Book of Common Prayer
The Reign of the Lord’s Anointed.
2 Why are (A)the [a]nations in an uproar
And the peoples (B)devising a vain thing?
2 The (C)kings of the earth take their stand
And the rulers take counsel together
(D)Against the Lord and against His [b](E)Anointed, saying,
3 “Let us (F)tear their fetters apart
And cast away their cords from us!”
4 He who [c]sits in the heavens (G)laughs,
The Lord (H)scoffs at them.
5 Then He will speak to them in His (I)anger
And (J)terrify them in His fury, saying,
6 “But as for Me, I have [d]installed (K)My King
Upon Zion, (L)My holy mountain.”
7 “I will surely tell of the [e]decree of the Lord:
He said to Me, ‘You are (M)My Son,
Today I have begotten You.
8 ‘Ask of Me, and (N)I will surely give (O)the [f]nations as Your inheritance,
And the very (P)ends of the earth as Your possession.
9 ‘You shall [g](Q)break them with a [h]rod of iron,
You shall (R)shatter them like [i]earthenware.’”
10 Now therefore, O kings, (S)show discernment;
Take warning, O [j]judges of the earth.
11 [k]Worship the Lord with [l](T)reverence
And rejoice with (U)trembling.
12 [m]Do homage to (V)the Son, that He not become angry, and you perish in the way,
For (W)His wrath may [n]soon be kindled.
How blessed are all who (X)take refuge in Him!
Protestation of Integrity and Prayer for Protection.
A Psalm of David.
26 [a](A)Vindicate me, O Lord, for I have (B)walked in my integrity,
And I have (C)trusted in the Lord [b](D)without wavering.
2 (E)Examine me, O Lord, and try me;
(F)Test my [c]mind and my heart.
3 For Your (G)lovingkindness is before my eyes,
And I have (H)walked in Your [d]truth.
4 I do not (I)sit with [e]deceitful men,
Nor will I go with [f](J)pretenders.
5 I (K)hate the assembly of evildoers,
And I will not sit with the wicked.
6 I shall (L)wash my hands in innocence,
And I will go about (M)Your altar, O Lord,
7 That I may proclaim with the voice of (N)thanksgiving
And declare all Your [g]wonders.
8 O Lord, I (O)love the habitation of Your house
And the place [h]where Your (P)glory dwells.
9 (Q)Do not [i]take my soul away along with sinners,
Nor my life with (R)men of bloodshed,
10 In whose hands is a (S)wicked scheme,
And whose right hand is full of (T)bribes.
11 But as for me, I shall (U)walk in my integrity;
(V)Redeem me, and be gracious to me.
12 (W)My foot stands on a (X)level place;
In the (Y)congregations I shall bless the Lord.
13 (A)Shout for joy, O heavens! And rejoice, O earth!
Break forth into joyful shouting, O mountains!
For the (B)Lord has comforted His people
And will (C)have compassion on His afflicted.
Promise to Zion
14 But Zion said, “The Lord has forsaken me,
And the Lord has forgotten me.”
15 “Can a woman forget her nursing child
And have no compassion on the son of her womb?
Even these may forget, but (D)I will not forget you.
16 “Behold, I have (E)inscribed you on the palms of My hands;
Your (F)walls are continually before Me.
17 “Your [a]builders hurry;
Your (G)destroyers and devastators
Will depart from you.
18 “(H)Lift up your eyes and look around;
(I)All of them gather together, (J)they come to you.
(K)As I live,” declares the Lord,
“You will surely (L)put on all of them as [b]jewels and bind them on as a bride.
19 “For (M)your waste and desolate places and your destroyed land—
Surely now you will be (N)too cramped for the inhabitants,
And those who (O)swallowed you will be far away.
20 “The (P)children of [c]whom you were bereaved will yet say in your ears,
‘The place is too cramped for me;
Make room for me that I may live here.’
21 “Then you will (Q)say in your heart,
‘Who has begotten these for me,
Since I have been bereaved of my children
And am (R)barren, an (S)exile and a wanderer?
And who has reared these?
Behold, I was (T)left alone;
[d](U)From where did these come?’”
22 Thus says the Lord [e]God,
“Behold, I will lift up My hand to the nations
And set up My (V)standard to the peoples;
And they will (W)bring your sons in their bosom,
And your daughters will be carried on their shoulders.
23 “(X)Kings will be your guardians,
And their princesses your nurses.
They will (Y)bow down to you with their faces to the earth
And (Z)lick the dust of your feet;
And you will (AA)know that I am the Lord;
Those who hopefully (AB)wait for Me will (AC)not be put to shame.
Rank in the Kingdom
18 (A)At that [a]time the disciples came to Jesus and said, “(B)Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 2 And He called a child to Himself and set him [b]before them, 3 and said, “Truly I say to you, unless you [c]are converted and (C)become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 And whoever receives one such child in My name receives Me; 6 but (D)whoever (E)causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it [d]would be better for him to have a [e]heavy millstone hung around his neck, and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.
Stumbling Blocks
7 “Woe to the world because of its stumbling blocks! For (F)it is inevitable that stumbling blocks come; but woe to that man through whom the stumbling block comes!
8 “(G)If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it from you; it is better for you to enter life crippled or lame, than [f]to have two hands or two feet and be cast into the eternal fire. 9 (H)If your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out and throw it from you. It is better for you to enter life with one eye, than [g]to have two eyes and be cast into the [h](I)fiery hell.
10 “See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that (J)their angels in heaven continually see the face of My Father who is in heaven. 11 [[i](K)For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost.]
Ninety-nine Plus One
12 “What do you think? (L)If any man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go and search for the one that is straying? 13 If it turns out that he finds it, truly I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine which have not gone astray. 14 So it is not the will [j]of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones perish.
The Works and the Word of God.
For the choir director. A Psalm of David.
19 The (A)heavens are telling of the glory of God;
And their (B)expanse is declaring the work of His hands.
2 Day to (C)day pours forth speech,
And (D)night to night reveals knowledge.
3 There is no speech, nor are there words;
Their voice is not heard.
4 Their [a](E)line has gone out through all the earth,
And their utterances to the end of the world.
In them He has (F)placed a tent for the sun,
5 Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber;
It rejoices as a strong man to run his course.
6 Its (G)rising is from [b]one end of the heavens,
And its circuit to the [c]other end of them;
And there is nothing hidden from its heat.
7 (H)The law of the Lord is [d](I)perfect, (J)restoring the soul;
The testimony of the Lord is (K)sure, making (L)wise the simple.
8 The precepts of the Lord are (M)right, (N)rejoicing the heart;
The commandment of the Lord is (O)pure, (P)enlightening the eyes.
9 The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever;
The judgments of the Lord are (Q)true; they are (R)righteous altogether.
10 They are more desirable than (S)gold, yes, than much fine gold;
(T)Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb.
11 Moreover, by them (U)Your servant is warned;
In keeping them there is great (V)reward.
12 Who can (W)discern his errors? (X)Acquit me of (Y)hidden faults.
13 Also keep back Your servant (Z)from presumptuous sins;
Let them not (AA)rule over me;
Then I will be [e](AB)blameless,
And I shall be acquitted of (AC)great transgression.
14 Let the words of my mouth and (AD)the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable in Your sight,
O Lord, (AE)my rock and my (AF)Redeemer.
Thanksgiving for Return from Captivity.
A Song of Ascents.
126 When the Lord (A)brought back [a]the captive ones of Zion,
We were (B)like those who dream.
2 Then our (C)mouth was filled with laughter
And our (D)tongue with joyful shouting;
Then they said among the nations,
“The Lord has (E)done great things for them.”
3 The Lord has done great things for us;
We are (F)glad.
Jesus Blesses Little Children
13 (A)And they were bringing children to Him so that He might touch them; but the disciples rebuked them. 14 But when Jesus saw this, He was indignant and said to them, “Permit the children to come to Me; do not hinder them; (B)for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 15 Truly I say to you, (C)whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all.” 16 And He (D)took them in His arms and began blessing them, laying His hands on them.
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