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.
Cyrus Helps the Jews to Return to Jerusalem
1 It was the first year of the rule of Cyrus. He was king of Persia. The Lord inspired him to send a message all through his kingdom. It happened so that what the Lord had spoken through Jeremiah would come true. The message was written down. It said,
2 “Cyrus, the king of Persia, says,
“ ‘The Lord is the God of heaven. He has given me all the kingdoms on earth. He has appointed me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah. 3 Any of his people among you may go up to Jerusalem and build the Lord’s temple. He is the God of Israel. He is the God who is in Jerusalem. And may their God be with them. 4 The people still left alive in every place must bring gifts to the people going. They must provide silver and gold to the people going up to Jerusalem. The people must bring goods and livestock. They should also bring any offerings they choose to. All those gifts will be for God’s temple in Jerusalem.’ ”
5 Then everyone God had inspired prepared to go. They wanted to go up to Jerusalem and build the Lord’s temple there. They included the family leaders of Judah and Benjamin. They also included the priests and Levites. 6 All their neighbors helped them. They gave them silver and gold objects. They gave them goods and livestock. And they gave them gifts of great value. All those things were added to the other offerings the people chose to give.
7 King Cyrus also brought out the objects that belonged to the Lord’s temple. Nebuchadnezzar had carried them off from Jerusalem. He had put them in the temple of his own god. 8 Cyrus, the king of Persia, told Mithredath to bring them out. Mithredath was in charge of the temple treasures. He counted those objects. Then he gave them to Sheshbazzar, the prince of Judah.
9 Here is a list of the objects.
There were 30 gold dishes.
There were 1,000 silver dishes.
There were 29 silver pans.
10 There were 30 gold bowls.
There were 410 matching silver bowls.
There were 1,000 other objects.
11 The total number of gold and silver objects was 5,400.
Sheshbazzar brought all of these back with him to Jerusalem. So Sheshbazzar and the Jews who had been forced to leave Judah came up from Babylon to Jerusalem.
The Offering for the Lord’s People
16 Now I want to deal with the offering of money for the Lord’s people. Do what I told the churches in Galatia to do. 2 On the first day of every week, each of you should put some money away. The amount should be in keeping with how much money you make. Save the money so that you won’t have to take up an offering when I come. 3 When I arrive, I will send some people with your gift to Jerusalem. They will be people you consider to be good. And I will give them letters that explain who they are. 4 If it seems good for me to go also, they will go with me.
What Paul Asks for Himself
5 After I go through Macedonia, I will come to you. I will only be passing through Macedonia. 6 But I might stay with you for a while. I might even spend the winter. Then you can help me on my journey everywhere I go. 7 I don’t want to see you now while I am just passing through. Instead, I hope to spend some time with you, if the Lord allows it. 8 But I will stay at Ephesus until the day of Pentecost. 9 A door has opened wide for me to do some good work here. There are many people who oppose me.
God’s Chosen Servant
15 Jesus knew all about the Pharisees’ plans. So he left that place. A large crowd followed him, and he healed all who were sick. 16 But he warned them not to tell other people about him. 17 This was to make what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah come true. It says,
18 “Here is my servant. I have chosen him.
He is the one I love. I am very pleased with him.
I will put my Spirit on him.
He will announce to the nations that everything will be made right.
19 He will not argue or cry out.
No one will hear his voice in the streets.
20 He will not break a bent twig.
He will not put out a dimly burning flame.
He will make right win over wrong.
21 The nations will put their hope in him.” (Isaiah 42:1–4)
Copyright © 1995, 1996, 1998, 2014 by Biblica, Inc.®. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.