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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 72

Psalm 72^[a]

The Kingdom of the Messiah

¹Of Solomon.
O God, endow the king with your judgment,
    the son of kings with your righteousness.
²^[b]He will govern your people fairly
    and deal justly with your poor ones.
³The mountains will yield peace for the people,
    and the hills, righteousness.
⁴He will defend the afflicted among the people,
    save the children of the poor,
    and overwhelm the oppressor.
⁵He will reign as long as the sun,
    as long as the moon, through all generations.
⁶He will descend like rain on the meadow,
    like showers that water the earth.
⁷Justice will reign in his days,
    and peace will abound
    until the moon is no more.
⁸His rule will extend from sea to sea,^[c]
    and from the river to the ends of the earth.
⁹His foes^[d] will bow down before him,
    and his enemies will lick the dust.
¹⁰The kings of Tarshish^[e] and the Islands
    will offer him tribute;
the kings of Sheba and Seba
    will present him with gifts.
¹¹All kings will pay him homage,
    and all nations will serve him.
¹²For he will save the poor who cry out
    and the needy who have no one to help them.
¹³He will have pity on the lowly and the poor;
    the lives of the needy he will save.
¹⁴He will free them from oppression and violence,
    for their blood is precious in his sight.
¹⁵^[f]Long may he live!
    May the gold of Sheba be given to him.
May people pray for him unceasingly
    and invoke blessings^[g] on him all day long.
¹⁶May grain abound throughout the land,
    even growing abundantly on the mountain tops.
May its crops^[h] be as plenteous as those of Lebanon,
    and may its people flourish like the grass of the field.
¹⁷May his name^[i] be blessed forever;
    may it endure as long as the sun.
May all peoples be blessed in him;
    may all the nations proclaim his greatness.
¹⁸^[j]Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,
    who alone can perform such wondrous deeds.
¹⁹May his glorious name be blessed forever,
    and may the whole world be filled with his glory.
    Amen. Amen.
²⁰The end of the psalms of David, son of Jesse.^[k]

Footnotes

Psalm 72:1 Only the expected Savior will fulfill all the hopes placed on the ideal leader described in this psalm, of whom the Prophets also speak (see Isa 9:7; 11:1-9; Jer 23:5f; 33:15f; Zec 9:9-17). The portrait bears more than one facet of King Solomon the Sage, but it is Messianic, i.e., it sketches a mysterious King who is to come. Promised a reign without end (v. 5), he will rescue the needy and poor from oppression and uphold their rights (vv. 12-14). He will establish definitive peace (v. 7), and the pagan nations that he subdues—even the most distant—will come to do homage to him (vv. 10-11). Finally, he will rule over the idealized Promised Land (v. 8) and transform it into a new heavenly paradise (vv. 6, 16).
Since Israel has never yielded to the temptation to make gods out of its kings, this king, too, is not divinized; the psalmist prays for him. This psalm is like a chart or mirror for a true reign in the name of God. It will be marked by the work of justice and peace, the effort for the deliverance of the poor and needy.
In proclaiming the Beatitudes, Jesus was to provide the authentic content of this perfect happiness that is promised for the reign of the Messiah. In the adoration of the Magi, Matthew (Mt 2:11) sees a visit from pagan kings who prostrate themselves at the feet of the promised Savior (vv. 10-11); hence, this psalm is read in the Liturgy during the Epiphany time.
Psalm 72:2 Righteousness will rain down God’s blessings on the people (see Pss 5:13; 65:10-14; 133:3; Lev 25:19; Deut 28:8).
Psalm 72:8 From sea to sea: the Red Sea and the Mediterranean. The river is the Euphrates. Both details indicate the universality of the Messianic reign. Ends of the earth: an alternative translation is: “end of the land.”
Psalm 72:9 His foes: literally, “the Beast,” a word referring to the tribes of the Arabian Desert, east of the Promised Land. Lick the dust: a sign of abject fear and defeat (see Mic 7:17).
Psalm 72:10 All kings, whether near or far, will acknowledge the Messiah’s rule. Tarshish: a seaport located in southern Spain, hence to the far west; Sheba: a city of southwest Arabia, hence to the far south; Seba: probably a region in modern Sudan, south of Egypt (see Gen 10:7; Isa 43:3). This verse is applied by Matthew to the visit of the Magi at Christ’s birth (see Mt 2:11).
Psalm 72:15 The psalmist prays that the Messiah-King may enjoy a long and prosperous reign acknowledged by the whole world and be a blessing for all the nations.
Psalm 72:15 May people pray . . . and invoke blessings: an obscure passage. As it is translated, it means: may the people pray for the Messiah, that he will benefit the poor with the treasures he has received, and may they bless and thank him. But Israel could also pray to ask God for a perfect Messiah and so offer vows for the extension of the Messianic kingdom (see Ps 61:8f). Hence, one could also translate: “He [the Messiah] will pray [intercede] for him [the poor] / and bless him” (see 1 Ki 8:14, 28).
Psalm 72:16 Fertility of the land was one of the blessings of the Messianic age (see Hos 14:6f; Am 9:13). May its crops . . . Lebanon: may its crops possess the same vital power that the majestic cedars of Lebanon display.
Psalm 72:17 Name: see note on Ps 5:12. All peoples: an echo of the promise to the patriarchs (see Gen 12:3; 18:18; 22:18; 26:4; 28:14).
Psalm 72:18 This doxology is not part of the psalm; it concludes the second of the five Books of the Psalter (see Pss 41:14; 89:53; 106:48; 150). Praise of the Lord is the most profound religious attitude and ends every authentic prayer.
Psalm 72:20 Colophon added by a redactor.

Psalm 111

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.

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 113

The Egyptian Hallel—Pss 113–118^[a]

Psalm 113^[b]

Praise of the Lord for His Care of the Lowly

¹Alleluia.

Praise, you servants of the Lord,^[c]
    praise the name of the Lord.
²^[d]Blessed be the name of the Lord
    now and forevermore.
³From the rising of the sun to its setting
    the name of the Lord is to be praised.
⁴^[e]High is the Lord over all the nations,
    and supreme over the heavens is his glory.
⁵Who is like the Lord, our God,
    the one who is enthroned on high
and who stoops down to look
⁶    on the heavens and the earth?
⁷^[f]He raises the poor from the dust
    and lifts the needy from the rubbish heap,
⁸seating them with princes,
    with the princes of his people.
⁹He settles the barren woman^[g] in a home
    and makes her the joyful mother of children.
Alleluia.

Footnotes

Psalm 113:1 The Hallel (“praise”) psalms are found in three separate collections: the “Egyptian Hallel,” also known as the “Little Hallel” (Pss 113–118), the “Great Hallel” (Pss 120–136), and the “Concluding Hallel” (Pss 146–150). The Egyptian Hallel and the Great Hallel (most of which are pilgrimage psalms: Pss 120–134) were sung during the annual feasts (see Lev 23; Num 10:10). The Egyptian Hallel received a special place in the Passover liturgy; by custom Pss 113–114 were recited or sung before the festive meal and Pss 115–118 after it (see Mt 26:30; Mk 14:26). These were probably the last psalms Jesus sang before his Passion. Only the second (Ps 114) speaks directly of the Exodus, but the themes of the others make it an appropriate series to mark the salvation that began in Egypt and would spread to the nations. The concluding Hallel psalms (Pss 146–150) were incorporated into the daily prayers in the synagogue after the destruction of the temple in A.D. 70.
Psalm 113:1 This psalm presents a surprising contrast in the praises of Israel: the acclamation of the glory of the Almighty One attains its summit, and certitude becomes even stronger that God is near to the lowly. His tenderness reaches those whom the powerful of the earth regard as nothing. The God of justice reverses established situations, as both the canticle of Hannah (see 1 Sam 2:4-8) and the Magnificat of Mary (see Lk 1:46-55) attest with equal intensity. In celebrating the salvation of the humiliated poor man and the abandoned woman, Israel keeps alive the hope of a wondrous renewal in the Messianic age (see Pss 76; 87; Isa 49:21; 54:1-8).
In praying this psalm, we are aware that the New Testament provides us with new motives for praising God the Father for the great condescension he manifests toward Zechariah, Mary, and those known as the poor of Yahweh. We can also chant this psalm in honor of the glorified Christ. Exalted by his Father above every earthly power and introduced by him into divine glory (Phil 2:9-11; Heb 2:7-9), Christ shows himself to be incomparable by uniting to his supreme transcendence an astonishing condescension. It was toward the poor and lowly that he stooped during his public ministry, eating and drinking with them (see Mk 2:16), offering them the kingdom of God (see Mt 5:3-12) with its mysteries (see Mk 4:11), and making them the princes of his new people (see Mk 3:13-19). It is on the poor and the weak in the eyes of the world that he continues to confer his spiritual riches and powers (see 1 Cor 1:26-28).
Psalm 113:1 Servants of the Lord: the Lord’s loyal people, together with the priests and the Levites, come together to worship the Lord. These are all those who know “the name of the Lord” (v. 3; see Ps 50:1; Zep 2:11; Mal 1:11). Name: see note on Ps 5:12.
Psalm 113:2 The name of the Lord is to be proclaimed so that every generation may remember what he has done and how he has revealed himself (see Ex 3:16). This praise is to extend in time (forevermore) and in space (from the rising of the sun to its setting, i.e., from the east to the west; see Mal 1:11).
Psalm 113:4 The psalmist calls attention to the contrast: the exalted rule of the Lord and his accommodation to the needs of his people. Over all the nations: and by implication over all their gods (see Pss 95:3; 96:4f; 97:9). Over the heavens: i.e., above all creation.
Psalm 113:7 The Lord does not ally himself with the high and mighty but takes care of the poor and needy by transforming them from outcasts of society (the dust, see Isa 47:1, or rubbish heap, see Lam 4:5) into those who have a position of prominence (with the princes of his people, v. 8; see 1 Sam 2:8; Job 36:7). The afflicted man will be accorded recognition, and the oppressed woman will be given honor.
Psalm 113:9 Barren woman: a barren wife was considered cursed by God and a social outcast, a disappointment to her husband, to other women, and especially to herself (see Gen 16:2; 20:18; 1 Sam 1:6; 2:5; Lk 1:25). The Lord blesses her with children (see Ps 115:14; Isa 48:19; 54:1-3). Alleluia: i.e., “Hallelujah” or “Bless [or praise] the Lord”; it probably was once the first line of Ps 114.

2 Samuel 7:1-17

Chapter 7

David’s Concern for the Ark.^[a] ¹When King David was settled in his palace and the Lord had granted him rest from all his enemies surrounding him, ²he said to the prophet Nathan: “Here I am, dwelling in a house of cedar, while the Ark of God dwells in a tent.” ³Nathan replied to the king: “Do not hesitate to do whatever you have in mind, for the Lord is with you.”

⁴However, that same night the word of the Lord came to Nathan: ⁵“Go and tell my servant David: ‘Thus says the Lord: “Are you determined to build a house for me to dwell in? ⁶I have not dwelled in a house from the day I brought the Israelites out of Egypt to this very day. I have been moving from place to place while living in a tent and a tabernacle. ⁷In all of my travels everywhere among the Israelites, did I ever ask any of the judges whom I had appointed to shepherd my people Israel why they had never built me a house of cedar?” ’ ”

The Lord’s Promises.

⁸“Now then, this is what you are to say to my servant David: ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts: “I was the one who took you from the pastures and your work of caring for the sheep to be the ruler of my people Israel. ⁹I have been with you wherever you went, and I have destroyed all of your enemies who dared to challenge you. Moreover, I intend to make your name as famous as the names of the greatest men on the earth.

¹⁰“ ‘ “I also shall provide a place for my people Israel, and there I will plant them so that they may dwell there and never again be disturbed. Nor will the wicked afflict them anymore, as was the case formerly, ¹¹from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel. I will grant you rest from all of your enemies.

“ ‘ “Moreover, I, the Lord, promise that I will establish a royal house for you. ¹²^[b]And when it is time for you to be with your ancestors, I will designate as your heir one of your sons to succeed you, and I shall establish his kingdom forever. ¹³It is he who will build a house in honor of my name, and I shall ensure that his royal throne will stand firm forever.

¹⁴“ ‘ “I shall be a father to him, and he will be my son. If he does wrong, I shall punish him as any father would do and not fail to inflict chastisements upon him. ¹⁵However, I will never withdraw my steadfast love from him as I withdrew it from Saul and shielded you from his vindictive plots. ¹⁶Your descendants and your kingdom will stand firm forever before me, and your throne shall endure forever.” ’ ”

¹⁷Nathan then related all these promises and this entire revelation to David.

Titus 2:11-3:8

¹¹The Grace of God Has Appeared.^[a] For the grace of God has appeared bringing salvation to the entire human race. ¹²It teaches us to reject godless ways and worldly desires, and in the present age to lead lives that are temperate, just, and godly, ¹³while we await our blessed hope, the appearance of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.^[b] ¹⁴He gave himself for us in order to deliver us from all iniquity and to purify for himself a people as his own who are eager to do good.

¹⁵The Goodness of God Our Savior.^[c] These are the things you should expound. Exhort and reprove with all authority. Let no one disregard you.

Chapter 3

¹Remind everyone to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey them, to be ready to perform any honorable task,^[d] ²to slander no one, to avoid quarrels, to be gentle, and to be gracious to everyone.

³For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, and enslaved by various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy. We ourselves were hateful, and we hated one another.

⁴But when the goodness and loving kindness
    of God our Savior appeared,
⁵^[e]not because of any righteous deeds on our part
    but because of his mercy,
he saved us through the bath of rebirth
    and renewal by the Holy Spirit,
⁶whom he lavished on us abundantly
    through Jesus Christ our Savior,
⁷so that we might be justified by his grace
    and become heirs in hope of eternal life.

⁸This saying can be trusted.

Be Devoted to Good Works.^[f] I want you to stress these points, so that those who have come to believe in God will be determined to devote themselves to good works. All this is right and beneficial for people.

Footnotes

Titus 2:11 Here, at the center of the Letter, is a beautiful passage for Christmastime. The manifestation (or epiphany) of God must change our way of knowing and living. Christians are on the way to an event; they are hastening toward the final manifestation of Christ in glory. Hence, this text is also a valuable testimony to the faith of the early Christians in the divinity of Christ (v. 14).
Titus 2:13 Of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ: this is a clear statement of the divinity of Christ (see also Rom 9:5). Some, however, offer another translation that does not possess that same clarity: “of the great God and of our Savior Jesus Christ.”
Titus 2:15 The fact that someone’s life is no longer ruled by passion, egoism, and wickedness is always surprising. It is the sign that such a person is marked by the idea of God’s goodness. With these practical recommendations, the author knows how to evoke in a few words the major aspects of the Christian mystery: love of God; salvation through grace; Baptism; the gift of the Spirit; and the expectation of fulfillment in the end time.
Titus 3:1 To be ready to perform any honorable task: another possible translation is: “to be open to every good enterprise.”
Titus 3:5 The effects of Baptism are delineated: rebirth, forgiveness of sins by Christ, reception of the Holy Spirit, and the right to eternal life (of which the indwelling Spirit is a pledge—see 2 Cor 1:22).
Titus 3:8 The act of believing is not something pertaining only to one’s spirit; it engages one’s whole life. The author shows himself to be severe toward those who spend their time and their understanding on idle discussions and on speculations whose object is no longer the sincere search for truth. Here, for the first time, is enunciated the idea of the seditious person, the “heretic,” a word borrowed from the philosophical schools of the time. In a Christian setting, he is a person who chooses the elements of the faith that suit him and is ready to deny essentials and divide the community.

Luke 1:39-48

³⁹Mary Visits Elizabeth.^[a] In those days, Mary set out and journeyed in haste into the hill country to a town of Judah^[b] ⁴⁰where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. ⁴¹When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb.

Then Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, ⁴²and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. ⁴³And why am I so greatly favored that the mother of my Lord should visit me? ⁴⁴For behold, the moment that the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the child in my womb leaped for joy. ⁴⁵And blessed is she who believed that what the Lord has said to her will be fulfilled.”

⁴⁶The Canticle of Mary.^[c] And Mary said:

“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord
⁴⁷ and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.
⁴⁸For he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant;
henceforth all generations will call me blessed.

Luke 1:48-56

⁴⁸For he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant;
    henceforth all generations will call me blessed.
⁴⁹The Mighty One has done great things for me,
    and holy is his name.
⁵⁰His mercy is shown from age to age
    to those who fear him.
⁵¹He has shown the strength of his arm,
    he has routed those who are arrogant in the desires of their hearts.
⁵²He has brought down the mighty from their thrones
    and lifted up the lowly.
⁵³He has filled the hungry with good things
    and sent the rich away empty.
⁵⁴He has come to the aid of Israel his servant,
    ever mindful of his merciful love,
⁵⁵according to the promises he made to our ancestors,
    to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”

⁵⁶Mary remained with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned to her home.

New Catholic Bible (NCB)

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Book of Common Prayer

Psalm 72[a]

The Kingdom of the Messiah

Footnotes

Psalm 111[a]

Praise of God for His Wondrous Works

Footnotes

The Egyptian Hallel—Pss 113–118[a]

Psalm 113[b]

Praise of the Lord for His Care of the Lowly

Footnotes

Chapter 7

Footnotes

Chapter 3

Footnotes

Footnotes

Psalm 72^[a]

Psalm 111^[a]

The Egyptian Hallel—Pss 113–118^[a]

Psalm 113^[b]