Book of Common Prayer
Psalm 6
For the choir director; with stringed instruments, on the sheminith;[a] a psalm by David.
1 O Yahweh, do not punish me in your anger
or discipline me in your rage.
2 Have pity on me, O Yahweh, because I am weak.
Heal me, O Yahweh, because my bones shake with terror.
3 My soul has been deeply shaken with terror.
But you, O Yahweh, how long . . . ?
4 Come back, O Yahweh.
Rescue me.
Save me because of your mercy!
5 In death, no one remembers you.
In the grave, who praises you?
6 I am worn out from my groaning.
My eyes flood my bed every night.
I soak my couch with tears.
7 My eyes blur from grief.
They fail because of my enemies.
8 Get away from me, all you troublemakers,
because Yahweh has heard the sound of my crying.
9 Yahweh has heard my plea for mercy.
Yahweh accepts my prayer.
10 All my enemies will be put to shame and deeply shaken with terror.
In a moment they will retreat and be put to shame.
Psalm 12
For the choir director; on the sheminith; a psalm by David.
1 Help, O Yahweh.
No godly person is left.
Faithful people have vanished from among Adam’s descendants!
2 All people speak foolishly.
They speak with flattering lips. They say one thing but mean another.
3 May Yahweh cut off every flattering lip
and every bragging tongue
4 that has said,
“We will overcome with our tongues.
With lips such as ours, who can be our master?”
5 “Because oppressed people are robbed and needy people groan,
I will now arise,” says Yahweh.
“I will provide safety for those who long for it.”
6 The promises of Yahweh are pure,
like silver refined in a furnace[a] and purified seven times.
7 O Yahweh, you will protect them.
You will keep each one safe from those people forever.
8 Wicked people parade around
when immorality increases among Adam’s descendants.
Psalm 94
1 O Yahweh, El of vengeance,
O El of vengeance, appear!
2 Arise, O Shophet of the earth.
Give arrogant people what they deserve.
3 How long, O Yahweh, will wicked people triumph?
How long?
4 They ramble.
They speak arrogantly.
All troublemakers brag about themselves.
5 They crush your people, O Yahweh.
They make those who belong to you suffer.
6 They kill widows and foreigners, and they murder orphans.
7 They say, “Yah doesn’t see it.
The Elohim of Jacob doesn’t even pay attention to it.”
8 Pay attention, you stupid people!
When will you become wise, you fools?
9 Elohim created ears.
Do you think he can’t hear?
He formed eyes.
Do you think he can’t see?
10 He disciplines nations.
Do you think he can’t punish?
He teaches people.
Do you think he doesn’t know anything?
11 Yahweh knows that people’s thoughts are pointless.
12 O Yah, blessed is the person
whom you discipline and instruct from your teachings.
13 You give him peace and quiet from times of trouble
while a pit is dug to trap wicked people.
14 Yahweh will never desert his people
or abandon those who belong to him.
15 The decisions of judges will again become fair,
and everyone whose motives are decent will pursue justice.[a]
16 Who will stand up for me against evildoers?
Who will stand by my side against troublemakers?
17 If Yahweh had not come to help me,
my soul would have quickly fallen silent in death.
18 When I said, “My feet are slipping,”
your mercy, O Yahweh, continued to hold me up.
19 When I worried about many things,
your assuring words soothed my soul.
20 Are wicked rulers who use the law to do unlawful things
able to be your partners?
21 They join forces to take the lives of righteous people.
They condemn innocent people to death.
22 Yahweh has become my stronghold.
My Elohim has become my rock of refuge.
23 He has turned their own wickedness against them.
He will destroy them because of their sins.
Yahweh our Elohim will destroy them.
Jeremiah Complains Bitterly
10 I’m so miserable! Why did my mother give birth to me?
I am a man who argues and quarrels with the whole earth.
I have never lent or borrowed anything.
Yet, everyone curses me.
11 Yahweh said,
“I will certainly rescue you for a good reason.
I will certainly make your enemies plead with you
in times of disaster and in times of distress.
12 (No one can break iron, iron from the north, or bronze.)
13 I will give away your wealth and treasures as loot
as the price for all the sins that you have committed
throughout your territory.
14 I will make you serve your enemies in a land that you haven’t heard of,
because my anger has started a fire.
It will burn you.”
15 O Yahweh, you understand.
Remember me, take care of me,
and take revenge on those who persecute me.
Be patient, and don’t take me away.
You should know that I’ve been insulted because of you.
16 Your words were found, and I devoured them.
Your words are my joy and my heart’s delight,
because I am called by your name, O Yahweh Elohim Tsebaoth.
17 I didn’t keep company with those who laugh and have fun.
I sat alone because your hand was on me.
You filled me with outrage.
18 Why is my pain unending
and my wound incurable, refusing to heal?
Will you disappoint me like a stream
that dries up in summertime?
19 This is what Yahweh says:
If you will return, I will take you back.
If you will speak what is worthwhile and not what is worthless,
you will stand in my presence.
The people will return to you, but you will not return to them.
20 I will make you like a solid bronze wall in front of these people.
They will fight you, but they will not defeat you.
I am with you, and I will save you and rescue you,
declares Yahweh.
21 I will rescue you from the power of wicked people
and free you from the power of tyrants.
15 Whoever has a mature faith should think this way. And if you think differently, God will show you how to think. 16 However, we should be guided by what we have learned so far.
Imitate Me
17 Brothers and sisters, imitate me, and pay attention to those who live by the example we have given you. 18 I have often told you, and now tell you with tears in my eyes, that many live as the enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 In the end they will be destroyed. Their own emotions are their god, and they take pride in the shameful things they do. Their minds are set on worldly things. 20 We, however, are citizens of heaven. We look forward to the Lord Yeshua Christ coming from heaven as our Savior. 21 Through his power to bring everything under his authority, he will change our humble bodies and make them like his glorified body.
Some Greeks Ask to See Jesus
20 Some Greeks were among those who came to worship during the Passover festival. 21 They went to Philip (who was from Bethsaida in Galilee) and told him, “Sir, we would like to meet Yeshua.” 22 Philip told Andrew, and they told Yeshua.
23 Yeshua replied to them, “The time has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 I can guarantee this truth: A single grain of wheat doesn’t produce anything unless it is planted in the ground and dies. If it dies, it will produce a lot of grain. 25 Those who love their lives will destroy them, and those who hate their lives in this world will guard them for everlasting life. 26 Those who serve me must follow me. My servants will be with me wherever I will be. If people serve me, the Father will honor them.
The Names of God Bible (without notes) © 2011 by Baker Publishing Group.