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Book of Common Prayer

Daily Old and New Testament readings based on the Book of Common Prayer.

Duration: 861 days

Psalm 111-112

Psalm 111^[a]

Praise of God for His Wondrous Works

¹Alleluia.

I will give thanks to the Lord with all my heart^[b]
    in the council of the upright and in the assembly.
²Great are the works of the Lord;^[c]
    they are pondered by all who delight in them.
³His deeds^[d] show forth majesty and splendor,
    and his righteousness endures forever.
⁴He has won renown for his wonders;^[e]
    gracious and compassionate is the Lord.
⁵He provides food for those who fear him,^[f]
    and is forever mindful of his covenant.
⁶He has manifested the power of his works to his people
    by giving them the lands^[g] of the nations.
⁷The works of his hands^[h] are faithful and right,
    and all his commandments are trustworthy.
⁸They are established forever and ever
    to be observed in fidelity and truthfulness.
⁹He has granted deliverance to his people
    and established his covenant forever;
    holy and awe-inspiring is his name.^[i]
¹⁰The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;^[j]
    those who are guided by it will grow in understanding.
    His praise will last forever.

Psalm 112^[k]

The Blessings of the Righteous

¹Alleluia.

Blessed^[l] is the man who fears the Lord,
    who greatly delights in his precepts.
²His descendants will be powerful upon the earth;
    the generation of the upright will be blessed.^[m]
³His house will be filled with wealth and riches,^[n]
    and his righteousness will endure forever.
⁴He shines as a light for the upright in the darkness;
    kindness, mercy, and justice are his hallmarks.^[o]
⁵The future bodes well^[p] for him
    who is generous in helping those in need
    and who conducts his affairs with justice.
⁶^[q]He will never be swayed;
    the righteous man will be remembered forever.
⁷He has no fear of bad news,
    for his heart remains steadfast, trusting in the Lord.
⁸Since his heart is tranquil, he will not be afraid,
    and he will witness the downfall of his enemies.
⁹He bestows gifts lavishly on the poor;
    his righteousness will endure forever,
    and his horn^[r] will be exalted in glory.
¹⁰The wicked will be furious when he sees this,
    gnashing his teeth and pining away;
    the desires of the wicked will be fruitless.^[s]

Footnotes

Psalm 111:1 A sage sets forth the essence of the religion of Israel: the Lord has delivered his people in order to conclude a covenant with them and to reveal his will to them. The author contemplates the divine “righteousness” (v. 3), i.e., everything the Lord has done in favor of his chosen ones, the wonders that in some way are renewed when they are recalled in the liturgy (v. 4): the miracle of the manna and the quail (v. 5), the gift of the Promised Land (v. 6), and the stability of the laws of the world and the moral order (v. 7). The sages who pursue this meditation and observe the law will be enabled to understand who God is: holy and redoubtable, compassionate and tender, so that they may render thanks to him.
In praying this psalm, we should keep in mind that the wonders to which it alludes are only a pale figure of the wonders that the Father has accomplished through, and in, his Incarnate Son on behalf of his new people, the Church (see Jn 5:20). After various physical cures and raisings from the dead, God works the glorious Resurrection of his Son and our own spiritual resurrection in him (see Eph 2:5f).
Psalm 111:1 Heart: see note on Ps 4:8. Council of the upright: probably a circle of friends and advisors, as in Ps 107:32. In the assembly: in the temple (see Ps 149:1).
Psalm 111:2 Works of the Lord: sometimes his deeds, as in verse 6, but more often the things he has made (the heavens, Pss 8:4; 19:2; 102:26; and the earth, Ps 104:24). Made “by . . . wisdom” (Ps 104:24), these lend themselves to meditation and lead to delight.
Psalm 111:3 Deeds: probably his providential acts as in Deut 32:4. We should keep in mind that, as Isa 45:9-13 indicates, God’s creation and providence are of one piece. Righteousness: as embodied in his deeds.
Psalm 111:4 Won renown for his wonders: by the celebration of annual feasts (see Ex 23:14), notably the Passover (for Christians, see 1 Cor 11:23-26). See also note on Ps 9:2. Gracious and compassionate: classic description of the meaning of God’s name (see Ps 103:8; Ex 34:6f).
Psalm 111:5 Food for those who fear him: probably a reference to the manna in the desert (see Ex 16:1ff), which in the New Testament is seen as a type of the Eucharist (see Jn 6:31-33, 49-51). The entire verse may also refer to God’s giving of our daily bread (see Mt 6:11) and his daily forbearance. His covenant: see Ps 105:8-11.
Psalm 111:6 Lands: literally, “inheritance, heritage.”
Psalm 111:7 There is complete harmony between what God does and what he says, between the works of his hands and his commandments.
Psalm 111:9 This verse recalls the miracles of the Exodus and the theophany at Sinai. Name: see note on Ps 5:12.
Psalm 111:10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: the motto of the Wisdom writings (see Job 28:28; Prov 1:7; 9:10; Eccl 12:13; Sir 1:18, 24; 19:17). Here it refers to God especially as Creator, Redeemer, and Provider.
Psalm 112:1 This psalm provides the same literary characteristics as the preceding one and most likely stems from the same unknown author. By their theme the two chants complete one another. The first celebrates the divine perfections and works, while the second sings of the virtues and deeds of the true righteous person and the happiness he attains.
The ancients believed that the man who faithfully observed the law and was solicitous of his neighbor was assured prosperity, posterity, and renown. In this psalm a sage once again praises the righteous in these terms, but he adds another more mystical religious sentiment. In effect, applying to the righteous the qualities that the preceding psalm attributed to the Lord, he wishes to show that by dint of placing his delight in the will of the Lord, the righteous man ends up resembling him. Hence, the law is not a burden imposed from without, but a power that transforms the heart. To obey is to let oneself be invaded by the sentiments of God: mercy, tenderness, and righteousness. Is there any other source of happiness?
This psalm is also very suitable for describing the Christian ideal, the perfection we must achieve in the steps of the Master and the happiness we will find therein.
Psalm 112:1 Blessed is the man who follows unswervingly God’s will and call. Blessed: see note on Ps 1:1. Fears the Lord: see note on Ps 15:2-5.
Psalm 112:2 The upright man is blessed in his children and brings blessings on them (see Pss 37:26; 127:3-5; 128:3).
Psalm 112:3 Wealth and riches: see Pss 1:3; 128:2. His righteousness: i.e., his happiness, his successes, and his well-being. There is a tacit comparison of the upright person’s righteousness to God’s (they both endure forever: see Ps 111:3b). Some scholars translate the word “righteousness” as “generosity,” claiming that the original meaning of the Hebrew word in a later period of the language also acquired the meaning of “liberality, almsgiving” (see Sir 3:30; 7:10; Mt 6:1f).
Psalm 112:4 The goodness of the righteous man overflows to others. He acts in the same way as God does (see Ps 111:4b). This is brought out more clearly by the older Catholic rendition: “He dawns through the darkness, a light for the upright; / he is gracious and compassionate and righteous.”
Psalm 112:5 Future bodes well: i.e., well-being and prosperity await him (see Ps 34:9-15). Good is also the quality of the righteous man. He is good in that he is generous (see Pss 34:9-11; 37:21). Just as all the Lord’s works are “faithful and right” (see Ps 111:7), so the upright man conducts his affairs with justice.
Psalm 112:6 The righteous man observes the commandments of God that are “established forever and ever” (Ps 111:8); hence “he will never be swayed” (Ps 112:6) and has no fear (v. 7), for his heart is tranquil (v. 8). His trust is in the Lord in spite of bad news, reasons to be afraid, or problems with others (vv. 7-8).
Psalm 112:9 As God’s name is held in holy awe (see Ps 111:9), so the righteous will be held in honor. Paul uses this verse to support the principle that “if you sow generously, you will reap generously as well” (2 Cor 9:6, 9). Horn: here symbolizes dignity.
Psalm 112:10 The only alternative way of life to that of the righteous is bitter, transient, and futile.

Error: '2 Esdras 2:42-47' not found for the version: New Catholic Bible

Hebrews 11:32-12:2

³²The Faith of the Judges and Prophets. What more shall I say? Time is too short for me to speak of Gideon, Barak, Samson, and Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the Prophets,^[a] ³³who by faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and obtained the promises. They closed the mouths of lions,^[b] ³⁴quenched raging fires,^[c] and escaped the edge of the sword. Their weakness was turned into strength as they became mighty in battle and put foreign armies to flight.

³⁵Women received their dead^[d] back through resurrection. Others who were tortured refused to accept release in order to obtain a better resurrection. ³⁶Still others were mocked and scourged, even to the point of enduring chains and imprisonment.

³⁷They were stoned,^[e] or sawed in two, or put to death by the sword. They went about in skins of sheep or goats—destitute, persecuted, and tormented. ³⁸The world was not worthy of them. They wandered about in desert areas and on mountains, and they lived in dens and caves of the earth.

³⁹Yet all these, even though they were commended for their faith, did not receive what was promised. ⁴⁰For God had made provision for us to have something better, and they were not to achieve perfection except with us.^[f]

Let Us Run with Eyes Fixed on Jesus^[g]

Chapter 12

You Have Not Yet Resisted to the Point of Bloodshed. ¹Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses,^[h] let us throw off everything that weighs us down and the sins that so easily distract us and with perseverance run the race that lies ahead of us, ²with our eyes fixed on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith. For the sake of the joy that lay before him, he endured the cross, ignoring its shame, and is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Footnotes

Hebrews 11:32 All those mentioned in this verse held positions of power (Judges, Prophets, and one King), but none is praised for anything but faith in God. They are given in pairs and out of chronological order, with the more important person mentioned first. Gideon: see Jdg 6–9; Barak: see Jdg 4–5. Samson: see Jdg 13–16; Jephthah: see Jdg 11–12. David: King (see 1 Sam 13:14; 16:1, 12; Acts 13:22) and Prophet (see Heb 4:7; 2 Sam 23:1-3; Mk 12:36); Samuel and the Prophets: Samuel was the last of the Judges and the first of the Prophets (see 1 Sam 7:15; Acts 3:24; 13:20); he anointed David as King (see 1 Sam 16:13) and was renowned as a man of intercessory prayer (see 1 Sam 12:19, 23; Jer 15:1).
Hebrews 11:33 Mouths of lions: e.g., Daniel in the lions’ den (see Dan 6).
Hebrews 11:34 Quenched raging fires: e.g., Daniel’s friends, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, in the fiery furnace (see Dan 3).
Hebrews 11:35 Their dead: allusion to the two miracles worked by Elijah and Elisha (1 Ki 17:23; 2 Ki 4:36). Tortured: e.g., the Maccabean patriots of the second century B.C. (see 2 Mac 7).
Hebrews 11:37 They were stoned: e.g., Zechariah, the son of Jehoiada the priest, who was put to death for stating the truth (see 2 Chr 24:20-22; Lk 11:51). Sawed in two: an ancient Jewish tradition said that Isaiah was killed in this way by order of King Manasseh.
Hebrews 11:40 The saints of the Old Testament were able to reach the perfection of life with God only through Christ, who is “the resurrection and the life” (Jn 11:25f).
Hebrews 12:1 Christians have only one person on whom to keep their eyes as the object of faith and salvation: Christ (see Heb 11:26f; Acts 7:55f; Phil 3:8). They look to the Crucified Lord to understand how to behave at all times, and especially in difficulties and persecution.
Hebrews 12:1 Surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses: the author may be thinking of an athletic contest in a large amphitheater wherein the heroes just mentioned are inspiring examples for us, urging us on to stand firm in the faith and even to martyrdom if need be.

Psalm 148

Psalm 148^[a]

Song of the Universe

¹^[b]Alleluia.

Praise the Lord from the heavens;
    offer praise to him in the heights!
²Praise him, all his angels;
    offer praise to him, all his hosts!^[c]
³Praise him, sun and moon;
    offer praise to him, all you shining stars!
⁴Praise him, you highest heavens,^[d]
    and you waters above the heavens.
⁵Let them praise the name^[e] of the Lord,
    for it was at his command that they were created.
⁶He established them in place forever and ever;
    he issued a law that will never pass away.^[f]
⁷^[g]Praise the Lord from the earth,
    you sea monsters and ocean depths,
⁸fire and hail, snow and clouds,
    storm winds that carry out his word,^[h]
⁹all mountains and hills,
    all fruit trees and cedars,
¹⁰wild animals and all cattle,
    creeping creatures and flying birds,^[i]
¹¹kings of the earth and all nations,
    princes and all rulers on the earth,
¹²young men and women,
    the elderly, as well as children.^[j]
¹³^[k]Let them all praise the name of the Lord,
    for his name alone is exalted;
    his majesty is above the earth and the heavens.^[l]
¹⁴He has raised high a horn^[m] for his people,
    to the glory of all his saints,
    for the people of Israel who are close to him.
Alleluia.

Footnotes

Psalm 148:1 The exiles have returned home, the temple has been rebuilt, and its precincts have been restored. God has reestablished the people he loves. What a testament to his glory (vv. 13-14). Joy invades all hearts and expands to worldwide dimensions. The whole universe and all earthly creatures are invited to praise the Lord, the Creator and Redeemer. This theme also permeates the next two psalms, forming the conclusion and the synthesis of the Psalter.
We can pray this psalm to exhort all creation, both animate and inanimate, to praise the Triune God not only as the Creator but also as the Savior and Sanctifier. For although all creation is presently subject to vanity, it hopes to be freed from corruption so as to enter into the freedom of God’s children, when God will transform the universe with a new heaven and a new earth (see Rom 8:19-22; Rev 21:1-5). May the angels and saints of heaven do likewise.
Psalm 148:1 The psalmist calls upon all creatures in the heavens to praise the Lord because of his creative and redeeming acts.
Psalm 148:2 See Ps 103:20f; Job 38:7.
Psalm 148:4 See Gen 1:6f; 1 Ki 8:27; 2 Cor 12:2; Eph 4:10. Highest heavens: literally, “the heavens of the heavens,” i.e., the space above the “expanse,” which separated the “waters above” from the “waters below” (see Ps 104:3, 13; Gen 1:6f).
Psalm 148:5 Name: see note on Ps 5:12.
Psalm 148:6 See Jer 31:35f.
Psalm 148:7 The psalmist now calls upon all creatures on earth to praise the Lord: sea creatures, depths, the powers of nature, mountains and hills, fruit trees and the cedars, animals and birds, and finally all human beings, including the powerful as well as the young and old.
Psalm 148:8 Carry out his word: i.e., “do his bidding” (see Ps 147:15).
Psalm 148:10 See Gen 1:21, 24f; Isa 43:20.
Psalm 148:12 See Jer 31:13.
Psalm 148:13 The psalmist gives the reasons behind the praise: God is the exalted Ruler, who is not subject to the limitations of the earth or the heavens, and he has unique concern for his people, i.e., those devoted to him, his saints.
Psalm 148:13 See Pss 108:5; 113:2-4.
Psalm 148:14 Horn: i.e., the Lord’s anointed (see note on Ps 18:3; see also Ps 2:2); it may also refer to the strength and power of God’s people (see Ps 92:11; 1 Sam 2:1; Jer 48:25; Lam 2:17). Saints: see notes on Pss 4:3; 34:10.

Psalm 150

Psalm 150^[a]

Harmonious Praise of God

¹Alleluia.

Praise God in his sanctuary;
    praise him in the firmament of his power.^[b]
²Praise him for his awesome acts,^[c]
    praise him for his immeasurable greatness.
³^[d]Praise him with the sound of the trumpet,
    praise him with the harp and lyre.
⁴Praise him with tambourines and dancing,
    praise him with strings and flutes.
⁵Praise him with clanging cymbals,
    praise him with crashing cymbals.
⁶Let everything that breathes
    offer praise to the Lord.
Alleluia.^[e]

Footnotes

Psalm 150:1 In the same manner in which our “Glory be to the Father” concludes the recitation of our psalms, this doxological psalm concludes the Psalter on an urgent invitation to praise (see the conclusions to the first four Books: Pss 41:14; 72:18f; 89:53; 106:48). May every living creature praise the Lord everywhere, on the part of everyone, and by every means. The word “Alleluia” or “Hallelujah” (translated as “Praise [or bless] the Lord” or “Praise [or bless] him”) echoes thirteen times in this psalm. The Psalter could not end on a richer or more powerful note. Everything leads to the immensity of God’s glory (see Rev 15:3-4; 19:4-8). “Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying: ‘To the One seated on the throne / and to the Lamb / be blessing and honor and glory and might / forever and ever!’. . . Amen!” (Rev 5:13f).
We should heed this recommendation and carry it out, for we Christians are more aware than the psalmist of the work of God and Christ in the world and in us. Christ is enthroned in the highest heavens, his own sanctuary, but he is present and active in the heart of every creature, giving to each existence, motion, and life, as the case may be. He is in the heart of the whole world, directing its march in the material, living, human, and spiritual spheres and realizing his greatest victory in the last—the construction of the Church, his Body, his spiritual Spouse.
Psalm 150:1 God is to be praised in his sanctuary on earth and his sanctuary in heaven (see Ps 8:3). The Church of the New Covenant has the mission to glorify God in the world, and her members must gather in the house of God in order to carry out this mission. Firmament of his power: this is also translated as “mighty heavens,” which ensures the well-being of those on earth.
Psalm 150:2 God is to be praised because of his creating and redeeming awesome acts (see Pss 106:2; 145:4, 12), which reveal his greatness (see Pss 145:3; 147:5; 1 Chr 29:11).
Psalm 150:3 God is to be praised with a full orchestra (with trumpet, harp, lyre, and tambourine) and with dance in a liturgy of praise that will reach as high as the heavens.
Psalm 150:6 God is to be praised by everyone and everything endowed with life by the Creator (see Pss 103:22; 148:7-12; Rev 5:13). By doing so, Christians will be following the “way” of the Lord, with which the Psalter began (see Ps 1:2), a way that leads to eternal life.

Revelation 21:1-4

The New Jerusalem A New World and a New People^[a]

Chapter 21

The New Heaven and the New Earth. ¹Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth. For the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea.^[b] ²And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, like a bride adorned and ready for her husband. ³And I heard a loud voice proclaim from the throne:

“Behold, God’s dwelling is with mankind;
    he will dwell with them.
They will be his people,
    and he will be their God,
    God-with-them.^[c]
⁴He will wipe every tear from their eyes,
    and there will no longer be death.
Neither will there be any mourning or crying or pain,
    for the old order has passed away.”

Footnotes

Revelation 21:1 A new city for human beings descends from heaven, as beautiful as a new bride; a new universe replaces the old; life gushes up in floods, and an endless feast begins. How can we interpret these marvelous images? We must let ourselves be captivated by the poetic evocation, by the incantation of this exciting symphony. We must project all the attention of people and the Church toward this meeting and this reconciliation, which we regard as the sole definitive condition for humankind—creating a mystical impetus toward Christ, a hope without frontiers.
Let us then strive to highlight some themes that this vision overlaps on one another. At the end of the work of salvation, it is a new creation that God accomplishes (v. 1), surpassing all the images of paradise. Gone are all things that constrained, all limits, imperfections, implacable necessities, evil: the sea, the sun and moon, and the night. Streams spring forth more attractive than those of Eden, for they are a share in the unfathomable life of God; the tree of life finds its power multiplied to infinity (Rev 22:2).
For human beings, this work of salvation is essentially the gathering of the People of God for a definitive Covenant with the Lord. It is presented as a wedding feast in which is realized—in unimaginable fullness—the love of God and human beings, of Christ and the Church, which in keeping with beautiful Biblical texts is expressed as a wedding (see Isa 54:5; 62:4; Mt 9:15; Jn 3:29; 2 Cor 11:2; Rev 19:1-10).
Dreams of the restoration of Jerusalem haunted the Jewish people, and the Prophets wrote about its spectacular resurrection like an image of the coming of God and the salvation of the people (see Ezek 40–48; Isa 65–66; Zec 14); the chant of Jerusalem is a crown-jewel in the Bible (see Pss 87; 122; 137; Isa 33:17-23). One day this movement finds its accomplishment far beyond all warrior or political images. We can think of inexpressible repatriation of human beings in the friendship of God, joy, and happiness. The future city of God’s elect is no longer built up by force of arms—it is a gift and grace coming from on high; it is nothing less than splendor (Rev 21:15-21).
There is no more need of institutions and signs for worship—the temple itself is surpassed: the risen Jesus is the sole place where may be found the joy of really and directly encountering God (see Heb 9:11; Jn 2:21). What extraordinary and joyous celebration in the eternal face-to-face vision of the Lord!
Revelation 21:1 The sea, the usual dwelling of the dragon and a symbol of evil, will disappear before the victorious march of the new Israel, as it did in the days of the Exodus, but this time for good.
Revelation 21:3 This verse contains a combination of the classic formula of the Covenant (“You will be my people, and I will be your God”) and the name Immanuel (“God-with-us”), which was regarded as a name of the Messiah (Mt 1:23)—a fine assertion of the divinity of Christ, who is God and man. The complete and definitive Covenant between God and humankind will be accomplished at the end of time (see Isa 12:6; Joel 4:17, 21; Zep 3:15-17; Zec 2:14).

Revelation 21:22-22:5

²²I did not see any temple there, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. ²³And the city had no need for the sun or the moon to shine on it, for it was lit by the glory of God, and its lamp was the Lamb. ²⁴^[a]The nations will walk by its light, and to it the kings of the earth will bring their treasures.

²⁵The gates of the city will never be shut during the day—and there will be no night there. ²⁶The nations will come into it bringing their treasures and wealth. ²⁷However, nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does abominable or deceitful things, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life.^[b]

Chapter 22

¹Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb^[c] ²down the middle of the street. On either side of the river was the tree of life^[d] with its twelve crops of fruit, yielding fruit each month. The leaves of the trees are for the healing of the nations.

³Nothing accursed will be found there anymore. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. ⁴They will see his face,^[e] and his name will be on their foreheads. ⁵And there will be no more night. They will have no need for light from a lamp or from the sun, for the Lord God will give them light, and they will reign^[f] forever and ever.

New Catholic Bible (NCB)

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Book of Common Prayer

Psalm 111[a]

Praise of God for His Wondrous Works

Psalm 112[k]

The Blessings of the Righteous

Footnotes

Let Us Run with Eyes Fixed on Jesus[g]

Chapter 12

Footnotes

Psalm 148[a]

Song of the Universe

Footnotes

Psalm 150[a]

Harmonious Praise of God

Footnotes

The New Jerusalem A New World and a New People[a]

Chapter 21

Footnotes

Chapter 22

Footnotes

Psalm 111^[a]

Psalm 112^[k]

Let Us Run with Eyes Fixed on Jesus^[g]

Psalm 148^[a]

Psalm 150^[a]

The New Jerusalem A New World and a New People^[a]