Book of Common Prayer
Prayer for Help in the Face of Enemies
For the music director. A psalm of David.[a]
140 Rescue me, O Yahweh, from evil men.[b]
Preserve me from violent men,
2 who plan evil things in their heart.
They stir up wars continually.
3 They sharpen their tongue as sharp as a snake’s;
the venom of a viper is under their lips. Selah
4 Protect me, O Yahweh, from the hands of the wicked.
Preserve me from violent men,
who have planned to make me stumble.[c]
5 The proud have hidden a trap for me, and cords.
They have spread out a net along the side[d] of the path.
They have set snares for me. Selah
6 I say to Yahweh, “You are my God.”
Listen, O Yahweh, to the voice of my supplications.
7 O Yahweh, my Lord, the strength of my salvation,
you have covered my head in the day of battle.
8 Do not grant, O Yahweh, the desires of the wicked.
Do not allow them to attain their[e] plan, lest they be exalted. Selah
9 With respect to the head of those who surround me,
may the harm of their lips cover them.
10 Let burning coals fall on them;
let them be dropped into the fire,
into bottomless pits from which they cannot rise.
11 Do not let a slanderer[f] be established in the land;
as for the man of violence, let evil hunt him quickly.
12 I know[g] that Yahweh will maintain the cause of the afflicted,
and justice for the needy.
13 Surely the righteous will give thanks to your name;
the upright will dwell in your presence.
A Prayer for Deliverance from Pursuers
A maskil of David.
When he was in the cave. A prayer.[a]
142 I cry out with my voice to Yahweh;
I implore favor with my voice to Yahweh.
2 I pour out my complaint before him;
I declare my trouble before him.
3 When my spirit faints within me,
you know my way.
On the path where I walk,
they have hidden a trap for me;
4 look to my right and see.
There is no one looking out for me;
there is no escape for me;[b]
no one cares for my soul.[c]
5 I cry out to you, O Yahweh.
I say, “You are my refuge,
my portion in the land of the living.”
6 Attend to my cry,
for I am brought very low.
Deliver me from my pursuers,
for they are stronger than I.
7 Bring me[d] out of prison,
that I may give thanks to your name.
The righteous will encircle me,
because you will deal bountifully with me.
Prayer for God’s Help in Maintaining Integrity
A psalm of David.[a]
141 I call on you, O Yahweh; hasten to me.
Listen to my voice when I call to you.
2 Let my prayer be set before you as incense,
the lifting up of my palms as the evening offering.
3 Set a guard, O Yahweh, over my mouth;
keep watch over the door of my lips.
4 Do not incline my heart to any evil thing,
to practice wicked deeds
with men who do iniquity;
and do not let me eat of their delicacies.
5 Let a righteous one strike me in kindness,
and let him chasten me.
It is oil for my head;[b] let not my head refuse.
For still my prayer is against their evil deeds.
6 When their judges are thrown down the sides of a cliff,[c]
then they will understand that my words were pleasant.
7 As when one plows and breaks up the earth,
so our bones are scattered at the mouth of Sheol.
8 But[d] my eyes are toward you, O Yahweh, my Lord;
I have taken refuge in you. Do not lay bare my soul.[e]
9 Protect me from the grasp[f] of the trap they have laid for me,
and from the snares of evildoers.
10 Let the wicked fall into their[g] nets,
while I escape altogether.
A Prayer for Rescue from Enemies
A psalm of David.[a]
143 O Yahweh, hear my prayer;
listen to my supplications.
In your faithfulness answer me,
and in your righteousness.
2 And do not enter into judgment with your servant,
because no one alive is righteous before you.
3 For the enemy has pursued my soul;
he has crushed my life to the ground.
He has made me dwell in dark places
like those long dead.
4 And so my spirit grows faint within me;
my heart within[b] me is desolate.
5 I remember the days of long ago;
I meditate on all your doings.[c]
I muse on the labor of your hands.
6 I stretch out my hands to you;
my soul longs for you like a dry land. Selah
7 Quickly answer me, O Yahweh;
my spirit fails.
Do not hide your face from me,
or I will become
like those descending to the pit.
8 Cause me to hear your loyal love in the morning,
for I trust you.
Cause me to know the way that I should go,
for I lift up my soul to you.
9 Deliver me from my enemies, O Yahweh.
I take refuge in you.[d]
10 Teach me to do your will, for you are my God;
your Spirit is good.
Lead me onto level ground.
11 For your name’s sake, O Yahweh, preserve my life;
in your righteousness bring me[e] out of trouble.
12 And in your loyal love destroy my enemies,
and exterminate all the adversaries of my soul,
for I am your servant.
Ruth Meets Boaz at the Threshing Floor
3 Now Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, “My daughter, should I not seek for you security that things may be good for you? 2 So then, is not Boaz our kinsman whose maidservants you were with? Look, he is winnowing the barley at the threshing floor tonight. 3 Wash, anoint yourself, put your clothing on, and go down to the threshing floor. Do not make yourself known to the man until he finishes eating and drinking. 4 And when he lies, take notice of the place where he lies. And you shall go and uncover[a] his feet and lie down, and he shall tell you what to do.” 5 And she said to her, “I will do all that you say.”
6 And she went down to the threshing floor and did all that her mother-in-law had instructed her. 7 And Boaz ate and drank until his heart was merry[b] and then he came to lie at the end of the grain heap. And she came in quietly and uncovered[c] his feet and lay down. 8 And it happened in the middle of the night the man was startled and he reached out and behold, a woman was lying at his feet. 9 And he said, “Who are you?” And she said, “I am Ruth, your servant. Spread your garment[d] over your servant because you are a redeemer.” 10 And he said, “You are blessed by Yahweh my daughter. You did better in this last kindness than the first by not going after young men, whether poor or rich. 11 And so then my daughter, do not be afraid. All that you ask I will do for you, for the entire assembly of my people knows that you are a worthy woman. 12 Now truly I am a redeemer, but there is also a redeemer of a closer relationship than me. 13 Stay tonight,[e] and in the morning, if he wants to redeem you, good; but if he is not willing to redeem, then as Yahweh lives,[f] I will redeem you. Lie down until the morning.”
14 So she lay at his feet until morning and got up before anyone could recognize each other.[g] And he said, “It must not be known that you[h] came to the threshing floor.” 15 And he said, “Bring the cloak that is on you and hold it out.”[i] And she held it out and he measured six measures of barley and put it on her cloak. Then she went into the city. 16 And she came to her mother-in-law, and she said, “How did it go for you,[j] my daughter?” And she told her all that the man did for her. 17 And she said, “These six measures of barley he gave to me, for he said, ‘You shall not go empty-handed to your mother-in-law.’” 18 And she said, “Wait, my daughter, until you know how the matter turns out, for the man will not rest but will settle the matter today.”
Proclaiming Jesus Christ as Lord
4 Because of this, since we[a] have this ministry, just as we have been shown mercy, we do not lose heart, 2 but we have renounced shameful hidden things, not behaving with craftiness or adulterating the word of God, but with the open proclamation of the truth commending ourselves to every person’s conscience before God. 3 But if indeed our gospel is veiled, it is veiled among those who are perishing, 4 among whom the god of this age has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, so that they would not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 5 For we do not proclaim ourselves, but Christ Jesus[b] as Lord, and ourselves as your slaves for the sake of Jesus. 6 For God who said, “Light will shine out of darkness,”[c] is the one who has shined in our hearts for the enlightenment of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.[d]
Treasure in Earthenware Jars
7 But we have this treasure in earthenware jars, in order that the extraordinary degree of the power may be from God and not from us. 8 We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; 9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed; 10 always carrying around the death of Jesus in our body, in order that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. 11 For we who are alive are continually being handed over to death because of Jesus, in order that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our mortal flesh. 12 So then, death is at work in us, but life in you.
The Sermon on the Mount: Retaliation
38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’[a] 39 But I say to you, do not resist the evildoer, but whoever strikes you on the right cheek,[b] turn the other to him also. 40 And the one who wants to go to court with you and take your tunic, let him have[c] your outer garment also. 41 And whoever forces you to go one mile,[d] go with him two. 42 Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.
The Sermon on the Mount: Love for Enemies
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor’[e] and ‘Hate your enemy.’[f] 44 But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 in order that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven, because he causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not the tax collectors also do the same? 47 And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing that is remarkable? Do not the Gentiles also do the same? 48 Therefore you be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect.
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