Book of Common Prayer
Psalm 45
A Royal Wedding Song
For the choir director: according to “The Lilies.”[a] A Maskil of the sons of Korah. A love song.
1 My heart is moved by a noble theme
as I recite my verses to the king;
my tongue is the pen of a skillful writer.(A)
2 You are the most handsome of men;
grace flows from your lips.(B)
Therefore God has blessed you forever.(C)
3 Mighty warrior, strap your sword at your side.
In your majesty and splendor(D)—
4 in your splendor ride triumphantly
in the cause of truth, humility, and justice.
May your right hand show your awe-inspiring acts.(E)
5 Your arrows pierce the hearts of the king’s enemies;
the peoples fall under you.(F)
6 Your throne,(G) God, is[b] forever and ever;
the scepter of Your[c] kingdom is a scepter of justice.(H)
7 You love righteousness and hate wickedness;(I)
therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of joy
more than your companions.
8 Myrrh, aloes, and cassia perfume all your garments;
from ivory palaces harps bring you joy.(J)
9 Kings’ daughters are among your honored women;(K)
the queen, adorned with gold from Ophir,
stands at your right hand.(L)
10 Listen, daughter, pay attention and consider:
forget your people and your father’s house,(M)
11 and the king will desire your beauty.
Bow down to him, for he is your lord.(N)
12 The daughter of Tyre, the wealthy people,
will seek your favor with gifts.(O)
Psalm 47
God Our King
For the choir director. A psalm of the sons of Korah.
1 Clap your hands, all you peoples;(A)
shout to God with a jubilant cry.(B)
2 For Yahweh, the Most High, is awe-inspiring,
a great King over all the earth.(C)
3 He subdues peoples under us
and nations under our feet.(D)
4 He chooses for us our inheritance—
the pride of Jacob, whom He loves.(E)
5 God ascends among shouts of joy,
the Lord, among the sound of trumpets.(F)
6 Sing praise to God, sing praise;
sing praise to our King, sing praise!(G)
7 Sing a song of wisdom,[a]
for God is King of all the earth.(H)
8 God reigns over the nations;
God is seated on His holy throne.(I)
9 The nobles of the peoples have assembled
with the people of the God of Abraham.(J)
For the leaders[b] of the earth belong to God;
He is greatly exalted.(K)
Psalm 48
Zion Exalted
A song. A psalm of the sons of Korah.
1 The Lord is great and highly praised
in the city of our God.(L)
His holy mountain, 2 rising splendidly,
is the joy of the whole earth.
Mount Zion on the slopes of the north
is the city of the great King.(M)
3 God is known as a stronghold
in its citadels.(N)
4 Look! The kings assembled;
they advanced together.(O)
5 They looked and froze with fear;
they fled in terror.(P)
6 Trembling seized them there,
agony like that of a woman in labor,(Q)
7 as You wrecked the ships of Tarshish
with the east wind.(R)
8 Just as we heard, so we have seen
in the city of Yahweh of Hosts,
in the city of our God;
God will establish it forever.(S)
Joseph Sold into Slavery
12 His brothers had gone to pasture their father’s flocks at Shechem. 13 Israel said to Joseph, “Your brothers, you know, are pasturing the flocks at Shechem. Get ready. I’m sending you to them.”
“I’m ready,” Joseph replied.
14 Then Israel said to him, “Go and see how your brothers and the flocks are doing, and bring word back to me.” So he sent him from the Valley of Hebron,(A) and he went to Shechem.
15 A man found him there, wandering in the field, and asked him, “What are you looking for?”
16 “I’m looking for my brothers,” Joseph said. “Can you tell me where they are pasturing their flocks?”
17 “They’ve moved on from here,” the man said. “I heard them say, ‘Let’s go to Dothan.’”(B) So Joseph set out after his brothers and found them at Dothan.
18 They saw him in the distance, and before he had reached them, they plotted to kill him.(C) 19 They said to one another, “Here comes that dreamer![a] 20 Come on, let’s kill him and throw him into one of the pits. We can say that a vicious animal ate him. Then we’ll see what becomes of his dreams!”
21 When Reuben heard this, he tried to save him from them.[b] He said, “Let’s not take his life.”(D) 22 Reuben also said to them, “Don’t shed blood. Throw him into this pit in the wilderness, but don’t lay a hand on him”—intending to rescue him from their hands and return him to his father.
23 When Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped off his robe, the robe of many colors that he had on. 24 Then they took him and threw him into the pit. The pit was empty; there was no water in it.
20 Where is the philosopher?[a] Where is the scholar? Where is the debater of this age?(A) Hasn’t God made the world’s wisdom foolish? 21 For since, in God’s wisdom, the world did not know God through wisdom, God was pleased to save those who believe through the foolishness of the message preached. 22 For the Jews ask for signs(B) and the Greeks seek wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified,(C) a stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to the Gentiles.[b] 24 Yet to those who are called,(D) both Jews and Greeks, Christ is God’s power and God’s wisdom, 25 because God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength.
Boasting Only in the Lord
26 Brothers, consider your calling: Not many are wise from a human perspective,[c] not many powerful,(E) not many of noble birth. 27 Instead, God has chosen(F) what is foolish in the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen what is weak in the world to shame the strong. 28 God has chosen what is insignificant and despised in the world(G)—what is viewed as nothing—to bring to nothing what is viewed as something, 29 so that no one[d] can boast in His presence.(H) 30 But it is from Him that you are in Christ Jesus, who became God-given wisdom for us—our righteousness,(I) sanctification,(J) and redemption,(K) 31 in order that, as it is written:(L) The one who boasts must boast in the Lord.(M)[e]
Ministry in Galilee
14 After(A) John was arrested,(B) Jesus went to Galilee,(C) preaching(D) the good news[a][b](E) of God:[c](F) 15 “The time(G) is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God(H) has come(I) near.(J) Repent(K) and believe(L) in the good news!”
The First Disciples
16 As(M) He was passing along by the Sea of Galilee,(N) He saw Simon(O) and Andrew,(P) Simon’s brother. They were casting a net into the sea,(Q) since they were fishermen.
17 “Follow Me,”(R) Jesus told them, “and I will make you fish for[d](S) people!”(T) 18 Immediately they left their nets and followed(U) Him.(V) 19 Going on a little farther, He saw James(W) the son of Zebedee(X) and his brother John.(Y) They were in their boat mending their nets. 20 Immediately He called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed Him.(Z)
Driving Out an Unclean Spirit
21 Then(AA) they went into Capernaum,(AB) and right away He entered the synagogue(AC) on the Sabbath(AD) and began to teach.(AE) 22 They were astonished(AF) at His teaching(AG) because, unlike the scribes,(AH) He was teaching them as one having authority.
23 Just then a man with an unclean(AI) spirit(AJ) was in their synagogue.(AK) He cried out,[e] 24 “What do You have to do with us,[f] Jesus—Nazarene?(AL) Have You come to destroy(AM) us? I know who You are—the Holy(AN) One of God!”(AO)
25 But Jesus rebuked(AP) him and said, “Be quiet,[g](AQ) and come out of him!” 26 And the unclean spirit convulsed him,(AR) shouted with a loud voice, and came out of him.
27 Then they were all amazed,(AS) so they began to argue(AT) with one another, saying, “What is this? A new teaching(AU) with authority He commands even the unclean(AW) spirits,(AX) and they obey Him.” 28 News about Him then spread throughout the entire vicinity of Galilee.(AY)
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