] your ordinances.
44 Then I will always keep your Law,
forever and ever,
45 I will walk in liberty,
for I seek your precepts.
46 Then I will speak of your decrees before kings
and not be ashamed.
47 I will take delight in your commands,
which I love.
48 I will lift up my hands to your commands,
which I love,
and I will meditate on your statutes.
Job Responds to Zophar
12 In response Job replied:
Human Beings Live and Die
14 Human beings born by women
are short-lived[a] and full of trouble.
2 He springs up[b] like a flower and then withers.[c]
Like a shadow, he disappears[d] and doesn’t last.
3 Indeed, have you opened your eyes on one like this—
to bring me into a legal fight with you?
4 Who can produce a clean thing from an unclean thing?
No one!
5 Since his days have been determined,
the number of his months is known to you.
You’ve set his limit
and he cannot exceed it.
6 Look away from him and leave him alone,
so he can enjoy his time, like a hired worker.”
Death is Certain
7 “There is hope for the tree, if it is cut down,
that it will sprout again,
and that its shoots won’t stop growing.
8 Even if its roots have grown ancient in the earth,
and its stump begins to rot[e] in the ground,
9 the presence[f] of water will make it to bud
so that it sprouts new branches like a young plant.
10 “But when a person[g] dies and wastes away,
when a person[h] breathes his last, where will he be?
11 As water disappears from the sea,
or water evaporates from a river,
12 so also a person[i] lies down and does not get up;
they won’t awaken until the heavens are no more,
nor will they arise from their sleep.”
There is Life after Death
13 “Won’t you keep me safe in the afterlife?[j]
Conceal me until your anger subsides.
Set an appointment for me,
then remember me.
14 If a human being[k] dies, will he live again?
I will endure the entire time of my assigned service,
until I am changed.[l]
15 You’ll call and I’ll answer you;
you’ll long for your creatures that your hands have made.[m]
16 Then you’ll certainly count every step I took,
but you won’t keep an inventory of my sin.
17 My transgressions would be sealed up in a bag;
you would cover over my sins.
18 “Mountains fall and crumble;
rocks are dislodged from their places.
19 Water wears away stones;
floods wash away topsoil from the land—
but you destroy the hope of human beings just like that!
20 You overpower him once and for all, and then he departs;
you change his appearance and then send him away.
21 “If his children are honored, he doesn’t know it;
if they become insignificant, he never perceives it.
22 He feels only his own pain,[n]
and grieves only for himself.”
18 When morning came, there was a great commotion among the soldiers as to what had become of Peter. 19 Herod searched for him but didn’t find him, so he questioned the guards and ordered them to be executed. Then he left Judea, went down to Caesarea, and stayed there for a while.
The Death of Herod
20 Now Herod had been in a violent quarrel with the people of Tyre and Sidon. So they came to him as a group. After they had won over Blastus, who oversaw security[a] for the king’s sleeping quarters, they asked for a peace agreement because their country depended on the king’s country for food. 21 Therefore, at a set time Herod put on his royal robes, sat down on the royal seat, and made a speech to them. 22 The people kept shouting, “This is the voice of a god, not of a man!” 23 Immediately the angel of the Lord struck him down because he did not give glory to God, and he was eaten by worms and died. 24 But the word of God continued to grow and spread.
25 When Barnabas and Saul had fulfilled their mission, they returned from[b] Jerusalem, bringing with them John (who was also called Mark).
47 The one who belongs to God listens to the words of God. The reason you don’t listen is because you don’t belong to God.”
Jesus is Superior to Abraham
48 The Jewish leaders[a] replied to him, “Surely we’re right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon, aren’t we?”
49 Jesus answered, “I don’t have a demon. On the contrary, I honor my Father, and you dishonor me. 50 I don’t seek my own glory. There is one who seeks it, and he is the Judge. 51 Truly, I tell all of you[b] emphatically, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.”
52 Then the Jewish leaders[c] told him, “Now we really know that you have a demon. Abraham died, and so did the prophets, but you say, ‘If anyone keeps my word, he will never taste death.’ 53 You aren’t greater than our father Abraham, who died, are you? The prophets also died. Who are you making yourself out to be?”
54 Jesus answered, “If I were trying to glorify myself, my glory would mean nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God.’ 55 You don’t know him, but I know him. If I were to say that I don’t know him, I would be a liar like you. But I do know him and keep his word. 56 Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day, and he saw it and was glad.”
57 Then the Jewish leaders[d] asked him, “You are not even 50 years old, yet you have seen Abraham?”[e]
58 Jesus told them, “Truly, I tell all of you[f] emphatically, before there was an Abraham, I AM!” 59 At this, they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the Temple.
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