Book of Common Prayer
Psalm 101
Of David. A psalm.
1 I will sing of your love(A) and justice;
to you, Lord, I will sing praise.
2 I will be careful to lead a blameless life(B)—
when will you come to me?
I will conduct the affairs(C) of my house
with a blameless heart.
3 I will not look with approval
on anything that is vile.(D)
I hate what faithless people do;(E)
I will have no part in it.
4 The perverse of heart(F) shall be far from me;
I will have nothing to do with what is evil.
5 Whoever slanders their neighbor(G) in secret,
I will put to silence;
whoever has haughty eyes(H) and a proud heart,
I will not tolerate.
6 My eyes will be on the faithful in the land,
that they may dwell with me;
the one whose walk is blameless(I)
will minister to me.
7 No one who practices deceit
will dwell in my house;
no one who speaks falsely
will stand in my presence.
Psalm 109
For the director of music. Of David. A psalm.
1 My God, whom I praise,(A)
do not remain silent,(B)
2 for people who are wicked and deceitful(C)
have opened their mouths against me;
they have spoken against me with lying tongues.(D)
3 With words of hatred(E) they surround me;
they attack me without cause.(F)
4 In return for my friendship they accuse me,
but I am a man of prayer.(G)
5 They repay me evil for good,(H)
and hatred for my friendship.
6 Appoint someone evil to oppose my enemy;
let an accuser(I) stand at his right hand.
7 When he is tried, let him be found guilty,(J)
and may his prayers condemn(K) him.
8 May his days be few;(L)
may another take his place(M) of leadership.
9 May his children be fatherless
and his wife a widow.(N)
10 May his children be wandering beggars;(O)
may they be driven[a] from their ruined homes.
11 May a creditor(P) seize all he has;
may strangers plunder(Q) the fruits of his labor.(R)
12 May no one extend kindness to him
or take pity(S) on his fatherless children.
13 May his descendants be cut off,(T)
their names blotted out(U) from the next generation.
14 May the iniquity of his fathers(V) be remembered before the Lord;
may the sin of his mother never be blotted out.
15 May their sins always remain before(W) the Lord,
that he may blot out their name(X) from the earth.
16 For he never thought of doing a kindness,
but hounded to death the poor
and the needy(Y) and the brokenhearted.(Z)
17 He loved to pronounce a curse—
may it come back on him.(AA)
He found no pleasure in blessing—
may it be far from him.
18 He wore cursing(AB) as his garment;
it entered into his body like water,(AC)
into his bones like oil.
19 May it be like a cloak wrapped(AD) about him,
like a belt tied forever around him.
20 May this be the Lord’s payment(AE) to my accusers,
to those who speak evil(AF) of me.
21 But you, Sovereign Lord,
help me for your name’s sake;(AG)
out of the goodness of your love,(AH) deliver me.(AI)
22 For I am poor and needy,
and my heart is wounded within me.
23 I fade away like an evening shadow;(AJ)
I am shaken off like a locust.
24 My knees give(AK) way from fasting;(AL)
my body is thin and gaunt.(AM)
25 I am an object of scorn(AN) to my accusers;
when they see me, they shake their heads.(AO)
26 Help me,(AP) Lord my God;
save me according to your unfailing love.
27 Let them know(AQ) that it is your hand,
that you, Lord, have done it.
28 While they curse,(AR) may you bless;
may those who attack me be put to shame,
but may your servant rejoice.(AS)
29 May my accusers be clothed with disgrace
and wrapped in shame(AT) as in a cloak.
30 With my mouth I will greatly extol the Lord;
in the great throng(AU) of worshipers I will praise him.
ע Ayin
121 I have done what is righteous and just;(A)
do not leave me to my oppressors.
122 Ensure your servant’s well-being;(B)
do not let the arrogant oppress me.(C)
123 My eyes fail,(D) looking for your salvation,(E)
looking for your righteous promise.(F)
124 Deal with your servant according to your love(G)
and teach me your decrees.(H)
125 I am your servant;(I) give me discernment
that I may understand your statutes.(J)
126 It is time for you to act, Lord;
your law is being broken.(K)
127 Because I love your commands(L)
more than gold,(M) more than pure gold,(N)
128 and because I consider all your precepts right,(O)
I hate every wrong path.(P)
פ Pe
129 Your statutes are wonderful;(Q)
therefore I obey them.(R)
130 The unfolding of your words gives light;(S)
it gives understanding to the simple.(T)
131 I open my mouth and pant,(U)
longing for your commands.(V)
132 Turn to me(W) and have mercy(X) on me,
as you always do to those who love your name.(Y)
133 Direct my footsteps according to your word;(Z)
let no sin rule(AA) over me.
134 Redeem me from human oppression,(AB)
that I may obey your precepts.(AC)
135 Make your face shine(AD) on your servant
and teach me your decrees.(AE)
136 Streams of tears(AF) flow from my eyes,
for your law is not obeyed.(AG)
צ Tsadhe
137 You are righteous,(AH) Lord,
and your laws are right.(AI)
138 The statutes you have laid down are righteous;(AJ)
they are fully trustworthy.(AK)
139 My zeal wears me out,(AL)
for my enemies ignore your words.
140 Your promises(AM) have been thoroughly tested,(AN)
and your servant loves them.(AO)
141 Though I am lowly and despised,(AP)
I do not forget your precepts.(AQ)
142 Your righteousness is everlasting
and your law is true.(AR)
143 Trouble and distress have come upon me,
but your commands give me delight.(AS)
144 Your statutes are always righteous;
give me understanding(AT) that I may live.
2 The ark remained at Kiriath Jearim(A) a long time—twenty years in all.
Samuel Subdues the Philistines at Mizpah
Then all the people of Israel turned back to the Lord.(B) 3 So Samuel said to all the Israelites, “If you are returning(C) to the Lord with all your hearts, then rid(D) yourselves of the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths(E) and commit(F) yourselves to the Lord and serve him only,(G) and he will deliver(H) you out of the hand of the Philistines.” 4 So the Israelites put away their Baals and Ashtoreths, and served the Lord only.
5 Then Samuel(I) said, “Assemble all Israel at Mizpah,(J) and I will intercede(K) with the Lord for you.” 6 When they had assembled at Mizpah,(L) they drew water and poured(M) it out before the Lord. On that day they fasted and there they confessed, “We have sinned against the Lord.” Now Samuel was serving as leader[a](N) of Israel at Mizpah.
7 When the Philistines heard that Israel had assembled at Mizpah, the rulers of the Philistines came up to attack them. When the Israelites heard of it, they were afraid(O) because of the Philistines. 8 They said to Samuel, “Do not stop crying(P) out to the Lord our God for us, that he may rescue us from the hand of the Philistines.” 9 Then Samuel(Q) took a suckling lamb and sacrificed it as a whole burnt offering to the Lord. He cried out to the Lord on Israel’s behalf, and the Lord answered him.(R)
10 While Samuel was sacrificing the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to engage Israel in battle. But that day the Lord thundered(S) with loud thunder against the Philistines and threw them into such a panic(T) that they were routed before the Israelites. 11 The men of Israel rushed out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines, slaughtering them along the way to a point below Beth Kar.
12 Then Samuel took a stone(U) and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer,[b](V) saying, “Thus far the Lord has helped us.”
13 So the Philistines were subdued(W) and they stopped invading Israel’s territory. Throughout Samuel’s lifetime, the hand of the Lord was against the Philistines. 14 The towns from Ekron(X) to Gath that the Philistines had captured from Israel were restored to Israel, and Israel delivered the neighboring territory from the hands of the Philistines. And there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.(Y)
15 Samuel(Z) continued as Israel’s leader(AA) all(AB) the days of his life. 16 From year to year he went on a circuit from Bethel(AC) to Gilgal(AD) to Mizpah, judging(AE) Israel in all those places. 17 But he always went back to Ramah,(AF) where his home was, and there he also held court(AG) for Israel. And he built an altar(AH) there to the Lord.
The Choosing of the Seven
6 In those days when the number of disciples was increasing,(A) the Hellenistic Jews[a](B) among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows(C) were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food.(D) 2 So the Twelve gathered all the disciples(E) together and said, “It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God(F) in order to wait on tables. 3 Brothers and sisters,(G) choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit(H) and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them(I) 4 and will give our attention to prayer(J) and the ministry of the word.”
5 This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen,(K) a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit;(L) also Philip,(M) Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism. 6 They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed(N) and laid their hands on them.(O)
7 So the word of God spread.(P) The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly,(Q) and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.
Stephen Seized
8 Now Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed great wonders and signs(R) among the people. 9 Opposition arose, however, from members of the Synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called)—Jews of Cyrene(S) and Alexandria as well as the provinces of Cilicia(T) and Asia(U)—who began to argue with Stephen. 10 But they could not stand up against the wisdom the Spirit gave him as he spoke.(V)
11 Then they secretly(W) persuaded some men to say, “We have heard Stephen speak blasphemous words against Moses and against God.”(X)
12 So they stirred up the people and the elders and the teachers of the law. They seized Stephen and brought him before the Sanhedrin.(Y) 13 They produced false witnesses,(Z) who testified, “This fellow never stops speaking against this holy place(AA) and against the law. 14 For we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place(AB) and change the customs Moses handed down to us.”(AC)
15 All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin(AD) looked intently at Stephen, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel.
14 When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles(A) reclined at the table.(B) 15 And he said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.(C) 16 For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.”(D)
17 After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, “Take this and divide it among you. 18 For I tell you I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”
19 And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it,(E) and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.”
20 In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant(F) in my blood, which is poured out for you.[a] 21 But the hand of him who is going to betray me is with mine on the table.(G) 22 The Son of Man(H) will go as it has been decreed.(I) But woe to that man who betrays him!” 23 They began to question among themselves which of them it might be who would do this.
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