Book of Common Prayer
ז Zayin
49 Remember your word to your servant;
you have given me hope through it.
50 This is my comfort in my affliction:(A)
Your promise has given me life.
51 The arrogant constantly ridicule me,
but I do not turn away from your instruction.(B)
52 Lord, I remember your judgments from long ago
and find comfort.
53 Fury seizes me(C) because of the wicked
who reject your instruction.(D)
54 Your statutes are the theme of my song
during my earthly life.[a]
55 Lord, I remember your name(E) in the night,(F)
and I obey your instruction.
56 This is my practice:
I obey your precepts.(G)
ח Cheth
57 The Lord is my portion;[b](H)
I have promised to keep your words.
58 I have sought your favor(I) with all my heart;
be gracious to me(J) according to your promise.
59 I thought about my ways(K)
and turned my steps back to your decrees.
60 I hurried, not hesitating
to keep your commands.
61 Though the ropes of the wicked(L)
were wrapped around me,
I did not forget your instruction.(M)
62 I rise at midnight to thank you(N)
for your righteous judgments.(O)
63 I am a friend to all who fear you,(P)
to those who keep your precepts.
64 Lord, the earth is filled with your faithful love;(Q)
teach me your statutes.(R)
ט Teth
65 Lord, you have treated your servant well,
just as you promised.
66 Teach me good judgment and discernment,(S)
for I rely on your commands.
67 Before I was afflicted I went astray,(T)
but now I keep your word.
68 You are good,(U) and you do what is good;(V)
teach me your statutes.
69 The arrogant have smeared me with lies,(W)
but I obey your precepts with all my heart.(X)
70 Their hearts are hard and insensitive,(Y)
but I delight in your instruction.(Z)
71 It was good for me to be afflicted(AA)
so that I could learn your statutes.
72 Instruction from your lips(AB) is better for me
than thousands of gold and silver pieces.
Psalm 49
Misplaced Trust in Wealth
For the choir director. A psalm of the sons of Korah.
1 Hear this, all you peoples;
listen, all who inhabit the world,(A)
2 both low and high,
rich and poor together.(B)
3 My mouth speaks wisdom;
my heart’s meditation brings understanding.(C)
4 I turn my ear to a proverb;
I explain my riddle with a lyre.(D)
5 Why should I fear in times of trouble?
The iniquity of my foes surrounds me.(E)
6 They trust in their wealth
and boast of their abundant riches.(F)
7 Yet these cannot redeem a person[a]
or pay his ransom to God(G)—
8 since the price of redeeming him is too costly,
one should forever stop trying[b](H)—
9 so that he may live forever
and not see the Pit.(I)
10 For one can see that the wise die;
the foolish and stupid also pass away.(J)
Then they leave their wealth to others.(K)
11 Their graves are their permanent homes,[c]
their dwellings from generation to generation,
though they have named estates after themselves.(L)
12 But despite his assets,[d] mankind will not last;
he is like the animals that perish.(M)
13 This is the way of those who are arrogant,
and of their followers,
who approve of their words.[e](N)Selah
14 Like sheep they are headed for Sheol;
Death will shepherd them.
The upright will rule over them in the morning,(O)
and their form will waste away in Sheol,[f]
far from their lofty abode.(P)
15 But God will redeem me
from the power of Sheol,
for he will take me.(Q)Selah
16 Do not be afraid when a person gets rich,
when the wealth[g] of his house increases.(R)
17 For when he dies, he will take nothing at all;
his wealth will not follow him down.(S)
18 Though he blesses himself during his lifetime—
and you are acclaimed when you do well for yourself(T)—
19 he will go to the generation of his ancestors;
they will never see the light.(U)
20 Mankind, with his assets
but without understanding,
is like the animals that perish.(V)
Psalm 53
A Portrait of Sinners
For the choir director: on Mahalath.(A) A Maskil of David.
1 The fool says in his heart, “There’s no God.”
They are corrupt, and they do vile deeds.
There is no one who does good.(B)
2 God looks down from heaven on the human race[a]
to see if there is one who is wise,
one who seeks God.(C)
3 All have turned away;
all alike have become corrupt.
There is no one who does good,
not even one.(D)
25 They sat down to eat a meal,(A) and when they looked up, there was a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead.(B) Their camels were carrying aromatic gum, balsam, and resin, going down to Egypt.(C)
26 Judah said to his brothers, “What do we gain if we kill our brother and cover up his blood? 27 Come on, let’s sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay a hand on him, for he is our brother, our own flesh,” and his brothers agreed. 28 When Midianite(D) traders passed by, his brothers pulled Joseph out of the pit and sold him for twenty pieces of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took Joseph to Egypt.(E)
29 When Reuben returned to the pit and saw that Joseph was not there, he tore his clothes.(F) 30 He went back to his brothers and said, “The boy is gone! What am I going to do?” [a] 31 So they took Joseph’s robe, slaughtered a male goat, and dipped the robe in its blood. 32 They sent the long-sleeved robe to their father and said, “We found this. Examine it. Is it your son’s robe or not?”
33 His father recognized it. “It is my son’s robe,” he said. “A vicious animal has devoured him. Joseph has been torn to pieces!” (G) 34 Then Jacob tore his clothes, put sackcloth around his waist, and mourned for his son many days. 35 All his sons and daughters tried to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. “No,” he said. “I will go down to Sheol to my son, mourning.” And his father wept for him.
36 Meanwhile, the Midianites sold Joseph in Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh and the captain of the guards.
Paul’s Proclamation
2 When I came to you, brothers and sisters, announcing the mystery[a] of God to you, I did not come with brilliance(A) of speech(B) or wisdom. 2 I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.(C) 3 I came to you in weakness,(D) in fear,(E) and in much trembling.(F) 4 My speech(G) and my preaching were not with persuasive(H) words of wisdom[b] but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, 5 so that your faith might not be based on human wisdom but on God’s power.(I)
Spiritual Wisdom
6 We do, however, speak a wisdom among the mature,(J) but not a wisdom of this age, or of the rulers(K) of this age, who are coming to nothing.(L) 7 On the contrary, we speak God’s hidden wisdom in a mystery, a wisdom God predestined(M) before the ages for our glory.(N) 8 None of the rulers of this age knew this wisdom, because if they had known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.(O) 9 But as it is written,
What no eye has seen, no ear has heard,
and no human heart has conceived—
God has prepared these things for those who love him.[c](P)
10 Now God has revealed these things to us by the Spirit, since the Spirit searches everything,(Q) even the depths of God.(R) 11 For who knows a person’s thoughts[d] except his spirit(S) within him? In the same way, no one knows(T) the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who comes from God, so that we may understand what has been freely given to us by God. 13 We also speak these things, not in words(U) taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual things to spiritual people.[e]
Healings at Capernaum
29 As(A) soon as they left the synagogue,(B) they went into Simon(C) and Andrew’s(D) house(E) with James(F) and John.(G) 30 Simon’s mother-in-law was lying in bed with a fever, and they told him about her at once. 31 So he went to her, took her by the hand, and raised her up.(H) The fever(I) left her,[a] and she began to serve(J) them.(K)
32 When(L) evening came, after the sun had set, they brought to him all those who were sick(M) and demon-possessed.(N) 33 The whole town was assembled at the door, 34 and he healed(O) many who were sick with various diseases(P) and drove out(Q) many demons.(R) And he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him.(S)
Preaching in Galilee
35 Very(T) early in the morning, while it was still dark, he got up, went out, and made his way to a deserted place;(U) and there he was praying.(V) 36 Simon(W) and his companions searched for him, 37 and when they found him they said, “Everyone is looking for you.”
38 And he said to them, “Let’s go on to the neighboring villages so that I may preach(X) there too. This is why I have come.”
A Man Cleansed
39 He went into all of Galilee,(Y) preaching in their synagogues(Z) and driving out demons. 40 Then(AA) a man with leprosy[b](AB) came to him and, on his knees,[c](AC) begged him, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.”(AD) 41 Moved with compassion,[d](AE) Jesus reached out his hand and touched(AF) him. “I am willing,” he told him. “Be made clean.” 42 Immediately the leprosy(AG) left him, and he was made clean. 43 Then he sternly warned(AH) him and sent him away(AI) at once, 44 telling him, “See that you say nothing to anyone;(AJ) but go and show(AK) yourself to the priest,(AL) and offer(AM) what Moses commanded for your cleansing,(AN) as a testimony(AO) to them.”[e] 45 Yet he went out and began to proclaim(AP) it widely and to spread the news,(AQ) with the result that Jesus could no longer enter a town openly. But he was out in deserted places, and they came to him from everywhere.
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