Book of Common Prayer
Psalm 38
Prayer of a Suffering Sinner
A psalm of David to bring remembrance.(A)
1 Lord, do not punish me in your anger
or discipline me in your wrath.(B)
2 For your arrows have sunk into me,
and your hand has pressed down on me.(C)
3 There is no soundness in my body
because of your indignation;
there is no health[a] in my bones
because of my sin.(D)
4 For my iniquities have flooded over my head;
they are a burden too heavy for me to bear.(E)
5 My wounds are foul and festering
because of my foolishness.(F)
6 I am bent over and brought very low;
all day long I go around in mourning.(G)
7 For my insides are full of burning pain,
and there is no soundness in my body.(H)
8 I am faint and severely crushed;
I groan because of the anguish of my heart.(I)
9 Lord, my every desire is in front of you;
my sighing is not hidden from you.(J)
10 My heart races, my strength leaves me,
and even the light of my eyes has faded.[b](K)
11 My loved ones and friends stand back from my affliction,
and my relatives stand at a distance.(L)
12 Those who intend to kill me set traps,
and those who want to harm me threaten to destroy me;
they plot treachery all day long.(M)
13 I am like a deaf person; I do not hear.
I am like a speechless person
who does not open his mouth.(N)
14 I am like a man who does not hear
and has no arguments in his mouth.(O)
15 For I put my hope in you, Lord;
you will answer me, my Lord, my God.(P)
16 For I said, “Don’t let them rejoice over me—
those who are arrogant toward me when I stumble.”(Q)
17 For I am about to fall,
and my pain is constantly with me.(R)
18 So I confess my iniquity;
I am anxious because of my sin.(S)
19 But my enemies are vigorous and powerful;[c]
many hate me for no reason.(T)
20 Those who repay evil for good
attack me for pursuing good.(U)
ד Daleth
25 My life is down in the dust;(A)
give me life(B) through your word.
26 I told you about my life,
and you answered me;
teach me your statutes.(C)
27 Help me understand
the meaning of your precepts
so that I can meditate on your wonders.(D)
28 I am weary[a] from grief;
strengthen me through your word.(E)
29 Keep me from the way of deceit
and graciously give me your instruction.
30 I have chosen the way of truth;
I have set your ordinances before me.(F)
31 I cling to your decrees;
Lord, do not put me to shame.(G)
32 I pursue the way of your commands,
for you broaden my understanding.[b](H)
ה He
33 Teach me, Lord, the meaning[c] of your statutes,
and I will always keep them.[d](I)
34 Help me understand your instruction,(J)
and I will obey it
and follow it with all my heart.(K)
35 Help me stay on the path of your commands,(L)
for I take pleasure in it.(M)
36 Turn my heart to your decrees(N)
and not to dishonest profit.(O)
37 Turn my eyes
from looking at what is worthless;(P)
give me life in your ways.[e](Q)
38 Confirm what you said to your servant,(R)
for it produces reverence for you.
39 Turn away the disgrace I dread;(S)
indeed, your judgments are good.
40 How I long for your precepts!(T)
Give me life through your righteousness.
ו Waw
41 Let your faithful love come to me, Lord,(U)
your salvation, as you promised.(V)
42 Then I can answer the one who taunts me,(W)
for I trust in your word.
43 Never take the word of truth from my mouth,
for I hope in your judgments.(X)
44 I will always obey your instruction,
forever and ever.(Y)
45 I will walk freely in an open place(Z)
because I study your precepts.(AA)
46 I will speak of your decrees before kings
and not be ashamed.(AB)
47 I delight in your commands,
which I love.(AC)
48 I will lift up my hands(AD) to your commands,
which I love,
and will meditate on your statutes.(AE)
17 Better a dry crust with peace
than a house full of feasting with strife.(A)
2 A prudent servant will rule over a disgraceful son
and share an inheritance among brothers.
4 A wicked person listens to malicious talk;[a]
a liar pays attention to a destructive tongue.
5 The one who mocks the poor insults his Maker,(D)
and one who rejoices over calamity
will not go unpunished.(E)
6 Grandchildren are the crown of the elderly,
and the pride of children is their fathers.
7 Eloquent words are not appropriate on a fool’s lips;
how much worse are lies for a ruler.
10 A rebuke cuts into a perceptive person
more than a hundred lashes into a fool.
12 Better for a person to meet a bear robbed of her cubs(K)
than a fool in his foolishness.
14 To start a conflict is to release a flood;
stop the dispute before it breaks out.(N)
15 Acquitting the guilty and condemning the just(O)—
both are detestable to the Lord.
16 Why does a fool have money in his hand
with no intention of buying wisdom?(P)
17 A friend loves at all times,(Q)
and a brother is born for a difficult time.
19 One who loves to offend loves strife;(S)
one who builds a high threshold invites injury.
20 One with a twisted mind will not succeed,
and one with deceitful speech will fall into ruin.(T)
Qualifications for Overseers and Deacons
3 This saying is trustworthy:(A) “If anyone aspires to be an overseer,[a](B) he desires a noble work.” 2 An overseer,(C) therefore, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, self-controlled, sensible,(D) respectable, hospitable,(E) able to teach, 3 not an excessive drinker, not a bully but gentle, not quarrelsome, not greedy.(F) 4 He must manage his own household competently and have his children under control with all dignity. 5 (If anyone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of God’s church?) 6 He must not be a new convert, or he might become conceited and incur the same condemnation as the devil.(G) 7 Furthermore, he must have a good reputation among outsiders, so that he does not fall into disgrace and the devil’s(H) trap.
8 Deacons,(I) likewise, should be worthy of respect, not hypocritical, not drinking a lot of wine, not greedy for money, 9 holding the mystery of the faith(J) with a clear conscience.(K) 10 They must also be tested first; if they prove blameless, then they can serve as deacons. 11 Wives,[b](L) likewise, should be worthy of respect, not slanderers, self-controlled,(M) faithful in everything. 12 Deacons are to be husbands of one wife, managing their children and their own households competently. 13 For those who have served well as deacons acquire a good standing for themselves and great boldness in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.
The Mystery of Godliness
14 I write these things to you, hoping to come(N) to you soon. 15 But if I should be delayed, I have written so that you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God’s household,(O) which is the church of the living God,(P) the pillar and foundation of the truth.(Q) 16 And most certainly, the mystery of godliness(R) is great:
An Unclean Spirit’s Return
43 “When an unclean spirit comes out of a person, it roams through waterless places looking for rest but doesn’t find any.(A) 44 Then it says, ‘I’ll go back to my house that I came from.’ Returning, it finds the house vacant, swept, and put in order. 45 Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and settle down there. As a result, that person’s last condition is worse than the first.(B) That’s how it will also be with this evil generation.”
True Relationships
46 While he(C) was still speaking with the crowds, his mother and brothers were standing outside wanting to speak to him.(D) 47 Someone told him, “Look, your mother and your brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you.”[a]
48 He replied to the one who was speaking to him, “Who is my mother and who are my brothers?” 49 Stretching out his hand toward his disciples,(E) he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! 50 For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”(F)
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