Book of Common Prayer
A Burden Too Heavy for Me
Psalm 38
1 A psalm of David, for a memorial.
2 Adonai, do not rebuke me in Your anger
or discipline me in Your wrath.
3 For Your arrows have sunk deep into me
and Your hand has pressed down on me.
4 There is no health in my flesh because of Your indignation.
There is no wholeness in my bones because of my sin.
5 For my iniquities are on my head—
like a burden too heavy for me.
6 My wounds are foul and festering
because of my foolishness.
7 I am bent over, bowed down greatly.
All day I walk about in mourning.
8 For my heart is filled with burning pain,
and there is no health in my body.
9 I am numb and utterly crushed.
I groan because of anguish in my heart.
10 My Lord, all my longing is before You,
and my sighing is not hidden from You.
11 My heart pounds, my strength fails me.
The light of my eyes—also, not with me.
12 My friends and my companions stay away from my wound,
and my kinsmen stand far off.
13 They who seek my life set traps.
Those who seek my hurt threaten destruction, uttering lies all day.
14 But I, like someone deaf, hear nothing,
like a mute, not opening his mouth.
15 Yes, I am like one who cannot hear,
whose mouth has no arguments.
16 But I wait for You, Adonai—
You will answer, O Lord my God.
17 For I said: “Don’t let them gloat over me
or exalt themselves over me, when my foot slips.”
18 For I am about to fall,
and my pain is before me constantly.
19 So I confess my guilt.
I am troubled because of my sin.
20 My lively enemies are numerous.
Many hate me wrongfully.
21 Those who repay evil for good oppose me
because I pursue what is good.
22 Do not forsake me, Adonai.
O my God, be not far from me.
23 Hurry to my aid, my Lord, my salvation.
DALET ד
25 My soul clings to the dust.
Revive me according to Your word!
26 I told of my ways and You answered me.
Teach me Your statutes.
27 Help me discern the way of Your precepts,
so I may meditate on Your wonders.
28 My soul weeps with grief.
Make me stand firm with Your word.
29 Turn me away from the deceitful way,
and be gracious to me with Your Torah.
30 I have chosen the way of faithfulness.
I have set my heart on Your judgments.
31 I cling to Your testimonies.
Adonai, do not put me to shame!
32 I run the course of Your mitzvot,
for You open wide my heart.
HEY ה
33 Teach me the way of Your decrees, Adonai,
and I will follow them to the end.
34 Give me understanding,
that I may keep Your Torah
and observe it with all my heart.
35 Help me walk in the path of Your mitzvot—
for I delight in it.
36 Turn my heart to Your testimonies
and not to dishonest gain.
37 Turn my eyes away from gazing at vanity
but revive me in Your ways.
38 Fulfill Your word to Your servant,
which leads to reverence for You.
39 Make the disgrace I dread pass away,
for Your judgments are good.
40 Behold, I long for Your precepts.
Revive me by Your righteousness.
VAV ו
41 May Your lovingkindnesses come to me, Adonai—
Your salvation according to Your word—
42 so I may answer the one taunting me,
for I trust in Your word.
43 Never snatch out of my mouth a word of truth,
for I hope in Your judgments.
44 So I may always keep Your Torah,
forever and ever,
45 and walk about in freedom.
For I have sought Your precepts.
46 I will speak of Your testimonies
before kings, and never be ashamed.
47 I delight in Your mitzvot,
which I love.
48 I reach out my hands for Your mitzvot,
which I love,
and meditate on Your decrees.
Dispersion of Noah’s Family
18 Noah’s sons who came out from the ark were Shem, Ham and Japheth, and Ham was the father of Canaan. 19 These three were Noah’s sons, and from these the whole earth dispersed.
20 Then Noah, a man of the soil, was first to plant a vineyard. 21 He drank some of the wine, got drunk, and was uncovered in his tent. 22 Then Ham, Canaan’s father, saw his father’s private parts and told his two brothers outside. 23 So Shem and Japheth took the cloak and laid it over both their shoulders and walked backwards and with it covered their father’s private parts. But their faces were turned away, so they did not see their father’s private parts.
24 When Noah woke up from his wine, he learned what his youngest son had done to him. 25 So he said,
“Cursed is Canaan: the lowest slave will he be to his brothers.”
26 He also said,
“Blessed be Adonai, God of Shem,
and let Canaan be his servant.
27 May God enlarge Japheth,
may he dwell in the tents of Shem,
and may Canaan be his slave.”
28 Now Noah lived 350 years after the flood. 29 So all Noah’s days were 950 years. Then he died.
6 Therefore leaving the basic teaching of the Messiah, let us move on toward maturity—not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of trust in God, 2 of teaching about immersions, laying on of hands, resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 3 Now this we will do, if God permits.
4 For it is impossible for those who once were enlightened—having tasted of the heavenly gift and become partakers of the Ruach ha-Kodesh, 5 and having tasted the good word of God and the powers of the olam ha-ba, 6 and then having fallen away—to renew again to repentance, since they are again crucifying Ben-Elohim for themselves and publicly disgracing Him. 7 For the earth—having soaked up the rain frequently falling on it—brings forth vegetation[a] useful to those for whom it is farmed; and it shares in God’s blessing. 8 But if it produces thorns and thistles, it is worthless and near to being cursed—its end is to be burned over.[b]
9 But even though we speak like this, loved ones, concerning you we are convinced of better things[c]—things coming with salvation. 10 For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love that you showed for His name, in having served and continuing to serve the kedoshim. 11 But we long for each of you to show the same eagerness for the certainty of hope to the very end— 12 so you will not be sluggish,[d] but imitators of those inheriting the promises through trust and perseverance.
The Living Word, Source of Life
22 Afterwards, Yeshua and His disciples came to the land of Judea. There He was staying with them and immersing. 23 Now John also was immersing at Aenon near Salim, because much water was there and many were coming and being immersed; 24 for John had not yet been thrown into prison.
25 Now an argument came up between John’s disciples and a Judean concerning purification. 26 They came to John and said, “Rabbi, the One who was with you beyond the Jordan, the One you testified about—look, He is immersing, and all are coming to Him!”
27 John answered, “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven. 28 You yourselves testify that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah,’ but rather, ‘I am sent before Him.’ 29 The one who has the bride is the bridegroom, but the best man rejoices when he stands and hears the bridegroom’s voice. So now my joy is complete! 30 He must increase, while I must decrease.”
31 The One who comes from above is above all. The one who is from the earth is of the earth, and of the earth he speaks. The One who comes from heaven is above all. 32 And what He has seen and heard, He testifies to that; yet no one receives His testimony. 33 Whoever receives His testimony has certified that God is true.
34 The One whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Ruach without limit. 35 The Father loves the Son and has given everything into His hand. 36 He who trusts in the Son has eternal life. He who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.
Tree of Life (TLV) Translation of the Bible. Copyright © 2015 by The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society.