Book of Common Prayer
Psalm 6[a]
Prayer in Distress
1 For the leader; with stringed instruments, “upon the eighth.”[b]
A psalm of David.
I
2 Do not reprove me in your anger, Lord,
nor punish me in your wrath.(A)
3 Have pity on me, Lord, for I am weak;
heal me, Lord, for my bones are shuddering.(B)
4 My soul too is shuddering greatly—
and you, Lord, how long…?[c](C)
5 Turn back, Lord, rescue my soul;
save me because of your mercy.
6 For in death there is no remembrance of you.
Who praises you in Sheol?[d](D)
II
7 I am wearied with sighing;
all night long I drench my bed with tears;
I soak my couch with weeping.
8 My eyes are dimmed with sorrow,
worn out because of all my foes.(E)
III
Psalm 12[a]
Prayer Against Evil Tongues
1 For the leader; “upon the eighth.” A psalm of David.
I
2 Help, Lord, for no one loyal remains;
the faithful have vanished from the children of men.(A)
3 They tell lies to one another,
speak with deceiving lips and a double heart.(B)
II
4 May the Lord cut off all deceiving lips,
and every boastful tongue,
5 Those who say, “By our tongues we prevail;
when our lips speak, who can lord it over us?”(C)
III
6 “Because they rob the weak, and the needy groan,
I will now arise,” says the Lord;
“I will grant safety to whoever longs for it.”(D)
IV
Psalm 94[a]
A Prayer for Deliverance from the Wicked
I
1 Lord, avenging God,
avenging God, shine forth!(A)
2 Rise up, O judge of the earth;
give the proud what they deserve!(B)
II
3 How long, Lord, shall the wicked,
how long shall the wicked glory?(C)
4 How long will they mouth haughty speeches,
go on boasting, all these evildoers?(D)
5 They crush your people, Lord,
torment your very own.
6 They kill the widow and alien;
the orphan they murder.(E)
7 They say, “The Lord does not see;
the God of Jacob takes no notice.”(F)
III
8 Understand, you stupid people!
You fools, when will you be wise?(G)
9 Does the one who shaped the ear not hear?
The one who formed the eye not see?(H)
10 Does the one who guides nations not rebuke?
The one who teaches man not have knowledge?
11 The Lord knows the plans of man;
they are like a fleeting breath.(I)
IV
12 Blessed the one whom you guide, Lord,(J)
whom you teach by your instruction,
13 To give rest from evil days,
while a pit is being dug for the wicked.
14 For the Lord will not forsake his people,
nor abandon his inheritance.(K)
15 Judgment shall again be just,
and all the upright of heart will follow it.
V
16 Who will rise up for me against the wicked?
Who will stand up for me against evildoers?
17 If the Lord were not my help,
I would long have been silent in the grave.(L)
18 When I say, “My foot is slipping,”
your mercy, Lord, holds me up.(M)
19 When cares increase within me,
your comfort gives me joy.
VI
20 Can unjust judges be your allies,
those who create burdens by decree,
21 Those who conspire against the just
and condemn the innocent to death?
22 No, the Lord is my secure height,
my God, my rock of refuge,
23 (N)Who will turn back their evil upon them(O)
and destroy them for their wickedness.
Surely the Lord our God will destroy them!
Jeremiah’s Complaint
10 Woe to me, my mother, that you gave me birth!
a man of strife and contention to all the land!
I neither borrow nor lend,
yet everyone curses me.(A)
11 Tell me, Lord, have I not served you for their good?
Have I not interceded with you
in time of misfortune and anguish?(B)
12 Can one break iron,
iron from the north, and bronze?
13 [a]Your wealth and your treasures
I give as plunder, demanding no payment,
because of all your sins, throughout all your territory.
14 And I shall enslave you to your enemies
in a land you do not know,
For fire has broken out from my anger,
it is kindled against you.
15 You know, Lord:
Remember me and take care of me,
avenge me on my persecutors.
Because you are slow to anger, do not banish me;
know that for you I have borne insult.(C)
16 When I found your words, I devoured them;
your words were my joy, the happiness of my heart,
Because I bear your name,
Lord, God of hosts.
17 I did not sit celebrating
in the circle of merrymakers;
Under the weight of your hand I sat alone
because you filled me with rage.(D)
18 Why is my pain continuous,
my wound incurable, refusing to be healed?
To me you are like a deceptive brook,
waters that cannot be relied on!(E)
19 Thus the Lord answered me:
If you come back and I take you back,
in my presence you shall stand;
If you utter what is precious and not what is worthless,
you shall be my mouth.
Then they will be the ones who turn to you,
not you who turn to them.
20 And I will make you toward this people
a fortified wall of bronze.
Though they fight against you,
they shall not prevail,
For I am with you,
to save and rescue you—oracle of the Lord.(F)
21 I will rescue you from the hand of the wicked,
and ransom you from the power of the violent.
15 Let us, then, who are “perfectly mature” adopt this attitude. And if you have a different attitude, this too God will reveal to you. 16 Only, with regard to what we have attained, continue on the same course.[a]
Wrong Conduct and Our Goal.[b] 17 Join with others in being imitators of me,[c] brothers, and observe those who thus conduct themselves according to the model you have in us.(A) 18 For many, as I have often told you and now tell you even in tears, conduct themselves as enemies of the cross of Christ.(B) 19 Their end is destruction. Their God is their stomach; their glory is in their “shame.” Their minds are occupied with earthly things.(C) 20 But our citizenship[d] is in heaven, and from it we also await a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.(D) 21 He will change our lowly body to conform with his glorified body by the power that enables him also to bring all things into subjection to himself.(E)
20 Now there were some Greeks[a] among those who had come up to worship at the feast.(A) 21 [b]They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, “Sir, we would like to see Jesus.”(B) 22 Philip went and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus.(C) 23 [c]Jesus answered them,(D) “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 [d]Amen, amen, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat;(E) but if it dies, it produces much fruit. 25 Whoever loves his life[e] loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will preserve it for eternal life.(F) 26 Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there also will my servant be. The Father will honor whoever serves me.(G)
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