Book of Common Prayer
Thanksgiving for Yahweh’s Compassion
Of David.[a]
103 Bless Yahweh, O my soul,
and all within me, bless his holy name.
2 Bless Yahweh, O my soul,
and do not forget all his benefits:
3 who forgives all your iniquity,
who heals all your diseases,
4 who redeems your life from the pit,
who crowns you with loyal love and mercies,
5 who satisfies your life with good
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
6 Yahweh does deeds of justice
and judgments for all who are oppressed,
7 who made known his ways to Moses,
his deeds to the people[b] of Israel.
8 Yahweh is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger[c] and abundant in loyal love.
9 He does not dispute continually,
nor keep his anger forever.
10 He has not dealt with us according to our sins,
nor repaid us according to our iniquities.
11 For as the heavens are high above the earth,
so his loyal love prevails over those who fear him.
12 As far as east is from west,
so he has removed far from us the guilt of our transgressions.
13 As a father pities[d] his children,
so Yahweh pities[e] those who fear him.
14 For he knows our frame.[f]
He remembers that we are dust.
15 As for man, his days are like the grass.
As the flower of the field, so he blossoms.
16 When the wind passes over it, it is no more,
and its place knows it no longer.
17 But the loyal love of Yahweh
is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him,
and his righteousness to their children’s children,
18 to those who keep his covenant
and remember to do his precepts.
19 Yahweh has established his throne in the heavens,
and his kingdom rules over all.
20 Bless Yahweh, you his angels,
you mighty heroes who do his word
by obeying[g] the sound of his word.
21 Bless Yahweh, all you his hosts,
you his attendants who do his will.
22 Bless Yahweh, all his works,[h]
in all the places of his dominion.
Bless Yahweh, O my soul.
Let All Creation Praise Yahweh
148 Praise Yah.[a]
Praise Yahweh from the heavens;
praise him in the heights.
2 Praise him, all his angels;
praise him, all his hosts.[b]
3 Praise him, sun and moon;
praise him, all stars of light.
4 Praise him, highest heavens,[c]
and waters above the heavens.
5 Let them praise the name of Yahweh,
because he commanded and they were created.
6 And he put them in place forever and ever,
by a decree he gave that will not pass away.
7 Praise Yahweh from the earth—
great sea creatures and all deeps,
8 fire and hail, snow and cloud,[d]
stormy wind doing his bidding,[e]
9 the mountains and all hills,
fruit trees and all cedars,
10 beasts and all cattle,[f]
creeping things and flying birds,[g]
11 kings of the earth and all peoples,
princes and all judges of the earth,
12 young men and young women as well,
the old together with the young—
13 let them praise the name of Yahweh,
because his name alone is is exalted.
His splendor is above earth and heavens.
14 And he has raised high a horn for his people,
praise for all his faithful—
for the children of Israel,
a people close to him.
Praise Yah.[h]
Zion’s New Identity
62 For the sake of Zion I will not be silent,
and for the sake of Jerusalem I will not maintain a quiet attitude,
until her righteousness goes out like the bright light,
and her salvation burns like a torch.
2 And the nations shall see your righteousness,
and all the kings your glory,
and you will be called[a] a new name
that the mouth of Yahweh will designate.
3 And you shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of Yahweh,
and a headband of royalty in the hand of your God.
4 It shall no longer be said of you, “Forsaken,”
and it shall no longer be said of your land, “Desolation!”
but you will[b] be called “My Delight Is In Her,”
and your land, “Married,”
for Yahweh delights in you,
and your land shall be married.
5 For as a young man marries a virgin,
so shall your sons marry you,
and as is the joy of the bridegroom over the bride,
so shall your God rejoice over you.
The Warrior on the White Horse
11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and the one seated on it was called “Faithful” and “True,” and with justice[a] he judges and makes war. 12 Now his eyes were a flame of fire, and on his head were many royal headbands having a name written that no one except he himself knows. 13 And he was dressed in an outer garment dipped in blood, and his name is called the Word of God. 14 And the armies that are in heaven, dressed in clean, white fine linen, were following him on white horses. 15 And out of his mouth came a sharp sword, so that with it he could strike the nations. And he will shepherd them with an iron rod,[b] and he stomps the winepress of the wine of the furious wrath of God, the All-Powerful. 16 And he has a name written on his outer garment and on his thigh: “King of kings and Lord of lords.”
The Birth of Jesus Christ
18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ occurred in this way. His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant[a] by the Holy Spirit. 19 So Joseph her husband, being righteous and not wanting to disgrace her, intended to divorce her secretly. 20 But as[b] he was considering these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for what has been conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 And she will give birth to a son, and you will call his name ‘Jesus,’ because he will save his people from their sins.” 22 Now all this happened in order that what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet would be fulfilled, saying,
23 “Behold, the virgin will become pregnant[c] and will give birth to a son,
and they will call his name Emmanuel,”[d]
which is translated, “God with us.”[e] 24 And Joseph, when he[f] woke up from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and he took his wife 25 and did not have sexual relations with[g] her until she gave birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.
2012 by Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software