Book of Common Prayer
A psalm of David.
37 Don’t be upset because of sinful people.
Don’t be jealous of those who do wrong.
2 Like grass, they will soon dry up.
Like green plants, they will soon die.
3 Trust in the Lord and do good.
Then you will live in the land and enjoy its food.
4 Find your delight in the Lord.
Then he will give you everything your heart really wants.
5 Commit your life to the Lord.
Here is what he will do if you trust in him.
6 He will make the reward for your godly life shine like the dawn.
He will make the proof of your honest life shine like the sun at noon.
7 Be still and wait patiently for the Lord to act.
Don’t be upset when other people succeed.
Don’t be upset when they carry out their evil plans.
8 Turn away from anger and don’t give in to wrath.
Don’t be upset, because that only leads to evil.
9 Sinful people will be destroyed.
But those who put their hope in the Lord will receive the land.
10 In a little while, there won’t be any more sinners.
Even if you look for them, you won’t be able to find them.
11 But those who are free of pride will be given the land.
They will enjoy peace and success.
12 Sinful people make plans to harm those who do what is right.
They grind their teeth at them.
13 But the Lord laughs at those who do evil.
He knows the day is coming when he will judge them.
14 Sinners pull out their swords.
They bend their bows.
They want to kill poor and needy people.
They plan to murder those who lead honest lives.
15 But they will be killed by their own swords.
Their own bows will be broken.
16 Those who do what is right may have very little.
But it’s better than the wealth of many sinners.
17 The power of those who are evil will be broken.
But the Lord takes good care of those who do what is right.
18 Those who are without blame spend their days in the Lord’s care.
What he has given them will last forever.
19 When trouble comes to them, they will have what they need.
When there is little food in the land, they will still have plenty.
20 But sinful people will die.
The Lord’s enemies may be like flowers in the field.
But they will be swallowed up.
They will disappear like smoke.
21 Sinful people borrow and don’t pay back.
But those who are godly give freely to others.
22 The Lord will give the land to those he blesses.
But he will destroy those he curses.
23 The Lord makes secure the footsteps
of the person who delights in him,
24 Even if that person trips, he won’t fall.
The Lord’s hand takes good care of him.
25 I once was young, and now I’m old.
But I’ve never seen godly people deserted.
I’ve never seen their children begging for bread.
26 The godly are always giving and lending freely.
Their children will be a blessing.
27 Turn away from evil and do good.
Then you will live in the land forever.
28 The Lord loves those who are honest.
He will not desert those who are faithful to him.
Those who do wrong will be completely destroyed.
The children of sinners will die.
29 Those who do what is right will be given the land.
They will live in it forever.
30 The mouths of those who do what is right speak words of wisdom.
They say what is honest.
31 God’s law is in their hearts.
Their feet do not slip.
32 Those who are evil hide and wait for godly people.
They want to kill them.
33 But the Lord will not leave the godly in their power.
He will not let them be found guilty when they are brought into court.
34 Put your hope in the Lord.
Live as he wants you to.
He will honor you by giving you the land.
When sinners are destroyed, you will see it.
35 I saw a mean and sinful person.
He was doing well, like a green tree in its own land.
36 But he soon passed away and was gone.
Even though I looked for him, I couldn’t find him.
37 Consider honest people who are without blame.
People who seek peace will have a tomorrow.
38 But all sinners will be destroyed.
Those who are evil won’t have a tomorrow.
39 The Lord saves those who do what is right.
He is their place of safety when trouble comes.
40 The Lord helps them and saves them.
He saves them from sinful people
because they go to him for safety.
Solomon’s Wives
11 King Solomon loved many women besides Pharaoh’s daughter. They were from other lands. They were Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians and Hittites. 2 The Lord had warned Israel about women from other nations. He had said, “You must not marry them. If you do, you can be sure they will turn your hearts toward their gods.” But Solomon continued to love them anyway. He wouldn’t give them up. 3 He had 700 wives who came from royal families. And he had 300 concubines. His wives led him astray. 4 As Solomon grew older, his wives turned his heart toward other gods. He didn’t follow the Lord his God with all his heart. So he wasn’t like his father David. 5 Solomon worshiped Ashtoreth. Ashtoreth was the female god of the Sidonians. He also worshiped Molek. Molek was the god of the Ammonites. The Lord hated that god. 6 Solomon did what was evil in the sight of the Lord. He didn’t completely obey the Lord. He didn’t do what his father David had done.
7 There is a hill east of Jerusalem. Solomon built a high place for worshiping Chemosh there. He built a high place for worshiping Molek there too. Chemosh was the god of Moab. Molek was the god of Ammon. The Lord hated both of those gods. 8 Solomon also built high places so that all his wives from other nations could worship their gods. Those women burned incense and offered sacrifices to their gods.
9 The Lord became angry with Solomon. That’s because his heart had turned away from the Lord, the God of Israel. He had appeared to Solomon twice. 10 He had commanded Solomon not to worship other gods. But Solomon didn’t obey the Lord. 11 So the Lord said to Solomon, “You have chosen not to keep my covenant. You have decided not to obey my rules. I commanded you to do what I told you. But you did not do it. So you can be absolutely sure I will tear the kingdom away from you. I will give it to one of your officials. 12 But I will not do that while you are still living. Because of your father David I will wait. I will tear the kingdom out of your son’s hand. 13 But I will not tear the whole kingdom away from him. I will give him one of the tribes because of my servant David. I will also do it because of Jerusalem. That is the city I have chosen.”
Two Kinds of Wisdom
13 Is anyone among you wise and understanding? That person should show it by living a good life. A wise person isn’t proud when they do good deeds. 14 But suppose your hearts are jealous and bitter. Suppose you are concerned only about getting ahead. Then don’t brag about it. And don’t say no to the truth. 15 Wisdom like this doesn’t come down from heaven. It belongs to the earth. It doesn’t come from the Holy Spirit. It comes from the devil. 16 Are you jealous? Are you concerned only about getting ahead? Then your life will be a mess. You will be doing all kinds of evil things.
17 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is pure. That’s the most important thing about it. And that’s not all. It also loves peace. It thinks about others. It obeys. It is full of mercy and good fruit. It is fair. It doesn’t pretend to be what it is not. 18 Those who make peace plant it like a seed. They will harvest a crop of right living.
Obey God
4 Why do you fight and argue among yourselves? Isn’t it because of your sinful desires? They fight within you. 2 You want something, but you don’t have it. So you kill. You want what others have, but you can’t get what you want. So you argue and fight. You don’t have what you want, because you don’t ask God. 3 When you do ask for something, you don’t receive it. That’s because you ask for the wrong reason. You want to spend your money on your sinful pleasures.
4 You are not faithful to God. Don’t you know that to be a friend of the world is to hate God? So anyone who chooses to be the world’s friend becomes God’s enemy. 5 Don’t you know what Scripture says? God wants the spirit in us to belong only to him. God caused this spirit to live in us. Don’t you think Scripture has a reason for saying this? 6 But God continues to give us more grace. That’s why Scripture says,
“God opposes those who are proud.
But he gives grace to those who are humble.” (Proverbs 3:34)
7 So obey God. Stand up to the devil. He will run away from you. 8 Come near to God, and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners. Make your hearts pure, you who can’t make up your minds. 9 Be full of sorrow. Cry and weep. Change your laughter to mourning. Change your joy to sadness. 10 Be humble in front of the Lord. And he will lift you up.
11 My brothers and sisters, don’t speak against one another. Anyone who speaks against a brother or sister speaks against the law. And anyone who judges another believer judges the law. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it. Instead, you are acting as if you were its judge. 12 There is only one Lawgiver and Judge. He is the God who is able to save life or destroy it. But who are you to judge your neighbor?
12 “Then what should I do with the one you call the king of the Jews?” Pilate asked them.
13 “Crucify him!” the crowd shouted.
14 “Why? What wrong has he done?” asked Pilate.
But they shouted even louder, “Crucify him!”
15 Pilate wanted to satisfy the crowd. So he let Barabbas go free. He ordered that Jesus be whipped. Then he handed him over to be nailed to a cross.
The Soldiers Make Fun of Jesus
16 The soldiers led Jesus away into the palace. It was called the Praetorium. They called together the whole company of soldiers. 17 The soldiers put a purple robe on Jesus. Then they twisted thorns together to make a crown. They placed it on his head. 18 They began to call out to him, “We honor you, king of the Jews!” 19 Again and again they hit him on the head with a stick. They spit on him. They fell on their knees and pretended to honor him. 20 After they had made fun of him, they took off the purple robe. They put his own clothes back on him. Then they led him out to nail him to a cross.
Jesus Is Nailed to a Cross
21 A man named Simon was passing by. He was from Cyrene. He was the father of Alexander and Rufus. Simon was on his way in from the country. The soldiers forced him to carry the cross.
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