Book of Common Prayer
Morning Prayer for Justice
Psalm 5
1 For the music director, on the wind instruments, a psalm of David.
2 Hear my words, Adonai,
consider my groaning.
3 Listen to the sound of my cry for help,
my King and my God, for I pray to you.
4 Adonai, in the morning You hear my voice.
In the morning I order my prayer before You and watch expectantly.
5 For You are not a God who rejoices in evil.
No wickedness dwells with you.
6 Braggarts will not stand before your eyes.
You hate all wrongdoers.
7 You destroy those who speak falsehood.
A person of bloodshed and deceit Adonai detests.
8 But because of your great lovingkindness, I will enter Your House.
I will bow toward Your holy Temple, in awe of You.
9 Lead me, Adonai, in Your righteousness, because of my enemies.
Make Your path straight before me.
10 For nothing upright is in their mouth.
Inside them is a ruin—their throat an open grave.
They flatter with their tongue.[a]
11 Declare them guilty, O God!
Let them fall by their own schemes.
Banish them because of their many transgressions—
for they have rebelled against You.
12 But let all who take refuge in You rejoice!
Let them always shout for joy!
You will shelter them and they exult—those who love Your Name.
13 For You bless the righteous, Adonai.
You surround him with favor as a shield.
Prayer for Mercy
Psalm 6
1 For the music director, on the eight-string lyre, a psalm of David.
2 Adonai, do not rebuke me in Your anger!
Do not discipline me in Your wrath.
3 Be gracious to me, Adonai, for I am weak.
Heal me, Adonai—for my bones are shuddering with fear,
4 as is my soul—
and You, Adonai—how long?
5 Turn toward me, Adonai, deliver my soul!
Save me—because of Your mercy.
6 For there is no memory of You in death,
in Sheol who will praise You?
7 I am worn out with my groaning.
Every night I make my bed swim,
drenching my pillow with my tears.
8 My eyes are weakened with grief—
they age because of my enemies.
9 Away from me, all you evildoers!
For Adonai heard the sound of my weeping.
10 Adonai has heard my cry for mercy.
Adonai accepts my prayer:
11 “May all my enemies be ashamed, and stricken with terror.
May they turn back in sudden disgrace.”
Freedom from Terror
Psalm 10
1 Why, Adonai, are You standing far off?
Why hide Yourself in times of trouble?
2 In pride the wicked hotly hunts the poor.
Let them be caught in the plots they have planned.
3 For the wicked one boasts about his soul’s desire.
The greedy one curses, reviling Adonai.
4 The wicked one, with his nose in the air, never seeks Him.
All his thoughts are: “There is no God.”
5 His ways are secure at all times.
He haughtily disregards Your judgments.
He snorts at all his adversaries.
6 He says in his heart: “I’ll never be shaken!
From generation to generation nothing bad will happen.”
7 His mouth is full of cursing, lies and oppression.
On his tongue are trouble and iniquity.[a]
8 He lies in ambush near villages.
In hidden places he slays the innocent.
His eyes watch in secret for the helpless.
9 He lurks in a hiding place like a lion in a thicket.
He lies in wait to catch the helpless.
He catches the unfortunate one, dragging him away in his net.
10 The victim is crushed, brought down,
and falls into his mighty claws.
11 He says in his heart: “God has forgotten.
He hides His face—He will never see it.”
12 Arise, Adonai! O God, lift up Your hand.
Do not forget the afflicted.
13 Why does the wicked one revile God?
He says in his heart:
“You will never require anything.”
14 You saw—for You see trouble and grief,
to take it in Your hand.
The victim puts his trust in You—
You are the helper of the orphan.
15 Break the arm of the wicked, evil one!
Call him to account for his wickedness—
until no more is found.
16 Adonai is King forever and ever!
Nations will be wiped off His land.
17 You hear, Adonai, the desire of the meek.
You encourage them and incline Your ear.
18 You vindicate the orphan and oppressed,
so that man, who is earthly, may terrify no more.
Judgment from Heaven
Psalm 11
1 For the music director, a psalm of David.
In Adonai I have taken shelter.
How can you say to my soul:
“Fly like a bird to your mountain?
2 For look, the wicked bend the bow.
They fix their arrow on the bowstring
so they can shoot from the shadows
at those who are upright in heart.
3 If our foundations are destroyed,
what should the righteous do?”
4 Adonai is in His holy Temple.
Adonai’s throne is in heaven.[b]
His eyes are watching.
His eyelids observe the children of men.
5 Adonai examines the righteous.
But the wicked and one loving violence His soul hates.
6 On the wicked He will rain down fire, brimstone
and scorching wind as the portion of their cup!
7 For Adonai is righteous—He loves justice.
The upright will see His face.
A Father’s Lesson: Get Wisdom!
4 Listen, my sons, to a father’s instruction.
Pay attention, to gain understanding.
2 For I give you sound learning—
do not forsake my instruction.
3 When I was a son to my father,
tender and special to my mother,
4 he taught me and said to me:
“Lay hold of my words in your heart,
keep my commands and you will live!
5 Get wisdom! Get understanding!
Do not forget nor turn away from the words of my mouth.
6 Do not forsake her, and she will guard you.
Love her, and she will watch over you.
7 Wisdom is supreme—acquire wisdom!
With all your acquisitions, get understanding.
8 Prize her, and she will exalt you.
She will honor you when you embrace her.
9 She will set a garland of grace on your head.
She will give you a crown of glory.”
Ways of Wisdom and Wickedness
10 Listen, my son, and accept my words,
so the years of your life will be many.
11 I instructed you in the way of wisdom.
I have guided you along straight paths.
12 When you walk, your step will not be hindered,
and when you run, you will not stumble.
13 Hold on tightly to instruction, do not let it go—
guard it, for it is your life.
14 Do not enter the path of the wicked
or walk in the way of evil people.
15 Avoid it—do not travel on it—
turn away from it and pass by.
16 For they cannot sleep until they do evil.
They are robbed of sleep until they make someone fall.
17 For they eat the bread of wickedness
and drink the wine of violence.
18 The path of the righteous is like the light of dawn,
shining brighter and brighter until the full day.
19 The way of the wicked is like darkness.
They do not know what makes them stumble.
20 My son, pay attention to my words—
incline your ear to my sayings.
21 Do not let them out of your sight,
keep them within your heart.
22 For they are life to those who find them
and health to their whole body.
23 Guard your heart diligently,
for from it flow the springs of life.
24 Put away perversity from your mouth,
and keep devious lips far from you.
25 Let your eyes look directly ahead,
and fix your gaze straight in front of you.
26 Clear a level path for your feet,
so all your ways will be firm.
27 Do not turn to the right or to the left.
Divert your foot from evil.
God’s Life-Giving Spirit of Love
7 Loved ones, let us love one another, for love is from God. Everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 8 The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love. 9 The love of God was revealed among us by this—that God sent His one and only Son into the world so that we might live through Him. 10 This is love—not that we have loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atonement for our sins.
11 Loved ones, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God.[a] If we love one another, God abides in us and His love is made perfect in us. 13 We know that we abide in Him and He in us by this—because He has given us of His Spirit. 14 We have seen and testify that the Father has sent His Son as Savior of the world. 15 If anyone acknowledges that Yeshua is Ben-Elohim, God abides in him and he abides in God. 16 So we have come to know and trust in the love that God has for us. God is love. Now whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.
God’s Fulfilling Love
17 In this way, love is made perfect among us, so that we should have boldness on the Day of Judgment. For just as He is, so also are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and the one who fears has not been made perfect in love. 19 We love, because He first loved us.
Love God—Love God’s Family
20 If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar. For the one who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. 21 And this commandment we have from Him: that the one who loves God should also love his brother.[b]
A Prophet Without Honor
7 Now as they were leaving, Yeshua began to talk to the crowd concerning John. “What did you go out to the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? 8 No? So what did you go out to see? A man dressed in finery? Look, those who wear finery are in the palaces of kings! 9 Then what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, even more than a prophet. 10 This is the one about whom it is written,
‘Behold, I send My messenger before You,
who will prepare Your way before You.’[a]
11 “Amen, I tell you, among those born of women, none has arisen greater than John the Immerser. Yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. 12 From the days of John the Immerser until now, the kingdom of heaven is treated with violence, and the violent grasp hold of it. 13 For all the prophets and the Torah prophesied until the time of John. 14 And if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come. 15 He who has ears, let him hear!
Tree of Life (TLV) Translation of the Bible. Copyright © 2015 by The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society.