Book of Common Prayer
Psalm 101[a]
Norm of Life for a Good Ruler
1 A psalm of David.
I will sing of kindness and justice;
to you, O Lord, I will offer praise in song.
2 I will walk in the path of blamelessness;
when will you come to me?[b]
Within my house[c] I will act
with integrity of heart.
3 I will not allow any shameful act
to be done before my eyes.
[d]I will refuse to associate
with people who do evil.
4 Let the perverse of heart remain far from me;
I will not tolerate the wicked.
5 [e]Anyone who secretly slanders a neighbor
I will reduce to silence.
Anyone with haughty glances and an arrogant heart
I cannot endure.
6 The faithful in the land are the ones
whom I will choose to be my companions.
Only the one who follows the path of integrity
will be allowed to be my servant.
7 No one who practices deceit
will be permitted to remain in my house.
No one who utters lies
will be numbered among my companions.[f]
8 Morning after morning[g] I will banish
all the wicked from the land,
removing all evildoers from the city of the Lord.
Psalm 109[a]
Prayer for One Falsely Accused
1 For the director.[b] A psalm of David.
[c]O God, whom I praise,
do not remain silent.
2 Wicked and deceitful men
have opened their mouths against me;[d]
they have spoken against me with lying tongues.
3 They confront me with words of hatred
and assail me without cause.
4 In return for my love they denounce me
even as I offer up prayers for them.[e]
5 They give me back evil in exchange for good
and hatred in place of my love.[f]
6 [g]They say:[h]
“Choose a wicked man to oppose him,
an accuser to stand on his right.
7 At his judgment, let him be found guilty,
with even his prayers deemed sinful.[i]
8 “May his remaining days be few,
with someone else appointed to take his office.[j]
9 May his children become fatherless
and his wife become widowed.
10 “May his children be vagrants and beggars,
driven from the ruins they use for shelter.
11 May the creditor seize all he has,
and strangers abscond with his life savings.
12 [k]“May no one extend mercy to him
or take pity on his fatherless children.
13 May his posterity be doomed to extinction
and his name be blotted out within a generation.
14 “May the iniquity of his ancestors be remembered by the Lord,
and the sin of his mother never be wiped out.
15 May their guilt be continually before the Lord,
and may he banish all remembrance of them from the earth.
16 [l]“For he never thought of showing mercy;
rather, he hounded to death
the poor and the needy and the brokenhearted.
17 He loved to level curses[m] at others;
may they recoil on him.
He took no pleasure in blessing;
may no blessing be his.
18 [n]“He clothed himself with cursing as his garment;
it seeped into his body like water
and into his bones like oil.
19 May it be like the robe that envelops him,
like the belt that encircles him every day.”
20 May these evils my accusers wish for me
be inflicted upon them by the Lord.[o]
21 [p]But you, O Lord, my God,
treat me kindly for your name’s sake;[q]
deliver me because of your overwhelming kindness.
22 For I am poor and needy,[r]
and my heart is pierced within me.
23 I am fading away[s] like an evening shadow;
I am shaken off like a locust.
24 My knees are weak from fasting;
my flesh is wasting away.
25 I have become an object of ridicule to my accusers;
upon seeing me, they toss their heads.[t]
26 Come to my aid, O Lord, my God;
save me because of your kindness.[u]
27 Let them know that your hand has done this,
that you, O Lord, have accomplished it.
28 When they curse, you will bless;
when they attack, they will be put to shame,
and your servant will rejoice.[v]
29 My accusers will be clothed in disgrace,
wrapped in their shame as in a cloak.
30 I will thank the Lord with my lips,
and before all the people I will praise him.[w]
121 [a]Since my conduct has been just and upright,
do not abandon me to those who oppress me.
122 Guarantee the well-being of your servant;[b]
do not allow the arrogant to oppress me.
123 My eyes fail[c] as I long for your salvation
and for the promise of your justice.
124 Deal with your servant in accordance with your kindness,[d]
and teach me your decrees.
125 I am your servant; grant me discernment
so that I may understand your statutes.
126 It is time, O Lord, for you to take action;
your law has been broken.
127 That is why I love your precepts
more than gold, even the purest gold.[e]
128 That is why I regard all your commandments as right
and despise every way that is false.
Pe
129 [f]Wonderful are your statutes;
therefore, I willingly observe them.
130 The explanation[g] of your words gives light
and imparts understanding to the simple.
131 I open wide my mouth and sigh,[h]
longing eagerly for your precepts.
132 [i]Turn and have mercy on me,
as you always do to those who love your name.[j]
133 Guide my steps in accord with your word
and never let evil triumph over me.
134 Rescue me from the oppression of men
so that I may observe your commandments.
135 Allow your face to shine[k] upon your servant
and teach me your decrees.
136 Streams of tears flow from my eyes
because your law is disregarded.[l]
Sadhe
137 [m]You are righteous, O Lord,
and your judgments are right.
138 You have set down your statutes as righteous
and as completely faithful.
139 Zeal has consumed me
because my adversaries ignore your words.
140 Your word has been tested through and through,[n]
and your servant cherishes it.
141 Although I am despised and unimportant,
I do not forget your commands.
142 Your righteousness is everlasting,
and your law is forever true.
143 I am afflicted by anguish and distress,
but your precepts are my delight.
144 Your statutes are forever righteous;
grant me understanding and I will live.
Qoph
42 The Triumph of Judas.[a] Judas and his brothers realized how critical their situation had become, with opposing forces encamped within their territory. They also had learned of the orders that the king had issued for the total destruction of their people. 43 Therefore, they said to one another, “Let us restore the shattered fortunes of our people and fight for our people and our sanctuary.”
44 They then gathered together in a full assembly, both to prepare for battle and to offer prayers and implore mercy and compassion.
45 Jerusalem was uninhabited like a wilderness;
not one of her children entered or came out.
The sanctuary was trodden underfoot,
and foreigners had captured the citadel,
which had become a lodging place for the Gentiles.
Joy had vanished from Jacob;
the flute and the harp were silent.
46 After assembling, they made their way to Mizpah,[b] opposite Jerusalem, because in former times Mizpah had been a place of worship for Israel. 47 That day they fasted, donned sackcloth, sprinkled ashes on their heads, and tore their garments. 48 They unrolled the scroll of the law, seeking therein the guidance for which the Gentiles consulted the images of their gods. 49 They also carried with them the priestly vestments and the firstfruits and the tithes, and they brought forth the Nazirites[c] who had completed the period of their vows. 50 Then they cried aloud to Heaven: “What shall we do with these people, and where shall we take them? 51 Your sanctuary has been trampled underfoot and profaned, and your priests mourn in humiliation. 52 And now the Gentiles have formed an alliance to destroy us. You are well aware of what fate they plan for us. 53 How will we be able to withstand them if you do not come to our aid?” 54 Then they sounded the trumpets and raised a great shout.
55 After this, Judas appointed leaders of the people, in charge of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens. 56 He ordered to return to their homes those who were building houses, those who were just married, those who were planting vineyards, and those who were afraid, in accordance with the provisions of the law. 57 Then the army marched out and encamped to the south of Emmaus. 58 “Arm yourselves and be brave,” Judas instructed. “In the morning be prepared to fight against these Gentiles who have assembled against us to destroy us and our sanctuary. 59 It is better that we die in battle than that we witness the misfortunes of our people and our sanctuary. Whatever Heaven wills, so will he do.”
The New Jerusalem. 9 One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls filled with the seven final plagues came forward and said to me, “Come, and I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.” 10 Then he carried me away in the spirit[a] to the top of a very high mountain and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God. 11 It possessed the glory of God and had the radiance of some priceless jewel, like jasper, clear as crystal.
12 Its wall was of a great height, with twelve gates,[b] and at the gates there were twelve angels. On the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel. 13 There were three gates to the east, three to the north, three to the south, and three to the west. 14 The city wall had twelve foundation stones, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. 15 The angel who was speaking to me was carrying a gold measuring rod to measure the city,[c] its gates, and its wall. 16 The city was laid out like a square, with its length and its width identical. He measured the city with his measuring rod: it was fifteen hundred miles[d] in length and width, and equal in height.
17 Then he measured its wall, and it was one hundred and forty-four cubits[e] high by human measurements, which the angel employed. 18 [f]The wall was built of jasper, while the city itself was of pure gold, as bright as clear glass.
19 The foundations of the city wall were adorned with precious stones of every kind. The first of the foundation stones was jasper, the second sapphire, the third turquoise, the fourth emerald, 20 the fifth onyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst. 21 The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each of the gates fashioned from a single pearl, and the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.
22 Jesus Predicts His Passion a Second Time.[a] When they were together in Galilee, Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be handed over into the power of men. 23 They will kill him, and on the third day he will be raised.” And they were overwhelmed with grief.
24 Jesus Pays the Temple Tax.[b] When they arrived at Capernaum, the collectors of the temple tax came up to Peter and asked, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the temple tax?” 25 “Yes, he does,” he replied.
When Peter went into the house, but before he had a chance to speak, Jesus asked him, “Simon, what is your opinion? From whom do the kings of the earth exact tolls and taxes—from their own sons or from others?” 26 And when he said, “From others,” Jesus replied, “Then their sons are exempt. 27 However, lest we give offense to them, go to the lake and cast a hook. Take the first fish that you catch and open its mouth. There you will find a silver coin. Take it and give it to them for me and for yourself.”
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