Book of Common Prayer
Psalm 38
Prayer of a Suffering Sinner
A Davidic psalm for remembrance.(A)
1 Lord, do not punish me in Your anger
or discipline me in Your wrath.(B)
2 For Your arrows have sunk into me,
and Your hand has pressed down on me.(C)
3 There is no health in my body
because of Your indignation;
there is no strength[a] in my bones
because of my sin.(D)
4 For my sins have flooded over my head;
they are a burden too heavy for me to bear.(E)
5 My wounds are foul and festering
because of my foolishness.(F)
6 I am bent over and brought low;
all day long I go around in mourning.(G)
7 For my loins are full of burning pain,
and there is no health in my body.(H)
8 I am faint and severely crushed;
I groan because of the anguish of my heart.(I)
9 Lord, my every desire is known to[b] You;
my sighing is not hidden from You.(J)
10 My heart races, my strength leaves me,
and even the light of my eyes has faded.[c](K)
11 My loved ones and friends stand back from my affliction,
and my relatives stand at a distance.(L)
12 Those who seek my life set traps,
and those who want to harm me threaten to destroy me;
they plot treachery all day long.(M)
13 I am like a deaf person; I do not hear.
I am like a speechless person
who does not open his mouth.(N)
14 I am like a man who does not hear
and has no arguments in his mouth.(O)
15 I put my hope in You, Lord;
You will answer, Lord my God.(P)
16 For I said, “Don’t let them rejoice over me—
those who are arrogant toward me when I stumble.”(Q)
17 For I am about to fall,
and my pain is constantly with me.(R)
18 So I confess my guilt;
I am anxious because of my sin.(S)
19 But my enemies are vigorous and powerful;[d]
many hate me for no reason.(T)
20 Those who repay evil for good
attack me for pursuing good.(U)
ד Dalet
25 My life is down in the dust;(A)
give me life(B) through Your word.
26 I told You about my life,
and You listened to me;
teach me Your statutes.(C)
27 Help me understand
the meaning of Your precepts
so that I can meditate on Your wonders.(D)
28 I am weary[a] from grief;
strengthen me through Your word.(E)
29 Keep me from the way of deceit
and graciously give me Your instruction.
30 I have chosen the way of truth;
I have set Your ordinances before me.(F)
31 I cling to Your decrees;
Lord, do not put me to shame.(G)
32 I pursue the way of Your commands,
for You broaden my understanding.[b](H)
ה He
33 Teach me, Lord, the meaning[c] of Your statutes,
and I will always keep them.[d](I)
34 Help me understand Your instruction,(J)
and I will obey it
and follow it with all my heart.(K)
35 Help me stay on the path of Your commands,(L)
for I take pleasure in it.(M)
36 Turn my heart to Your decrees(N)
and not to material gain.(O)
37 Turn my eyes
from looking at what is worthless;(P)
give me life in Your ways.[e](Q)
38 Confirm what You said to Your servant,(R)
for it produces reverence for You.
39 Turn away the disgrace I dread;(S)
indeed, Your judgments are good.
40 How I long for Your precepts!(T)
Give me life through Your righteousness.
ו Vav
41 Let Your faithful love come to me, Lord,(U)
Your salvation, as You promised.(V)
42 Then I can answer the one who taunts me,(W)
for I trust in Your word.
43 Never take the word of truth from my mouth,
for I hope in Your judgments.(X)
44 I will always obey Your instruction,
forever and ever.(Y)
45 I will walk freely in an open place(Z)
because I seek Your precepts.(AA)
46 I will speak of Your decrees before kings
and not be ashamed.(AB)
47 I delight in Your commands,
which I love.(AC)
48 I will lift up my hands(AD) to Your commands,
which I love,
and will meditate on Your statutes.(AE)
Job’s Reply to Zophar
12 Then Job answered:
14 Man born of woman
is short of days and full of trouble.(A)
2 He blossoms like a flower, then withers;(B)
he flees like a shadow and does not last.
3 Do You really take notice of one like this?
Will You bring me into judgment against You?[a](C)
4 Who can produce something pure from what is impure?
No one!
5 Since man’s days are determined
and the number of his months depends on You,
and since You have set[b] limits he cannot pass,(D)
6 look away from him and let him rest
so that he can enjoy his day like a hired hand.(E)
7 There is hope for a tree:
If it is cut down, it will sprout again,
and its shoots will not die.
8 If its roots grow old in the ground
and its stump starts to die in the soil,
9 the smell of water makes it thrive
and produce twigs like a sapling.(F)
10 But a man dies and fades away;
he breathes his last—where is he?
11 As water disappears from the sea
and a river becomes parched and dry,
12 so man lies down never to rise again.
They will not wake up until the heavens are no more;(G)
they will not stir from their sleep.
13 If only You would hide me in Sheol(H)
and conceal me until Your anger(I) passes.
If only You would appoint a time for me
and then remember me.
14 When a man dies, will he come back to life?
If so, I would wait(J) all the days of my struggle(K)
until my relief comes.
15 You would call, and I would answer You.
You would long for the work of Your hands.(L)
16 For then You would count my steps(M)
but would not take note(N) of my sin.
17 My rebellion would be sealed up in a bag,
and You would cover over my iniquity.
18 But as a mountain collapses and crumbles
and a rock is dislodged from its place,
19 as water wears away stones
and torrents wash away the soil from the land,
so You destroy a man’s hope.(O)
20 You completely overpower him, and he passes on;
You change his appearance and send him away.
21 If his sons receive honor, he does not know it;
if they become insignificant, he is unaware of it.(P)
22 He feels only the pain of his own body
and mourns only for himself.
18 At daylight, there was a great commotion[a] among the soldiers as to what could have become of Peter. 19 After Herod had searched and did not find him, he interrogated the guards and ordered their execution. Then Herod went down from Judea to Caesarea and stayed there.(A)
Herod’s Death
20 He had been very angry with the Tyrians and Sidonians.[b] Together they presented themselves before him. They won over Blastus, who was in charge of the king’s bedroom, and through him they asked for peace, because their country was supplied with food from the king’s country.(B) 21 So on an appointed day, dressed in royal robes and seated on the throne, Herod delivered a public address to them. 22 The assembled people began to shout, “It’s the voice of a god and not of a man!” 23 At once an angel of the Lord(C) struck him because he did not give the glory to God, and he became infected with worms and died.(D) 24 Then God’s message flourished and multiplied.(E) 25 After they had completed their relief mission, Barnabas and Saul returned to[c] Jerusalem, taking along John who is called Mark.(F)
47 The one who is from God listens to God’s words. This is why you don’t listen, because you are not from God.”
Jesus and Abraham
48 The Jews responded to Him, “Aren’t we right in saying that You’re a Samaritan(A) and have a demon?”(B)
49 “I do not have a demon,” Jesus answered. “On the contrary, I honor My Father and you dishonor Me. 50 I do not seek My glory;(C) the One who seeks it also judges. 51 I assure you: If anyone keeps My word,(D) he will never see death—ever!”
52 Then the Jews said, “Now we know You have a demon. Abraham died and so did the prophets. You say, ‘If anyone keeps My word, he will never taste death—ever!’ 53 Are You greater than our father Abraham who died? Even the prophets died. Who do You pretend to be?”[a]
54 “If I glorify Myself,” Jesus answered, “My glory is nothing. My Father—you say about Him, ‘He is our God’—He is the One who glorifies Me. 55 You’ve never known Him, but I know Him. If I were to say I don’t know Him,(E) I would be a liar like you. But I do know Him,(F) and I keep His word. 56 Your father Abraham was overjoyed that he would see My day; he saw it(G) and rejoiced.”
57 The Jews replied, “You aren’t 50 years old yet, and You’ve seen Abraham?”[b]
58 Jesus said to them, “I assure you: Before Abraham was, I am.”[c](H)
59 At that, they picked up stones(I) to throw at Him.(J) But Jesus was hidden[d](K) and went out of the temple complex.[e](L)
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