Book of Common Prayer
Zayin
Remembering What God Has Said
49 Remember what you said[a] to your servant,
by which you caused me to hope.
50 This is what comforts me in my troubles:
that what you say revives me.
51 Even though the arrogant utterly deride me,
I do not turn away from your instruction.[b]
52 I have remembered your ancient ordinances, Lord,
and I take comfort in them.
53 I burn with indignation because of the wicked
who forsake your instruction.[c]
54 Your statutes are my songs,
no matter where I make my home.[d]
55 In the night I remember your name, Lord,
and keep your instruction.[e]
56 I have made it my personal responsibility
to keep your precepts.
Cheth
Keeping God’s Word
57 The Lord is my inheritance;
I have given my promise to keep your word.
58 I have sought your favor with all of my heart;
be gracious to me according to your promise.
59 I examined my lifestyle
and set my feet in the direction of your decrees.
60 I hurried and did not procrastinate
to keep your commands.
61 Though the ropes of the wicked have ensnared me,
I have not forgotten your instruction.[f]
62 At midnight I will get up to thank you
for your righteous ordinances.
63 I am united with all who fear you,
and with everyone who keeps your precepts.
64 Lord, the earth overflows with your gracious love!
Teach me your statutes.
Teth
Praise for God’s Word
65 Lord, you have dealt well with your servant,
according to your word.
66 Teach me both knowledge and appropriate discretion,
because I believe in your commands.
67 Before I was humbled, I wandered away,
but now I observe your words.
68 Lord,[g] you are good[h], and do what is good;
teach me your statutes.
69 The arrogant have accused me falsely;
but I will observe your precepts wholeheartedly.
70 Their minds are clogged as with greasy fat,
but I find joy in your instruction.[i]
71 It was for my good that I was humbled;[j]
so that I would learn your statutes.
72 Instruction[k] that comes from you[l] is better for me
than thousands of gold and silver coins.[m]
To the Director: A song by the Sons of Korah.
The Destiny of the Wicked and the Upright
49 Listen to this, all you people!
Pay attention, all you who live in the world,
2 both average people and those of means,[a]
the rich and the poor together.
3 My mouth will speak wisely,
and I will understand what I think about.
4 I will focus my attention on[b] a proverb;
I will use the harp to expound my riddle.
5 Why should I be afraid when evil days come my way,
when the wickedness of those who deceive me surrounds me—
6 those who put confidence in their wealth
and boast about their great riches?
7 No man can redeem the life of another,[c]
nor can he give to God a sufficient payment for him—
8 for it would cost too much to redeem his life,
and the payments would go on forever—
9 that he should go on living
and not see corruption.
10 Indeed, he will see wise people die;
the stupid and the senseless will meet their doom
and leave their wealth to others.
11 Their inner thoughts are on[d] their homes forever;
their dwellings from generation to generation.
They even name their lands after themselves.
12 But humanity cannot last, despite its conceit;[e]
it will pass away just like the animals.[f]
13 This is the fate of those who are foolish
and of those who correct their words after they speak.
14 Like sheep, they are destined for the realm of the dead,[g]
with death as their shepherd.
The upright will have dominion over them in the morning;
their strength will be consumed in the afterlife,[h]
so that they have no home.
15 God will truly redeem me from the power[i] of Sheol.[j]
He will surely receive me!
16 Don’t be afraid when someone gets rich,
when the glory of his household increases.
17 When he dies, he will not be able to take it all with him[k]—
his possessions[l] will not follow him to the grave,[m]
18 although he considers himself blessed while he’s alive.
Though people praise you for doing well,
19 you will end up like your[n] ancestors’ generation,
never again to see the light of day!
20 Humanity, despite its conceit, does not understand
that it will perish, just like the animals.
To the Director: Upon machalath.[a] A Davidic instruction.[b]
The Fool and God’s Response
53 Fools say to themselves “There is no God.”
They are corrupt and commit iniquity;
not one of them practices what is good.
2 God looks down from the heavens upon humanity[c]
to see if anyone shows discernment as he searches for God.
3 All of them[d] have fallen away;
together they have become corrupt;
no one does what is good, not even one.
4 Will those who do evil ever learn?
They devour my people like they devour bread,
and never call on God.
5 There the Israelis[e] were seized with terror,
when there was nothing to fear.
For God scattered the bones of those who laid siege against you[f]—
you put them to shame,[g]
for God rejected them.
6 Would that Israel’s deliverance come out of Zion!
When God restores the fortunes of his people,
Jacob will rejoice and Israel will be glad.[h]
Job Wishes for the Old Days
29 Then Job continued with his discourse:
Job Describes His Current Status in Life
30 “But now they mock me;
men who are far younger than I,
whose fathers I would have hated
to entrust with my own sheep dogs.
2 Furthermore, what could I have gained
from men whose strength is gone?
Job Accuses God of Mistreating Him
16 “Now, my soul pours itself out;
the time of my affliction has taken control of me.
17 The night racks my bones;
and the pain that gnaws on me will not rest.
18 My clothes are disheveled by his forceful treatment of me;[a]
he restricts my movement like the collar of my cloak.
19 “He tossed me into the mire;
I’ve become like dust and ashes.
20 I cry for help to you,
but you won’t answer me;
I stand still,
but you only look at me.
21 You changed toward me, and now you’re cruel to me;
with your mighty hand you are persecuting me;
22 you carried me off in a wind storm,
making me ride on it
while you toss me about as the storm roars around me.
23 I know that you’re about to kill me,
so I’m about to go to the house that’s appointed for all the living.”
Job Lists His Hopes Despite His Deplorable Condition
24 “Surely he won’t stretch his hand against the needy, will he,
especially if they cry to him in their calamity?
25 Haven’t I wept for the one who is going through hard times?
Haven’t I grieved for the needy?
26 I have hoped for good, but evil came instead;
I have hoped for light, but darkness came.
27 I’m boiling mad inside, and I won’t remain silent;
the time for my affliction to confront me has arrived.
28 “In growing darkness, I walked without sunlight;
I stood in the congregation to cry for help.
29 I’ve become a brother to jackals,
and a friend to ostriches.
30 My skin turns black all over me;
and my bones seem burned from the heat.
31 But my harp is in mourning;
my flute plays only songs for those who are weeping.”
Paul and Barnabas Return to Antioch in Syria
19 But some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium and won over the crowds by persuasion. They stoned Paul and dragged him out of the town, thinking he was dead. 20 But the disciples formed a circle around him, and he got up and went back to town. The next day, he went on with Barnabas to Derbe.
21 As they were proclaiming the good news in that city, they discipled a large number of people. Then they went back to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, 22 strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to continue in the faith. “We must endure many hardships,” they said, “to get into the kingdom of God.” 23 Paul and Barnabas[a] appointed elders for them in each church, and with prayer and fasting they entrusted them to the Lord in whom they had believed. 24 Then they passed through Pisidia and came to Pamphylia. 25 They spoke the word[b] in Perga and went down to Attalia. 26 From there they sailed back to Antioch, where they had been entrusted to the grace of God for the work they had completed. 27 When they arrived, they called the church together and told them everything that God had done with them and how he had opened a door so that gentiles would believe. 28 Then they spent a long time with the disciples.
The Death of Lazarus
11 Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 Mary was the woman who anointed the Lord with perfume and wiped his feet with her hair. Her brother Lazarus was the one who was ill. 3 So the sisters sent word to Jesus[a] and told him, “Lord, the one whom you love is ill.”
4 But when Jesus heard it, he said, “This illness isn’t meant to end in death. It’s for God’s glory, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” 5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 Yet, when he heard that Lazarus[b] was ill, he stayed where he was for two more days.
7 After this, he told the disciples, “Let’s go back to Judea.”
8 The disciples told him, “Rabbi,[c] the Jewish leaders[d] were just now trying to stone you to death, and you are going back there again?”
9 Jesus replied, “There are twelve hours in the day, aren’t there? If anyone walks during the day he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. 10 But if anyone walks at night he stumbles, because the light is not in him.” 11 These were the things he said.
Then after this, he told them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I’m leaving to wake him up.”
12 So the disciples told him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will get well.” 13 Jesus, however, had been speaking about his death, but they thought that he was speaking about resting or sleeping.
14 Then Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus has died. 15 For your sake I’m glad that I wasn’t there, so that you may believe. But let’s go to him.”
16 Then Thomas, who was called the Twin,[e] told his fellow disciples, “Let’s go, too, so that we may die with him!”
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