Book of Common Prayer
Prayer of a Suffering Man
38 O Lord, do not speak sharp words to me when You are angry. Do not punish me in Your burning anger. 2 For Your arrows have cut deep into me. And Your hand has come down upon me. 3 My body is in pain because of Your anger. There is no strength in my bones because of my sin. 4 For my sins are gone over my head. Like a heavy load, they weigh too much for me. 5 My sores smell and grow bigger because I do foolish things. 6 I cannot stand straight but keep my head down. I have sorrow all day long 7 for my body is filled with burning pain. There is no strength in my body. 8 I am weak and broken. I cry because of the pain in my heart. 9 Lord, all my desire is before You. And my breathing deep within is not hidden from You. 10 My heart beats fast. My strength leaves me. Even the light of my eyes has gone from me. 11 My loved ones and my friends stay away from me because of my sickness. My family stands far away. 12 Those who want to take my life set their traps. And those who want to destroy me talk about ways to do it. They make their sinful plans all day long.
13 But like a deaf man, I do not hear. I am like one who cannot speak and does not open his mouth. 14 Yes, I am like a man who does not hear, and whose mouth does not argue. 15 For I hope in You, O Lord. You will answer, O Lord my God. 16 For I said, “Do not let them be happy and raise themselves up against me when my foot trips.” 17 For I am ready to fall. And my sorrow is always with me. 18 For I tell my wrong-doings. I am full of sorrow because of my sin. 19 But those who fight against me are full of action and strength. There are many who hate me without reason. 20 They pay what is bad for what is good. They are against me because I follow what is good. 21 Do not leave me alone, O Lord! O my God, do not be far from me! 22 Hurry to help me, O Lord, Who saves me!
25 My soul is laid in the dust. Give me new life because of Your Word. 26 I have told about my ways, and You have answered me. Teach me Your Law. 27 Make me understand the way of Your Law so I will talk about Your great works. 28 My soul cries because of sorrow. Give me strength because of Your Word. 29 Take the false way from me. Show Your loving-favor by giving me Your Law. 30 I have chosen the faithful way. I have set Your Law in front of me. 31 I hold on to Your Law, O Lord. Do not put me to shame. 32 I will run the way of Your Law, for You will give me a willing heart.
33 O Lord, teach me the way of Your Law and I will obey it to the end. 34 Give me understanding. Then I will listen to Your Word and obey it with all my heart. 35 Make me walk in the path of Your Word, for I find joy in it. 36 Turn my heart toward Your Law, so I will not earn money in a wrong way. 37 Turn my eyes away from things that have no worth, and give me new life because of Your ways. 38 Keep Your promise to Your servant, the promise You made to those who fear and worship You. 39 Turn away the shame that I do not want to come to me, for Your Law is good. 40 O, how I desire Your Law! Give me new life because of Your right and good way.
41 May Your loving-kindness also come to me, O Lord. May You save me as Your Word says. 42 Then I will have an answer for the one who puts me to shame, for I trust in Your Word. 43 Do not take the word of truth out of my mouth, for I hope in Your Law. 44 I will always obey Your Law, forever and ever. 45 I will walk as a free man, for I look for Your Law. 46 I will speak of Your Law in front of kings and will not be ashamed. 47 I will be glad in Your Law, which I love. 48 I will lift up my hands to Your Word, which I love, and I will think about Your Law.
The Seventh Lock—No Sound in Heaven
8 When the Lamb broke the seventh lock, there was not a sound in heaven for about one-half hour.
2 Then I saw the seven angels standing before God. They were given seven horns.
3 Another angel came and stood at the altar. He held a cup made of gold full of special perfume. He was given much perfume so he could mix it in with the prayers of those who belonged to God. Their prayers were put on the altar made of gold before the throne. 4 Smoke from burning the special perfume and the prayers of those who belong to God went up before God out of the angel’s hand. 5 Then the angel took the cup of gold. He filled it with fire from the altar and threw it down on the earth. There was thunder and noise and lightning and the earth shook.
6 The seven angels that had the seven horns got ready to blow them.
The First Horn—Hail and Fire
7 So the first angel blew his horn. Hail and fire mixed with blood came down on the earth. One-third part of the earth was burned up. One-third part of the trees were burned up. All the green grass was burned up.
The Second Horn—the Burning Mountain
8 The second angel blew his horn. Something like a large mountain was burning with fire. It was thrown into the sea. One-third part of the sea turned into blood. 9 One-third part of all sea life died. One-third part of all the ships were destroyed.
The Third Horn—the Star of Poison
10 The third angel blew his horn. A large star fell from heaven. It was burning with a fire that kept burning like a bright light. It fell on one-third part of the rivers and on the places where water comes out of the earth. 11 The name of the star is Wormwood. One-third part of the water became poison. Many men died from drinking the water because it had become poison.
The Fourth Horn—Not As Much Light
12 The fourth angel blew his horn. One-third part of the sun and one-third part of the moon and one-third part of the stars were hurt. One-third part of them was made dark so that one-third part of the day and night had no light.
13 Then I looked and saw a very large bird flying in the sky. It said with a loud voice, “It is bad! It is bad! It is bad for those who live on the earth when the sound comes from the horns that the other three angels will blow!”
The Seventy Came Back
17 The seventy came back full of joy. They said, “Lord, even the demons obeyed us when we used Your name.” 18 Jesus said to them, “I saw Satan fall from heaven like lightning. 19 Listen! I have given you power to walk on snakes. I have given you power over small animals with a sting of poison. I have given you power over all the power of the one who works against you. Nothing will hurt you. 20 Even so, you should not be happy because the demons obey you but be happy because your names are written in heaven.”
The Joy of the Holy Spirit
21 At this time Jesus was full of the joy of the Holy Spirit. He said, “I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth. You have kept these things hidden from the wise and from those who have much learning. You have shown them to little children. Yes, Father, it was what you wanted done.
22 “Everything has been given to Me by My Father. No one knows the Son but the Father. No one knows the Father but the Son and the Son makes the Father known to those He chooses.”
23 Then He turned to His followers and said without anyone else hearing, “Happy are those who see what you see! 24 I tell you, many early preachers and kings have wanted to see the things you are seeing, but they did not see them. They have wanted to hear the things you are hearing, but they did not hear them.”
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