Book of Common Prayer
For the director of music. A psalm of David.
140 Lord, save me from sinful people.
Keep me safe from those who want to hurt me.
2 They make evil plans in their hearts.
They are always starting fights.
3 Their tongues are as deadly as the tongue of a serpent.
The words from their lips are like the poison of a snake.
4 Lord, keep me safe from the hands of sinful people.
Protect me from those who want to hurt me.
They plan ways to trip me up and make me fall.
5 Proud people have hidden their traps to catch me.
They have spread out their nets.
They have set traps for me along my path.
6 I say to the Lord, “You are my God.”
Lord, hear my cry for mercy.
7 Lord and King, you save me because you are strong.
You are like a shield that keeps me safe in the day of battle.
8 Lord, don’t give sinners what they want.
Don’t let their plans succeed.
9 Those who are all around me proudly raise their heads.
May the trouble they planned for me happen to them.
10 May burning coals fall on people like that.
May they be thrown into the fire.
May they be thrown into muddy pits and never get out.
11 Don’t let people who lie about me be secure in the land.
May trouble hunt down those who want to hurt me.
12 I know that the Lord makes sure that poor people are treated fairly.
He stands up for those who are in need.
13 I’m sure that those who do right will praise your name.
Those who are honest will live with you.
A prayer of David when he was in the cave. A maskil.
142 I call out to the Lord.
I pray to him for mercy.
2 I pour out my problem to him.
I tell him about my trouble.
3 When I grow weak,
you are watching over my life.
In the path where I walk,
people have hidden a trap to catch me.
4 Look and see that no one is on my right side to help me.
No one is concerned about me.
I have no place of safety.
No one cares whether I live or die.
5 Lord, I cry out to you.
I say, “You are my place of safety.
You are everything I need in this life.”
6 Listen to my cry.
I am in great need.
Save me from those who are chasing me.
They are too strong for me.
7 My troubles are like a prison.
Set me free so I can praise your name.
Then those who do what is right will gather around me
because you have been good to me.
A psalm of David.
141 I call out to you, Lord. Come quickly to help me.
Listen to me when I call out to you.
2 May my prayer come to you like the sweet smell of incense.
When I lift up my hands in prayer, may it be like the evening sacrifice.
3 Lord, guard my mouth.
Keep watch over the door of my lips.
4 Don’t let my heart be drawn to what is evil.
Don’t let me join with people who do evil.
Don’t let me eat their fancy food.
5 If a godly person hit me, it would be an act of kindness.
If they would correct me, it would be like pouring olive oil on my head.
I wouldn’t say no to it.
I will always pray against the things that sinful people do.
6 When their rulers are thrown down from the rocky cliffs,
those evil people will realize that my words were true.
7 They will say, “As clumps of dirt are left from plowing up the ground,
so our bones will be scattered near an open grave.”
8 But Lord and King, I keep looking to you for help.
I go to you for safety. Don’t let me die.
9 Keep me from the traps of those who do evil.
Save me from the traps they have set for me.
10 Let evil people fall into their own nets.
But let me go safely on my way.
A psalm of David.
143 Lord, hear my prayer.
Listen to my cry for mercy.
You are faithful and right.
Come and help me.
2 Don’t take me to court and judge me,
because in your eyes no living person does what is right.
3 My enemies chase me.
They crush me down to the ground.
They make me live in the darkness
like those who died long ago.
4 So I grow weak.
Deep down inside me, I’m afraid.
5 I remember what happened long ago.
I spend time thinking about all your acts.
I consider what your hands have done.
6 I spread out my hands to you in prayer.
I’m thirsty for you, just as dry ground is thirsty for rain.
7 Lord, answer me quickly.
I’m growing weak.
Don’t turn your face away from me,
or I will be like those who go down into the grave.
8 In the morning let me hear about your faithful love,
because I’ve put my trust in you.
Show me the way I should live,
because I trust you with my life.
9 Lord, save me from my enemies,
because I go to you for safety.
10 Teach me to do what you want,
because you are my God.
May your good Spirit
lead me on a level path.
11 Lord, bring yourself honor by keeping me alive.
Because you do what is right, get me out of trouble.
12 Because your love is faithful, put an end to my enemies.
Destroy all of them, because I serve you.
24 Mephibosheth was Saul’s grandson. He had also gone down to welcome the king back. He had not taken care of his feet. He hadn’t trimmed his mustache or washed his clothes. He hadn’t done any of those things from the day the king left Jerusalem until the day he returned safely. 25 He came from Jerusalem to welcome the king. The king asked him, “Mephibosheth, why didn’t you go with me?”
26 He said, “You are my king and master. I’m not able to walk. So I thought, ‘I’ll have a saddle put on my donkey. I’ll ride on it. Then I can go with the king.’ But my servant Ziba turned against me. 27 He has told you lies about me. King David, you are like an angel of God. So do what you wish. 28 You should have put all the members of my grandfather’s family to death, including me. Instead, you always provided what I needed. So what right do I have to make any more appeals to you?”
29 The king said to him, “You don’t have to say anything else. I order you and Ziba to divide up Saul’s land between you.”
30 Mephibosheth said to the king, “I’m happy that you have returned home safely. So just let Ziba have everything.”
31 Barzillai had also come down to go across the Jordan River with the king. He wanted to send the king on his way from there. Barzillai was from Rogelim in the land of Gilead. 32 He was very old. He was 80 years old. He had given the king everything he needed while the king was staying in Mahanaim. That’s because Barzillai was very wealthy. 33 The king said to Barzillai, “Come across the river with me. Stay with me in Jerusalem. I’ll take good care of you.”
34 But Barzillai said to the king, “I won’t live for many more years. So why should I go up to Jerusalem with you? 35 I’m already 80 years old. I can hardly tell the difference between what is enjoyable and what isn’t. I can hardly taste what I eat and drink. I can’t even hear the voices of male and female singers anymore. So why should I add my problems to yours? 36 I’ll go across the Jordan River with you for a little way. Why should you reward me by taking care of me? 37 Let me go back home. Then I can die in my own town. I can be buried there in the tomb of my father and mother. But let Kimham take my place. Let him go across the river with you. Do for him whatever you wish.”
38 The king said, “Kimham will go across with me. I’ll do for him whatever you wish. And I’ll do for you anything you wish.”
39 So all the people went across the Jordan River. Then the king crossed over. The king kissed Barzillai and said goodbye to him. And Barzillai went back home.
40 After the king had gone across the river, he went to Gilgal. Kimham had gone across with him. All the troops of Judah and half of the troops of Israel had taken the king across.
41 Soon all the men of Israel were coming to the king. They were saying to him, “Why did the men of Judah take you away from us? They are our relatives. What right did they have to bring you and your family across the Jordan River? What right did they have to bring all your men over with you?”
42 All the men of Judah answered the men of Israel. They said, “We did that because the king is our close relative. So why should you be angry about what happened? Have we eaten any of the king’s food? Have we taken anything for ourselves?”
43 Then the men of Israel answered the men of Judah. They said, “We have ten of the 12 tribes in the kingdom. So we have a stronger claim on David than you have. Why then are you acting as if you hate us? Weren’t we the first ones to talk about bringing back our king?”
But the men of Judah argued their side even more forcefully than the men of Israel.
24 Several days later Felix came with his wife Drusilla. She was a Jew. Felix sent for Paul and listened to him speak about faith in Christ Jesus. 25 Paul talked about how to live a godly life. He talked about how people should control themselves. He also talked about the time when God will judge everyone. Then Felix became afraid. “That’s enough for now!” he said. “You may leave. When I find the time, I will send for you.” 26 He was hoping that Paul would offer him some money to let him go. So he often sent for Paul and talked with him.
27 Two years passed. Porcius Festus took the place of Felix. But Felix wanted to do the Jews a favor. So he left Paul in prison.
Paul’s Trial in Front of Festus
25 Three days after Festus arrived, he went up from Caesarea to Jerusalem. 2 There the chief priests and the Jewish leaders came to Festus. They brought their charges against Paul. 3 They tried very hard to get Festus to have Paul taken to Jerusalem. They asked for this as a favor. They were planning to hide and attack Paul along the way. They wanted to kill him. 4 Festus answered, “Paul is being held at Caesarea. Soon I’ll be going there myself. 5 Let some of your leaders come with me. If the man has done anything wrong, they can bring charges against him there.”
6 Festus spent eight or ten days in Jerusalem with them. Then he went down to Caesarea. The next day he called the court together. He ordered Paul to be brought to him. 7 When Paul arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him. They brought many strong charges against him. But they couldn’t prove that these charges were true.
8 Then Paul spoke up for himself. He said, “I’ve done nothing wrong against the law of the Jews or against the temple. I’ve done nothing wrong against Caesar.”
9 But Festus wanted to do the Jews a favor. So he said to Paul, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem? Are you willing to go on trial there? Are you willing to face these charges in my court?”
10 Paul answered, “I’m already standing in Caesar’s court. This is where I should go on trial. I haven’t done anything wrong to the Jews. You yourself know that very well. 11 If I am guilty of anything worthy of death, I’m willing to die. But the charges brought against me by these Jews are not true. No one has the right to hand me over to them. I make my appeal to Caesar!”
12 Festus talked it over with the members of his court. Then he said, “You have made an appeal to Caesar. To Caesar you will go!”
Whose Son Is the Messiah?
35 Jesus was teaching in the temple courtyard. He asked, “Why do the teachers of the law say that the Messiah is the son of David? 36 The Holy Spirit spoke through David himself. David said,
“ ‘The Lord said to my Lord,
“Sit at my right hand
until I put your enemies
under your control.” ’ (Psalm 110:1)
37 David himself calls him ‘Lord.’ So how can he be David’s son?”
The large crowd listened to Jesus with delight.
Warning Against the Teachers of the Law
38 As he taught, he said, “Watch out for the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in long robes. They like to be greeted with respect in the market. 39 They love to have the most important seats in the synagogues. They also love to have the places of honor at dinners. 40 They take over the houses of widows. They say long prayers to show off. God will punish these men very much.”
The Widow’s Offering
41 Jesus sat down across from the place where people put their temple offerings. He watched the crowd putting their money into the offering boxes. Many rich people threw large amounts into them. 42 But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins. They were worth only a few pennies.
43 Jesus asked his disciples to come to him. He said, “What I’m about to tell you is true. That poor widow has put more into the offering box than all the others. 44 They all gave a lot because they are rich. But she gave even though she is poor. She put in everything she had. That was all she had to live on.”
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