Book of Common Prayer
Psalm 19[a]
God’s Glory in Creation
1 For the director.[b] A psalm of David.
2 [c]The heavens proclaim the glory of God;
the firmament shows forth the work of his hands.
3 One day imparts that message to the next,
and night conveys that knowledge to night.
4 All this occurs without speech or utterance;
no voice can be heard.
5 [d]Yet their message goes forth throughout the earth,
and their words to the ends of the world.
[e]In the heavens he has placed a tent for the sun,
6 which comes forth like a bridegroom from his wedding chamber,
rejoicing like an athlete who runs his course.
7 It rises from one end of the heavens,
and its circuit is completed at the other;
nothing can be hidden from its heat.
8 The law of the Lord is perfect,
affording refreshment to the soul.
The decree of the Lord is worthy of trust,
imparting wisdom to the simple.[f]
9 The precepts of the Lord are right,
causing the heart[g] to rejoice.
The commands of the Lord are clear,
giving light to the eyes.
10 The fear of the Lord[h] is pure,
destined to endure forever.
The ordinances of the Lord are true,
and all of them are just.
11 They are even more precious than gold,
than an abundance of the purest gold;
they are also sweeter than honey
that drips from the comb.[i]
12 [j]By these your servant is instructed;
obedience in following them will ensure a great reward.
13 But who can fully recognize his shortcomings?
Cleanse me of my hidden faults.
14 From willful sins preserve your servant;
never let them gain power over me.
Then I will be blameless
and innocent of serious sin.
15 Let the words of my mouth and the thoughts of my heart[k]
find favor in your sight,
O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.
18 For thus says the Lord,
the Creator of the heavens,
he who is God,
the one who formed the earth and created it
and established it;
he did not create it to be a wasteland,
but a place to be lived in.
I am the Lord,
and there is no other.
19 I did not speak in secret,
in realms of darkness.
I did not say to the offspring of Jacob,
“Search for me in an empty waste.”
I the Lord proclaim the truth;
I declare what is right.
20 Gather together and come forth;
assemble, all you survivors of the nations.
Bereft of knowledge are those
who parade with their wooden idols
and pray to gods who are unable to save them.
21 Come forward and present your case
once you have examined the evidence.
Who foretold this in ages past?
Who revealed it long ago?
Was it not I, the Lord?
There is no god aside from me,
I alone am the righteous God and Savior.
22 If you turn to me, you will be saved,
all you ends of the earth,
for I am God, and there is no other.
23 By myself I have sworn
that the word that issues forth from my mouth
is righteous and irrevocable.
To me every knee will bow,
every tongue will swear,
24 saying, “In the Lord alone
are righteousness and strength;
all those who formerly defied him
and vented their rage against him
will come before him in shame.
25 Then all the descendants of Israel
will be triumphant and glory in the Lord.”
4 even though I too have reason for confidence in the flesh.
Joyous Sacrifice of All Things for Christ.[a] If anyone thinks that he has reasons to be confident in the flesh, I have more! 5 I was circumcised on the eighth day of my life. I was one of the people of Israel, the tribe of Benjamin.[b] I am a Hebrew and the son of Hebrews. In regard to the Law, I was a Pharisee; 6 in regard to religious zeal, I was a persecutor of the Church; in regard to righteousness under the Law, I was without fault.
7 All these I once regarded as assets, but now I have come to regard them as losses because of Christ. 8 Even more than that, I count everything as loss because of the supreme good of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake, I have suffered the loss of all other things, and I regard them as so much rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him.
I do not wish to have any righteousness of my own based on the Law, but one that comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness given by God in response to faith. 10 All I want is to come to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and to share in his sufferings by becoming conformed to his death, 11 so that I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
89 [a]Your word, O Lord, is everlasting;
it is firmly fixed in the heavens.[b]
90 Your faithfulness lasts through all generations;
you established the earth, and it endures.
91 By your judgments all creatures continue to exist,
for they are all your servants.
92 [c]If your law had not been my delight,
I would have already perished in my misery.
93 Never will I forget your commands,
for through them you have given me life.
94 I am yours; save me,
for I seek your commandments.
95 The wicked lie in wait to destroy me,
but I continue to ponder your decrees.
96 I have seen that every perfection is limited,
but your precept is unlimited.[d]
Mem
97 [e]I truly love your law.
It is my meditation throughout the day.
98 [f]Your precept has given me greater wisdom than my enemies,
for it is mine forever.
99 I am wiser than all my teachers
because I meditate on your commands.
100 I have greater insight than the elders,[g]
because I keep your commandments.
101 I point my feet away from evil paths
so that I might observe your word.
102 I refuse to ignore your judgments,
for it is you yourself who have taught me.
103 Your words are sweet to my palate,
even sweeter to my tongue than honey.[h]
104 Through your commandments I achieve wisdom;
therefore, I hate every way that is false.
Nun
105 [i]Your word is a lamp for my feet[j]
and a light to my path.
106 With a solemn vow I have sworn[k]
to obey the judgments of your righteousness.
107 I have been afflicted beyond measure;
O Lord, let me live in accord with your word.
108 Receive, O Lord, the homage my lips offer you,
and instruct me about your judgments.
109 Even though I continually take my life in my hands,[l]
I do not neglect your law.
110 The wicked seek to entrap me,
but I have not strayed from your commands.
111 [m]Your statutes are my everlasting heritage;
they are the very joy of my heart.
112 I have set my heart on keeping your decrees,
even to the end.
Samekh
Chapter 9
Conversion of Saul on the Road to Damascus.[a] 1 Now, Saul,[b] still breathing threats and violence against the Lord’s disciples, went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus,[c] authorizing him to arrest any men or women there who were followers of the Way and bring them back to Jerusalem.
3 While he was drawing near Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from the sky flashed around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” 5 He asked, “Who are you, Lord?” The reply came, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. 6 Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you have to do.”
7 The men who were traveling with him stood there speechless, for they had heard the voice but had seen no one. 8 Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he was unable to see. Therefore, they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. 9 For three days, he was without sight and neither ate nor drank.
10 Saul’s Baptism. There was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias. In a vision, the Lord said to him, “Ananias.” He answered, “Here I am, Lord.” 11 The Lord said to him, “Get up and go to the Street called Straight,[d] to the house of Judas, and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul. He is praying, 12 and in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he may regain his sight.”
13 Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many people about this man and how much harm he has done to your saints[e] in Jerusalem. 14 Now he has come here with authority from the chief priests to imprison all who invoke your name.”
15 However, the Lord said to him, “Go, for this is the man I have chosen as a vessel to bring my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel. 16 I myself will show him how much he will have to suffer for the sake of my name.”
17 And so Ananias went forth and entered the house. He laid his hands on Saul and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on your way has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”[f] 18 Immediately, something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. He got up and was baptized; 19 then, after taking some food, he regained his strength.
Saul Preaches in Damascus. For several days, Saul stayed with the disciples in Damascus, 20 and he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. 21 All those who heard him were astounded, and they said, “Is not this the man who in Jerusalem was persecuting those who invoked this name? And did he not come here for the specific purpose of arresting them so that they might be taken to the chief priests?” 22 But Saul’s strength continued to increase, and he confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by showing that Jesus is indeed the Christ.
Copyright © 2019 by Catholic Book Publishing Corp. All rights reserved.