Book of Common Prayer
Thanksgiving for Victory
118 Thank the Lord because he is good.
His love continues forever.
2 Let the people of Israel say,
“His love continues forever.”
3 Let the family of Aaron say,
“His love continues forever.”
4 Let those who fear the Lord say,
“His love continues forever.”
5 I was in trouble. So I called to the Lord.
The Lord answered me and set me free.
6 I will not be afraid because the Lord is with me.
People can’t do anything to me.
7 The Lord is with me to help me.
I will see my enemies defeated.
8 It is better to trust the Lord
than to trust people.
9 It is better to trust the Lord
than to trust princes.
10 All the nations surrounded me.
But I defeated them in the name of the Lord.
11 They surrounded me on every side.
But with the Lord’s power, I defeated them.
12 They surrounded me like a swarm of bees.
But they died as quickly as thorns burn.
By the Lord’s power, I defeated them.
13 They chased me until I was almost defeated.
But the Lord helped me.
14 The Lord gives me strength and makes me sing.
He has saved me.
15 Shouts of joy and victory
come from the tents of those who do right:
“The Lord has done powerful things.”
16 The power of the Lord has won the victory.
With his power the Lord has done mighty things.
17 I will not die, but live.
And I will tell what the Lord has done.
18 The Lord has taught me a hard lesson.
But he did not let me die.
19 Open for me the Temple gates.
Then I will come in and thank the Lord.
20 This is the Lord’s gate.
Only those who are good may enter it.
21 Lord, I thank you for answering me.
You have saved me.
22 The stone that the builders did not want
became the cornerstone.
23 The Lord did this,
and it is wonderful to us.
24 This is the day that the Lord has made.
Let us rejoice and be glad today!
25 Please, Lord, save us.
Please, Lord, give us success.
26 God bless the one who comes in the name of the Lord.
We bless all of you from the Temple of the Lord.
27 The Lord is God.
And he has shown kindness to us.
With branches in your hands, join the feast.
Come to the corners of the altar.
28 You are my God, and I will thank you.
You are my God, and I will praise your greatness.
29 Thank the Lord because he is good.
His love continues forever.
Praise to God the King
A song of praise. Of David.
145 I praise your greatness, my God the King.
I will praise you forever and ever.
2 I will praise you every day.
I will praise you forever and ever.
3 The Lord is great. He is worthy of our praise.
No one can understand how great he is.
4 Parents will tell their children what you have done.
They will retell your mighty acts,
5 wonderful majesty and glory.
And I will think about your miracles.
6 They will tell about the amazing things you do.
I will tell how great you are.
7 They will remember your great goodness.
They will sing about your fairness.
8 The Lord is kind and shows mercy.
He does not become angry quickly but is full of love.
9 The Lord is good to everyone.
He is merciful to all he has made.
10 Lord, everything you have made will praise you.
Those who belong to you will bless you.
11 They will tell about the glory of your kingdom.
They will speak about your power.
12 Then everyone will know what powerful things you do.
They will know about the glory and majesty of your kingdom.
13 Your kingdom will continue forever.
And you will be King from now on.
The Lord will keep his promises.
With love he takes care of all he has made.
14 The Lord helps those who have been defeated.
He takes care of those who are in trouble.
15 All living things look to you for food.
And you give it to them at the right time.
16 You open your hand,
and you satisfy all living things.
17 Everything the Lord does is right.
With love he takes care of all he has made.
18 The Lord is close to everyone who prays to him,
to all who truly pray to him.
19 He gives those who fear him what they want.
He listens when they cry, and he saves them.
20 The Lord protects everyone who loves him.
But he will destroy the wicked.
21 I will praise the Lord.
Let everyone praise his holy name forever.
Wisdom Speaks
20 Wisdom is like a good woman who shouts in the street.
She raises her voice in the city squares.
21 She cries out in the noisy street.
She makes her speech at the city gates:
22 “You foolish people! How long do you want to stay foolish?
How long will you make fun of wisdom?
How long will you hate knowledge?
23 Listen when I correct you.
I will tell you what’s in my heart.
I will tell you what I am thinking.
24 I called, but you refused to listen.
I held out my hand, but you paid no attention.
25 You did not follow my advice.
You did not want me to correct you.
26 So I will laugh when you are in trouble.
I will make fun when disaster happens to you.
27 Disaster will come over you like a storm.
Trouble will strike you like a whirlwind.
Pain and trouble will overwhelm you.
28 “Then you will call out to me.
But I will not answer.
You will look for me.
But you will not find me.
29 You rejected knowledge.
You did not choose to respect the Lord.
30 You did not accept my advice.
You rejected my correction.
31 So you will get what you deserve.
You will get what you planned for others.
32 Fools wander away and get killed.
They are destroyed because they do not care.
33 But those who listen to me will live in safety.
They will be safe, without fear of being hurt.”
Becoming Friends with God
11 We know what it means to fear the Lord. So we try to help people accept the truth. God knows what we really are. And I hope that in your hearts you know, too. 12 We are not trying to prove ourselves to you again. But we are telling you about ourselves, so you will be proud of us. Then you will have an answer for those who are proud about things that can be seen. They do not care about what is in the heart. 13 If we are out of our minds, it is for God. If we have our right mind, then it is for you. 14 The love of Christ controls us. Because we know that One died for all. So all have died. 15 Christ died for all so that those who live would not continue to live for themselves. He died for them and was raised from death so that they would live for him.
16 From this time on we do not think of anyone as the world does. It is true that in the past we thought of Christ as the world thinks. But we no longer think of him in that way. 17 If anyone belongs to Christ, then he is made new. The old things have gone; everything is made new! 18 All this is from God. Through Christ, God made peace between us and himself. And God gave us the work of bringing everyone into peace with him. 19 I mean that God was in Christ, making peace between the world and himself. In Christ, God did not hold the world guilty of its sins. And he gave us this message of peace. 20 So we have been sent to speak for Christ. It is as if God is calling to you through us. We speak for Christ when we beg you to be at peace with God. 21 Christ had no sin. But God made him become sin. God did this for us so that in Christ we could become right with God.
Two Followers Ask Jesus a Favor
35 Then James and John, sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus. They said, “Teacher, we want to ask you to do something for us.”
36 Jesus asked, “What do you want me to do for you?”
37 They answered, “You will have glory in your kingdom. Let one of us sit at your right, and let one of us sit at your left.”
38 Jesus said, “You don’t understand what you are asking. Can you drink the cup that I must drink? And can you be baptized with the same kind of baptism that I must have?”[a]
39 They answered, “Yes, we can!”
Jesus said to them, “You will drink the same cup that I will drink. And you will be baptized with the same baptism that I must have. 40 But I cannot choose who will sit at my right or my left. These places are for those for whom they are prepared.”
41 The ten followers heard this. They began to be angry with James and John.
42 Jesus called all the followers together. He said, “The non-Jewish people have men they call rulers. You know that those rulers love to show their power over the people. And their important leaders love to use all their authority. 43 But it should not be that way among you. If one of you wants to become great, then he must serve you like a servant. 44 If one of you wants to become the most important, then he must serve all of you like a slave. 45 In the same way, the Son of Man did not come to be served. He came to serve. The Son of Man came to give his life to save many people.”
The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.