Book of Common Prayer
(By David.)
A Prayer for Guidance and Help
1 I offer you my heart, Lord God,
2 and I trust you.
Don't make me ashamed
or let enemies defeat me.
3 Don't disappoint any
of your worshipers,
but disappoint all
deceitful liars.
4 Show me your paths
and teach me to follow;
5 guide me by your truth
and instruct me.
You keep me safe,
and I always trust you.
6 Please, Lord, remember,
you have always
been patient and kind.
7 Forget each wrong I did
when I was young.
Show how truly kind you are
and remember me.
8 You are honest and merciful,
and you teach sinners
how to follow your path.
9 You lead humble people
to do what is right
and to stay on your path.
10 In everything you do,
you are kind and faithful
to everyone who keeps
our agreement with you.
11 Be true to your name, Lord,
by forgiving each one
of my terrible sins.
12 You will show the right path
to all who worship you.
13 Then they will have plenty,
and their children
will receive the land.
14 Our Lord, you are the friend
of your worshipers,
and you make an agreement
with all of us.
15 I always look to you,
because you rescue me
from every trap.
16 I am lonely and troubled.
Show that you care
and have pity on me.
17 My awful worries keep growing.
Rescue me from sadness.
18 See my troubles and misery
and forgive my sins.
19 Look at all my enemies!
See how much they hate me.
20 I come to you for shelter.
Protect me, keep me safe,
and don't disappoint me.
21 I obey you with all my heart,
and I trust you, knowing
that you will save me.
22 Our God, please save Israel
from all its troubles.
(A psalm by David for the music leader. To the tune “The Death of the Son.”)
Sing Praises to the Lord
1 I will praise you, Lord,
with all my heart
and tell about the wonders
you have worked.
2 God Most High, I will rejoice;
I will celebrate and sing
because of you.
3 When my enemies face you,
they run away and stumble
and are destroyed.
4 You take your seat as judge,
and your fair decisions prove
that I was in the right.
5 You warn the nations
and destroy evil people;
you wipe out their names
forever and ever.
6 Our enemies are destroyed
completely for all time.
Their cities are torn down,
and they will never
be remembered again.
7 You rule forever, Lord,
and you are on your throne,
ready for judgment.
8 You judge the world fairly
and treat all nations
with justice.
9 The poor can run to you
because you are a fortress
in times of trouble.
10 Everyone who honors your name
can trust you,
because you are faithful
to all who depend on you.
11 You rule from Zion, Lord,
and we sing about you
to let the nations know
everything you have done.
12 You did not forget
to punish the guilty
or listen to the cries
of those in need.
13 (A) Please have mercy, Lord!
My enemies mistreat me.
Keep me from the gates
that lead to death,
14 and I will sing about you
at the gate to Zion.
I will be happy there
because you rescued me.
15 (B) Our Lord, the nations fell
into their own pits,
and their feet were caught
in their own traps.
16 You showed what you are like,
and you made certain
that justice is done,
but evil people are trapped
by their own evil deeds.
17 The wicked will go down
to the world of the dead
to be with those nations
that forgot about you.
18 The poor and the homeless
won't always be forgotten
and without hope.
19 Do something, Lord!
Don't let the nations win.
Make them stand trial
in your court of law.
20 Make the nations afraid
and let them all discover
just how weak they are.
(A psalm by David.)
Who May Worship the Lord?
1 Who may stay in God's temple
or live on the holy mountain
of the Lord?
2 Only those who obey God
and do as they should.
They speak the truth
3 and don't spread gossip;
they treat others fairly
and don't say cruel things.
4 They hate worthless people,
but show respect for all
who worship the Lord.
And they keep their promises,
no matter what the cost.
5 They lend their money
without charging interest,
and they don't take bribes
to hurt the innocent.
Those who do these things
will always stand firm.
12 1 Job said to his friends:
2 You think you are so great,
with all the answers.
3 But I know as much as you do,
and so does everyone else.
4 I have always lived right,
and God answered my prayers;
now friends make fun of me.
5 It's easy to condemn
those who are suffering,
when you have no troubles.
6 Robbers and other godless people
live safely at home and say,
“God is in our hands!”[a]
13 But God is the real source
of wisdom and strength.
14 No one can rebuild
what he destroys, or release
those he has imprisoned.
15 God can hold back the rain
or send a flood,
16 just as he rules over liars
and those they lie to.
17 God shames counselors,
turns judges into fools,
18 and makes slaves of kings.
19 God removes priests and others
who have great power—
20 he confuses wise,
experienced advisors,
21 puts mighty kings to shame,
and takes away their power.
22 God turns darkness to light;
23 he makes nations strong,
then shatters their strength.
24 God strikes their rulers senseless,
then leaves them to roam
through barren deserts,
25 lost in the dark, staggering
like someone drunk.
The Church in Antioch
19 (A) Some of the Lord's followers had been scattered because of the terrible trouble that started when Stephen was killed. They went as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, but they told the message only to the Jews.
20 Some of the followers from Cyprus and Cyrene went to Antioch and started telling Gentiles[a] the good news about the Lord Jesus. 21 The Lord's power was with them, and many people turned to the Lord and put their faith in him. 22 News of what was happening reached the church in Jerusalem. Then they sent Barnabas to Antioch.
23 When Barnabas got there and saw how God had blessed them with undeserved grace, he was very glad. So he begged them to remain faithful to the Lord with all their hearts. 24 Barnabas was a good man of great faith, and he was filled with the Holy Spirit. Many more people turned to the Lord.
25 Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul. 26 He found Saul and brought him to Antioch, where they met with the church for a whole year and taught many of its people. There in Antioch the Lord's followers were first called Christians.
27 During this time some prophets from Jerusalem came to Antioch. 28 (B) One of them was Agabus. Then with the help of the Spirit, he told that there would be a terrible famine everywhere in the world. And it happened when Claudius was Emperor.[b] 29 The followers in Antioch decided to send whatever help they could to the followers in Judea. 30 So they appointed Barnabas and Saul to take their gifts to the church leaders in Jerusalem.
You Cannot Go Where I Am Going
21 Jesus also told them, “I am going away, and you will look for me. But you cannot go where I am going, and you will die with your sins unforgiven.”
22 The people asked, “Does he intend to kill himself? Is that what he means by saying we cannot go where he is going?”
23 Jesus answered, “You are from below, but I am from above. You belong to this world, but I don't. 24 This is why I said you will die with your sins unforgiven. If you don't have faith in me for who I am,[a] you will die, and your sins will not be forgiven.”
25 “Who are you?” they asked Jesus.
Jesus answered, “I am exactly who I told you at the beginning. 26 There is a lot more I could say to condemn you. But the one who sent me is truthful, and I tell the people of this world only what I have heard from him.”
27 No one understood that Jesus was talking to them about the Father.
28 Jesus went on to say, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man,[b] you will know who I am. You will also know that I don't do anything on my own. I say only what my Father taught me. 29 The one who sent me is with me. I always do what pleases him, and he will never leave me.”
30 After Jesus said this, many of the people put their faith in him.
The Truth Will Set You Free
31 Jesus told the people who had faith in him, “If you keep on obeying what I have said, you truly are my disciples. 32 (A) You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
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