Book of Common Prayer
Be Still My Soul
Psalm 131
1 A Song of Ascents. Of David.
Adonai, my heart is not proud,
nor my eyes lofty,
nor do I go after things too great
or too difficult for me.
2 But I have calmed and quieted my soul—
like a weaned child with his mother,
like a weaned child is my soul within me.
3 O Israel, put your hope in Adonai
from this time forth and forever.
Promise of Ben-David
Psalm 132
1 A Song of Ascents.
Adonai, remember David,
all his afflictions,
2 and how he swore to Adonai,
vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob:
3 “I will not enter the tent of my house
nor lie on my bed,
4 nor will I will give sleep to my eyes,
nor slumber to my eyelids,
5 till I find a place for Adonai,
a dwelling for the Mighty One of Jacob.”
6 Behold, we heard of it in Ephratha,
we found it in the fields of Joar.
7 Let us go into His dwelling place,
let us bow at His footstool.
8 Arise, Adonai, to Your resting place—
You, and the Ark of Your might.
9 Let Your kohanim wear righteousness,
and let Your godly ones sing for joy.
10 For Your servant David’s sake
do not turn away the face of Your anointed.[a]
11 Adonai has sworn to David
a true promise He will not revoke:
“From the fruit of your body
I will set one upon your throne—[b]
12 if your children keep My covenant
and My law that I will teach them,
then their sons will sit on your throne forever.”
13 For Adonai has chosen Zion,
He has desired it for His dwelling:
14 “This is My resting place forever.
Here I dwell, for I have desired it.
15 I will abundantly bless her food.
I will satisfy her needy ones with bread.
16 I will clothe her kohanim with salvation,
and her godly ones will sing aloud for joy.
17 There will I make a horn spring up for David,[c]
I have set up a lamp for My anointed.
18 His enemies I will clothe with shame,
but upon himself his crown will shine.”
Blessing of Unity
Psalm 133
1 A Song of Ascents. Of David.
Behold, how good and how pleasant it is
for brothers to dwell together in unity!
2 It is like the precious oil upon the head,
coming down upon the beard—Aaron’s beard—
coming down on the collar of his robes.
3 It is like the dew of Hermon,
coming down upon the mountains of Zion.
For there Adonai commanded the blessing
—life forevermore!
Call to Evening Worship
Psalm 134
1 A Song of Ascents.
Behold, bless Adonai, all servants of Adonai,
who stand by night in the House of Adonai.
2 Lift up your hands to the Sanctuary
and bless Adonai.
3 May Adonai bless you out of Zion—
Maker of heaven and earth.
Jacob as His Treasure
Psalm 135
1 Halleluyah! Praise the Name of Adonai.
Give praise, O servants of Adonai—
2 standing in the House of Adonai,
in the courts of the House of our God.
3 Praise Adonai, for Adonai is good.
Sing praises to His Name, for it is delightful.
4 For Adonai has chosen Jacob for Himself,
Israel as His treasured possession.[d]
5 For I have known that Adonai is great,
and that our Lord is above all gods.
6 Whatever Adonai pleases, He does,
in heaven and in earth,
in the seas and in all deeps.
7 He makes clouds rise from the ends of the earth.
He makes lightning for the rain.
He brings wind out of His storehouses.
8 He struck down the firstborn of Egypt,
both man and beast.
9 He sent signs and wonders among you,
O Egypt, on Pharaoh and all his servants.
10 He struck down many nations
and slew mighty kings:
11 Sihon, king of the Amorites,
and Og, king of Bashan,
and all the kingdoms of Canaan,
12 and gave their land as an inheritance,
an inheritance to His people Israel.
13 Adonai, Your Name endures forever,
Your renown, Adonai, from generation to generation.
14 For Adonai will vindicate His people,
and have compassion on His servants.
15 The idols of the nations are silver and gold,
the work of human hands.
16 They have mouths, but cannot speak,
eyes, but cannot see;
17 they have ears, but cannot hear,
nor is there any breath in their mouths.
18 Those who make them will be like them—
so will all who keep trusting in them.
19 O house of Israel, bless Adonai!
O house of Aaron, bless Adonai!
20 O house of Levi, bless Adonai!
You who revere Adonai, bless Adonai!
21 Blessed be Adonai out of Zion,
who dwells in Jerusalem. Halleluyah!
5 Meanwhile the Philistines assembled themselves to fight with Israel: 30,000 chariots, 6,000 horsemen and troops as numerous as the sand on the seashore. They marched up and camped in Michmas, east of Beth-aven.
6 When the men of Israel saw that they were in trouble, because the people were hard-pressed, they hid in caves, thickets, cliffs, crevices and pits. 7 Some of the Hebrews even crossed over the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. But as for Saul, he was still in Gilgal, but all the people following him were trembling.
8 So he waited seven days—the time set by Samuel—but Samuel had not come to Gilgal so the people began to scatter from him. 9 Then Saul said, “Bring me the burnt offering and the fellowship offerings,” so he offered the burnt offering. 10 But as soon as he had finished offering the burnt offering, behold Samuel arrived. Saul went out to meet and greet him. 11 But Samuel asked, “What have you done?”
Saul replied, “Because I saw that the people were scattering from me, and that you had not come within the appointed days, and that the Philistines were assembling at Michmas, 12 I thought: ‘Now the Philistines are about to advance against me at Gilgal, but I have not yet entreated Adonai.’ So I forced myself and offered the burnt offering.”
13 Samuel said to Saul, “You have acted foolishly by not keeping the commandment of Adonai your God which He commanded you. For now, Adonai would have established your kingship over Israel forever. 14 But now your kingship will not last. Adonai has sought for Himself a man after His own heart. So Adonai will appoint him as ruler over His people—because you have not guarded what Adonai commanded you.” 15 Samuel then departed and went up from Gilgal to Gibeah of Benjamin.
Then Saul numbered the troops that were with him, about 600 men. 16 Now Saul and his son Jonathan and the people that were present with them were staying in Gibeah of Benjamin, while the Philistines encamped in Michmas. 17 Raiders started to come out from the camp of the Philistines in three detachments: one detachment turned toward Ophrah, to the land of Shual, 18 another detachment turned toward Beth-horon, and the third detachment turned toward the border road overlooking the Zeboim Wadi toward the wilderness.
An Ethiopian Asks about Isaiah 53
26 Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, “Get up, and go south on the road going down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” (This is a desert road.) 27 So he got up and went. And behold, an Ethiopian eunuch—an official who was responsible for all the treasure of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians—had traveled to Jerusalem to worship 28 and was now returning. Sitting in his chariot, he was reading the prophet Isaiah.
29 The Ruach said to Philip, “Go, catch up with this chariot.”
30 Philip ran up and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah and said, “Do you understand what you are reading?”
31 “How can I,” he said, “unless someone guides me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. 32 Now the passage of Scripture that he was reading was this:
“He was led as a sheep to slaughter;
and as a lamb before its shearer is silent,
so He opens not His Mouth.
33 In His humiliation justice was denied Him.
Who shall recount His generation?
For His life is taken away from the earth.”[a]
34 The eunuch replied to Philip, “Please tell me, who is the prophet talking about—himself or someone else?” 35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he proclaimed the Good News about Yeshua.
36 Now as they were going down the road, they came to some water. The eunuch said, “Look, water! What’s to prevent me from being immersed?”
37 [b] 38 He ordered the chariot to stop. They both got down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and Philip immersed him. 39 When they came up out of the water, the Ruach Adonai snatched Philip away.[c] The eunuch saw no more of him, for he went on his way, rejoicing.
40 But Philip found himself at Azotus. And as he passed through, he kept proclaiming the Good News to all the towns until he came to Caesarea.
Pilate’s Decree
13 Now Pilate called together the ruling kohanim, the leaders, and the people. 14 And he said to them, “You brought this Man to me as one who incites the people to revolt. But having examined Him in your presence, I have found no case against this Man regarding what you accuse Him of doing. 15 Nor did Herod, for he sent Him back to us. Indeed, He has done nothing that is worthy of death. 16 Therefore I will scourge Him and release Him.” (17 )[a]
18 But they shouted out all together, saying, “Take this fellow away! Release to us Bar-Abba!” [b] 19 (He was someone who had been thrown into prison for a rebellion in the city and murder.)
20 Again Pilate addressed them, wanting to release Yeshua; 21 but they kept shouting out, saying, “Execute, execute Him!”
22 And a third time he spoke to them, “Why? What evil has this One done? I have found in Him no fault deserving of death. Therefore, I will scourge and release Him.”
23 But they were insistent, demanding with loud shouts that He be executed. And their voices prevailed. 24 So Pilate decreed that their demand be put into effect. 25 And He released the one they were asking for, the one thrown in jail for insurrection and murder. But he handed over Yeshua to their will.
Tree of Life (TLV) Translation of the Bible. Copyright © 2015 by The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society.