Book of Common Prayer
A Welcome for God into the Temple
A psalm of David.
24 The earth belongs to the Lord, and ·everything in it [L its fullness]—
the world and all its ·people [inhabitants].
2 He ·built [founded] it on the waters
and ·set [established] it on the rivers [Gen. 1:9–10; Is. 45:18].
3 Who may go up on the mountain of the Lord [C Zion, the location of the Temple]?
Who may stand in his holy ·Temple [L place]?
4 Only those with clean hands and pure hearts [C innocent in actions and thoughts],
who have not ·worshiped idols [L lifted their souls to false things],
who have not made promises ·in the name of a false god [or deceitfully].
5 They will receive a blessing from the Lord;
the God who ·saves [rescues; T delivers] them will ·declare them right [vindicate them].
6 ·They try to follow God [L This is the generation/people of those who seek him];
they ·look to the God of Jacob for help [L search for your face, O God of Jacob]. ·
7 ·Open up [L Lift up your heads], you gates.
·Open wide [L Be lifted up], you ·aged [ancient] doors
and the ·glorious King [King of glory] will come in.
8 Who is this ·glorious King [King of glory]?
The Lord, strong and mighty.
The Lord, ·the powerful warrior [mighty in battle].
9 ·Open up [L Lift up your heads], you gates.
·Open wide [L Be lifted up], you ·aged [ancient] doors
and the ·glorious King [King of glory] will come in.
10 Who is this ·glorious King [King of glory]?
The Lord ·All-Powerful [of Heaven’s Armies/T Hosts]—
he is the ·glorious King [King of glory]. ·
God in the Thunderstorm
A psalm of David.
29 ·Praise [T Ascribe to] the Lord, you ·angels [L sons of God; C God’s council];
·Praise the Lord’s [T Ascribe to the Lord] glory and power.
2 ·Praise the Lord for [T Ascribe to the Lord] the glory of his name;
worship the Lord ·because he is holy [L in the splendor of his holiness].
3 The Lord’s voice [C thunder] is heard over the ·sea [L waters; C a symbol of chaos].
The glorious God thunders;
the Lord thunders over the ·ocean [L many/mighty waters].
4 The Lord’s voice is powerful;
the Lord’s voice is ·majestic [splendid; awesome].
5 The Lord’s voice breaks the ·trees [L cedars];
the Lord breaks the cedars of Lebanon [C the most famous cedar forests].
6 He makes the land of Lebanon dance like a calf
and ·Mount Hermon [L Sirion] jump like a baby bull.
7 The Lord’s voice ·makes the lightning flash [strikes with flashes of lightning].
8 The Lord’s voice shakes the ·desert [wilderness];
the Lord shakes the ·Desert [Wilderness] of Kadesh.
9 The Lord’s voice ·shakes the oaks [or makes the deer give birth]
and strips the ·leaves off the trees [L forests bare].
In his Temple everyone says, “Glory!”
10 The Lord ·controls [L is enthroned over] the flood [C controls chaos].
The Lord ·will be [L is enthroned as] King forever.
11 The Lord gives strength to his people;
the Lord blesses his people with peace.
The Lord’s Greatness
For the director of music. On the gittith [C perhaps a musical term or instrument]. A psalm of David.
8 Lord our Lord,
·Your name is the most wonderful name [L How majestic is your name] in all the earth [Ex. 3:14–15]!
·It brings you praise [L You have set your splendor/glory] in heaven above [Rom. 1:20].
2 ·You have taught children and babies
to sing praises to you [L Out of the mouth of babies and infants you have established/founded strength]
because of your enemies.
And so you silence your enemies
and those who try to get ·even [revenge].
3 I look at your heavens,
·which you made with [L the work of] your fingers.
I see the moon and stars,
which you ·created [L established; Gen. 1:17–18].
4 ·But why are people even important to you [L What are people that you remember them]?
Why do you take care of ·human beings [L the son of man]?
5 You made them a little lower than ·the angels [or God]
and crowned them with glory and honor [Gen. 1:26–27].
6 You ·put them in charge of [give them rule over] ·everything you made [L the work of your hands].
You put all things under their ·control [L feet; Heb. 2:6–8]:
7 all the sheep, the cattle,
and the ·wild animals [L beasts of the field],
8 the birds in the ·sky [heavens],
the fish in the sea,
and everything that ·lives under water [L passes/travels on the paths of the sea; Gen. 1:28; 9:1–3].
9 Lord our Lord,
·your name is the most wonderful [L how majestic is your] name in all the earth!
Wishing to Be in the Temple
For the director of music. On the gittith [C perhaps a musical term or instrument]. A psalm of the sons of Korah [C descendants of Kohath, son of Levi, who served as temple musicians; 1 Chr. 6:22].
84 Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts],
how lovely is your ·Temple [L residence; dwelling place]!
2 I ·want more than anything
to be in [L long, even faint for] the courtyards of the ·Lord’s Temple [L Lord].
My ·whole being wants
to be with [L heart/mind and flesh sing for joy to] the living God.
3 The sparrows have found a home,
and the swallows have nests.
They raise their young near your altars,
Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts], my King and my God.
4 ·Happy [Blessed] are the people who live at your ·Temple [L house];
they are always praising you. ·
5 ·Happy [Blessed] are those whose strength comes from you,
·who want to travel to Jerusalem [L in whose hearts are highways; C they want to make pilgrimage to Jerusalem to celebrate religious festivals].
6 As they pass through the Valley of Baca [C “weeping,” location unknown],
they make it ·like [L a place with] a spring.
The ·autumn [early] rains ·fill [wrap; cover] it with ·pools of water [or blessings].
7 The people ·get stronger as they go [L go from strength to strength],
and everyone ·meets with [L sees] ·God [L the God of gods] in ·Jerusalem [L Zion; C the location of the Temple].
8 Lord God ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts], hear my prayer;
God of Jacob [C another name for Israel], ·listen to me [give ear]. ·
9 God, look at our shield [C the king];
be kind to your ·appointed king [anointed; Messiah; C the king, ultimately Jesus; Acts 4:25–28].
10 One day in your courtyards is better
than a thousand days anywhere else.
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the Temple of my God
than live in the ·homes [L tents] of the wicked.
11 The Lord God is like a sun and shield;
the Lord gives us ·kindness [mercy; grace] and ·honor [glory].
He does not hold back anything good
from those ·whose lives are innocent [L who walk in innocence/blamelessness].
12 Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts],
·happy [blessed] are the people who ·trust [have confidence in] you!
You Are Chosen for Salvation
13 Brothers and sisters, whom the Lord loves, God chose you from the beginning[a] to be saved. So we ·must [ought to] always thank God for you. You are saved by the ·Spirit that makes you holy [sanctifying work of the Spirit] and by your faith in the truth. 14 God used the ·Good News [Gospel] that we preached to call you to be saved so you can ·share in [obtain; possess] the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 15 So, brothers and sisters, stand ·strong [firm] and ·continue to believe [hold fast to; grasp firmly] the ·teachings we gave you [L traditions you were taught] ·in our speaking and in our [L whether through our word or our] letter.
16 May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and through his grace gave us eternal ·comfort [encouragement] and a good hope, 17 ·encourage [comfort] you and strengthen you in every good thing you do and say.
Ask God for What You Need(A)
7 “·Ask [Keep asking], and ·God will give [L it will be given; C the passive verb implies God as subject] to you. ·Search [Seek; Keep seeking], and you will find. ·Knock [Keep knocking], and the door will open for you. 8 ·Yes, [L For; Because] everyone who asks will receive. Everyone who ·searches [seeks] will find. And everyone who knocks will have the door opened.
9 “If your children ask for bread, which of you would give them a stone? 10 Or [L which of you] if your ·children ask [or son asks] for a fish, would you give them a snake? 11 ·Even though you are bad, you [If you, being evil,] know how to give good gifts to your children. How much more your heavenly Father will give good things to those who ask him!
The Most Important Rule(B)
12 “[So always; So in everything] ·Do to others what [Treat others as] you want them to ·do to [treat] you. This ·is [sums up; is the essence of] the ·meaning of the law of Moses and the teaching of the prophets [L Law and the Prophets; C referring to the OT].
The Way to Heaven Is Hard(C)
13 “Enter through the narrow gate. [L Because] The gate is wide and the road is ·wide [broad; spacious; or easy] that leads to ·hell [L destruction; ruin], and many people enter through that gate. 14 But the gate is small and the road is ·narrow [or difficult; hard] that leads to true life. ·Only a few people [And there are few who] find that road.
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