Book of Common Prayer
The Ways of the Righteous and the Wicked
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.
The Messiah’s Reign
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.
A Call to Yahweh in Distress
A psalm of David at his fleeing from the presence of Absalom, his son.[e]
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
Safety in Yahweh
For the music director; with stringed instruments. A psalm of David.[j]
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.
Prayer for Deliverance from Enemies
A Shiggaion[a] of David which he sang to Yahweh
on account of Cush, a Benjaminite.[b]
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.
Gad and Reuben Inherit Gilead
32 The descendants[a] of Reuben and the descendants[b] of Gad had a very large number of livestock. And they saw the land of Jazer and the land of Gilead, and behold it was a place for livestock. 2 The descendants[c] of Gad and the descendants[d] of Reuben came, and they said to Moses and to Eleazar the priest and to the leaders of the community, saying, 3 “Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Sebam, Nebo, and Beon, 4 the land that Yahweh struck before the community of Israel, is a land of livestock, and your servants have livestock.” 5 They said, “If we have found favor in your sight,[e] let this land be given to your servants as property; do not lead us across the Jordan.”
6 But Moses said to the descendants[f] of Gad and to the descendants[g] of Reuben, “Will your brothers go to war while you yourselves live here?
16 They came near to him and said, “We will build sheep pens here for the flock of our livestock and cities for our little children; 17 but we ourselves will become armed and ready before the Israelites[a] until we have brought them to their place, and our little children will live in the fortified cities because of the inhabitants of the land. 18 We will not return to our houses until the Israelites[b] each obtain their[c] inheritance for themselves. 19 For we will not take possession with them from across the Jordan and beyond because our inheritance has come to us from across the Jordan to the east.”
20 So Moses said to them, “If you do this thing, if you arm yourselves before[d] Yahweh for the war, 21 and everyone of you armed cross the Jordan before[e] Yahweh until he has driven out his enemies from before him, 22 and the land is subdued before[f] Yahweh, then afterward you will return and be free of obligation from Yahweh and from Israel, and this land will be your property before[g] Yahweh. 23 But if you do not do so, behold, you have sinned against Yahweh, and know that your sin will find you. 24 Build for yourselves cities for your little children and sheep pens for your flocks; what has gone out from your mouth you will do.”
25 So the descendants[h] of Gad and the descendants[i] of Reuben said to Moses, saying, “Your servants will do just as my lord commands. 26 Our little children, our wives, our livestock, and all of our animals[j] will remain[k] in the cities of Gilead, 27 but your servants, everyone who is armed for battle, will cross over before[l] Yahweh to the war, just as my lord says.”
26 And likewise also, the Spirit helps us in our weakness, for we do not know how to pray as one ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with unexpressed groanings. 27 And the one who searches our hearts knows what the mindset of the Spirit is, because he intercedes on behalf of the saints according to the will of God. 28 And we know that all things work together for good for those who love God, for those who are called according to his purpose, 29 because those whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, so that he should be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those whom he predestined, these he also called, and those whom he called, these he also justified, and those whom he justified, these he also glorified.
Seven Woes Pronounced on the Scribes and Pharisees
23 Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples, 2 saying, “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on the seat of Moses. 3 Therefore do and observe everything that they tell you, but do not do as they do,[a] for they tell others to do something[b] and do not do it themselves.[c] 4 And they tie up heavy burdens[d] and put them[e] on people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing with their finger to move them. 5 And they do all their deeds in order to be seen by people, for they make their phylacteries broad and make their[f] tassels long. 6 And they love the place of honor at banquets and the best seats in the synagogues 7 and the greetings in the marketplaces and to be called ‘Rabbi’ by people. 8 But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ because one is your teacher, and you are all brothers, 9 And do not call anyone[g] your father on earth, for one is your heavenly Father. 10 And do not be called teachers, because one is your teacher, the Christ. 11 And the greatest among you will be your servant. 12 And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.
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