Book of Common Prayer

1 Blessed is the man who does not walk in the advice of the wicked;
nor does he stand in the way of sinners;
nor does he sit in the assembly of mockers.
² Instead, in the law of Yahweh is his delight,
and on his law he meditates day and night.
³ And so, he is like a tree planted by streams of water
that gives its fruit in its season;
its leaf also does not wither.
Therefore all that he does prospers.
⁴ Not so the wicked.
Instead, they are like the chaff that the wind scatters.
⁵ Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;
⁶ for Yahweh knows the way of the righteous,^[a]
but the way of the wicked will perish.

2 Why are nations in tumult,
and countries plotting^[b] in vain?^[c]
2 The kings of the earth establish themselves,
and the rulers conspire^[d] together
against Yahweh and his anointed:
³ “Let us tear off their bonds,
and cast their cords from us!”
⁴ He who sits enthroned in the heavens laughs.
The Lord derides them.
⁵ Then he speaks to them in his wrath,
and in his fury he terrifies them:
⁶ “But as for me, I have set my king
on Zion, my holy mountain.”
⁷ I will tell the decree;
Yahweh said to me:
“You are my son;
today I have begotten you.
⁸ Ask from me and I will make the nations your heritage,
and your possession the ends of the earth.
⁹ You will break them with an iron rod.
Like a potter’s vessel you will shatter them.”
¹⁰ So then, O kings, be wise.
Be warned, O rulers of the earth.
¹¹ Serve Yahweh with fear,
and rejoice with trembling.
¹² Kiss the Son
lest he be angry and you perish on the way,
for his anger burns quickly.
Blessed are all who take refuge in him.

3 Yahweh, how many are my enemies;
many are rising against me.
² Many are saying about my soul,
“There is no deliverance for him from^[f] God. Selah^[g]
3 But^[h] you, Yahweh, are a shield around me,
my glory and the one who lifts up my head.
⁴ With my voice I call to Yahweh
and he answers me from his holy hill.^[i] Selah
⁵ I lay down and slept;
I woke up because Yahweh sustains me.
⁶ I am not afraid of the ten thousands of people
who all around have set themselves against me.
⁷ Rise up, O Yahweh; deliver me, O my God;
for you strike all my enemies on the cheek.
The teeth of the wicked you break.
⁸ To Yahweh belongs deliverance;
may your blessing be over your people. Selah

4 When I call, answer me, O God of my righteousness.^[k]
In trouble deliver me.^[l]
Be gracious to me and hear my prayer.
² O sons of man, how long will my honor^[m] be a disgrace?
How long will you love vanity?
How long will you seek lies?^[n] Selah
³ But know that Yahweh has set apart^[o] for himself the faithful one.^[p]
Yahweh hears when I call to him.
⁴ Be disturbed but do not sin.
Commune in your heart^[q] on your bed and be silent. Selah
⁵ Offer correct sacrifices,^[r]
and trust in^[s] Yahweh.
⁶ Many are saying, “Who will show us something good?”
Lift up over^[t] us the light of your face, O Yahweh.
⁷ You have put gladness in my heart
more than when^[u] their grain and their wine abound.
⁸ In peace I will lie down and sleep at once,^[v]
for you alone, O Yahweh, make me dwell safely.

7 O Yahweh, my God, in you I have taken refuge.
Save me from all who pursue me, and deliver me.
² Or else he will tear me apart like a lion,
ripping to pieces, with none to deliver.
³ O Yahweh, my God, if I have done this,
if there is wrong in my hands,
⁴ if I have repaid my ally^[c] with harm,
or if I have plundered my enemy without cause,
⁵ let the enemy of my soul pursue,
and overtake and trample my life into the ground,
and lay my honor in the dust. Selah
⁶ Rise up, O Yahweh, in your anger,
and lift yourself up against the wrath^[d] of my oppressors,
and awake for me,
since you have commanded judgment.
⁷ And let the assembly of peoples surround you,
and over it return on high.
⁸ Yahweh judges the nations.
O Yahweh, vindicate me
according to my innocence^[e] and according to my integrity within me.
⁹ Let the evil of the wicked come to an end,
but establish the righteous,
and test the hearts and innermost being, O righteous God.
¹⁰ My shield is with God
who saves the upright of heart.
¹¹ God is a righteous judge,
and a God who has indignation every day.
¹² If he^[f] does not repent, he^[g] will sharpen his sword.
He has bent his bow and he has strung^[h] it.
¹³ And he has prepared for him weapons of death.
He has made his arrows fiery shafts.
¹⁴ See, he^[i] travails with^[j] evil.
He is pregnant with trouble,
and he gives birth to deception.
¹⁵ He makes a pit and digs it out,
then falls in the trap he has made.
¹⁶ His trouble comes back on his head,
and his violence comes down on his skull.
¹⁷ I will thank Yahweh according to his righteousness,
and I will sing praise to the name of Yahweh, the Most High.

¹¹ Do not despise the discipline of Yahweh, my child.
    Do not be weary of his reproof
¹² because whomever Yahweh will love, he will rebuke,
    as a father delights in his son.
¹³ Happy is the one^[a] who finds wisdom,
    and one who obtains understanding.
¹⁴ For her^[b] income is better than the income of silver,
    and her revenue than that of gold.
¹⁵ She is more precious than rubies,
    and all your desires shall not compare with her.
¹⁶ Length of days is in her right hand;
    in her left hand are riches and honor.
¹⁷ Her ways are ways of pleasantness,
    and all her paths are peace.
¹⁸ She is a tree of life for those who seize her;
    those who take hold of her are considered happy.

¹⁹ Yahweh in wisdom founded the earth;
    he established the heavens in understanding.
²⁰ With his knowledge, depths broke open,
    and clouds dropped dew.