Book of Common Prayer

The Lord—Our Shepherd

23 The Lord is my Shepherd. I will have everything I need. ² He lets me rest in fields of green grass. He leads me beside the quiet waters. ³ He makes me strong again. He leads me in the way of living right with Himself which brings honor to His name. ⁴ Yes, even if I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will not be afraid of anything, because You are with me. You have a walking stick with which to guide and one with which to help. These comfort me. ⁵ You are making a table of food ready for me in front of those who hate me. You have poured oil on my head. I have everything I need. ⁶ For sure, You will give me goodness and loving-kindness all the days of my life. Then I will live with You in Your house forever.

The Lord—Our Helper

121 I will lift up my eyes to the mountains. Where will my help come from? ² My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth. ³ He will not let your feet go out from under you. He Who watches over you will not sleep. ⁴ Listen, He Who watches over Israel will not close his eyes or sleep.

⁵ The Lord watches over you. The Lord is your safe cover at your right hand. ⁶ The sun will not hurt you during the day and the moon will not hurt you during the night. ⁷ The Lord will keep you from all that is sinful. He will watch over your soul. ⁸ The Lord will watch over your coming and going, now and forever.

Job Answers the Lord

42 Then Job answered the Lord, and said, ² “I know that You can do all things. Nothing can put a stop to Your plans. ³ ‘Who is this that hides words of wisdom without much learning?’ I have said things that I did not understand, things too great for me, which I did not know. ⁴ ‘Hear now, and I will speak. I will ask you, and you answer Me.’ ⁵ I had heard of You only by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees You. ⁶ So I hate the things that I have said. And I put dust and ashes on myself to show how sorry I am.”

³ Let us thank the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It was through His loving-kindness that we were born again to a new life and have a hope that never dies. This hope is ours because Jesus was raised from the dead. ⁴ We will receive the great things that we have been promised. They are being kept safe in heaven for us. They are pure and will not pass away. They will never be lost. ⁵ You are being kept by the power of God because you put your trust in Him and you will be saved from the punishment of sin at the end of the world.

⁶ With this hope you can be happy even if you need to have sorrow and all kinds of tests for awhile. ⁷ These tests have come to prove your faith and to show that it is good. Gold, which can be destroyed, is tested by fire. Your faith is worth much more than gold and it must be tested also. Then your faith will bring thanks and shining-greatness and honor to Jesus Christ when He comes again. ⁸ You have never seen Him but you love Him. You cannot see Him now but you are putting your trust in Him. And you have joy so great that words cannot tell about it. ⁹ You will get what your faith is looking for, which is to be saved from the punishment of sin.

Prayer of Trust in God

27 The Lord is my light and the One Who saves me. Whom should I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life. Of whom should I be afraid? ² When sinful men, and all who hated me, came against me to destroy my flesh, they tripped and fell. ³ Even if an army gathers against me, my heart will not be afraid. Even if war rises against me, I will be sure of You.

⁴ One thing I have asked from the Lord, that I will look for: that I may live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to look upon the beauty of the Lord, and to worship in His holy house. ⁵ For in the day of trouble He will keep me safe in His holy tent. In the secret place of His tent He will hide me. He will set me high upon a rock. ⁶ Then my head will be lifted up above all those around me who hate me. I will give gifts in His holy tent with a loud voice of joy. I will sing. Yes, I will sing praises to the Lord.

⁷ O Lord, listen to my cry. Show loving-kindness to me and answer me. ⁸ You have said, “Look for My face.” My heart said to You, “O Lord, Your face will I look for.” ⁹ Do not hide Your face from me. Do not turn Your servant away in anger. You have been my Helper. Do not turn away from me or leave me alone, O God Who saves me! ¹⁰ For my father and my mother have left me. But the Lord will take care of me.

¹¹ Teach me Your way, O Lord. Lead me in a straight path, because of those who fight against me. ¹² Do not give me over to the desire of those who hate me. For people who tell lies about me rise against me, and breathe a desire to hurt me. ¹³ I would have been without hope if I had not believed that I would see the loving-kindness of the Lord in the land of the living. ¹⁴ Wait for the Lord. Be strong. Let your heart be strong. Yes, wait for the Lord.

Jesus Comforts His Followers

14 “Do not let your heart be troubled. You have put your trust in God, put your trust in Me also. ² There are many rooms in My Father’s house. If it were not so, I would have told you. I am going away to make a place for you. ³ After I go and make a place for you, I will come back and take you with Me. Then you may be where I am. ⁴ You know where I am going and you know how to get there.”

⁵ Thomas said to Jesus, “Lord, we do not know where You are going. How can we know the way to get there?” ⁶ Jesus said, “I am the Way and the Truth and the Life. No one can go to the Father except by Me. ⁷ If you had known Me, you would know My Father also. From now on you know Him and have seen Him.”