Book of Common Prayer
A psalm of David.
24 The earth belongs to the Lord. And so does everything in it.
The world belongs to him. And so do all those who live in it.
2 He set it firmly on the oceans.
He made it secure on the waters.
3 Who can go up to the temple on the mountain of the Lord?
Who can stand in his holy place?
4 Anyone who has clean hands and a pure heart.
Anyone who does not trust in the statue of a god.
Anyone who doesn’t use the name of that god when he makes a promise.
5 People like that will receive the Lord’s blessing.
When God their Savior hands down his sentence, it will be in their favor.
6 The people who look to God are like that.
God of Jacob, they look to you.
7 Open wide, you gates.
Open up, you ancient doors.
Then the King of glory will come in.
8 Who is the King of glory?
The Lord, who is strong and mighty.
The Lord, who is mighty in battle.
9 Open wide, you gates.
Open wide, you ancient doors.
Then the King of glory will come in.
10 Who is he, this King of glory?
The Lord who rules over all.
He is the King of glory.
A psalm of David.
29 Praise the Lord, you angels in heaven.
Praise the Lord for his glory and strength.
2 Praise the Lord for the glory that belongs to him.
Worship the Lord because of his beauty and holiness.
3 The voice of the Lord is heard over the waters.
The God of glory thunders.
The Lord thunders over the mighty waters.
4 The voice of the Lord is powerful.
The voice of the Lord is majestic.
5 The voice of the Lord breaks the cedar trees.
The Lord breaks the cedars of Lebanon into pieces.
6 He makes the mountains of Lebanon leap like a calf.
He makes Mount Hermon jump like a young wild ox.
7 The voice of the Lord strikes
with flashes of lightning.
8 The voice of the Lord shakes the desert.
The Lord shakes the Desert of Kadesh.
9 The voice of the Lord twists the oak trees.
It strips the forests bare.
And in his temple everyone cries out, “Glory!”
10 The Lord on his throne rules over the flood.
The Lord rules from his throne as King forever.
11 The Lord gives strength to his people.
The Lord blesses his people with peace.
For the director of music. According to gittith. A psalm of David.
8 Lord, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in the whole earth!
You have set your glory
in the heavens.
2 You have made sure that children
and infants praise you.
Their praise is a wall
that stops the talk of your enemies.
3 I think about the heavens.
I think about what your fingers have created.
I think about the moon and stars
that you have set in place.
4 What are human beings that you think about them?
What is a son of man that you take care of him?
5 You have made them a little lower than the angels.
You placed on them a crown of glory and honor.
6 You made human beings rule over everything your hands created.
You put everything under their control.
7 They rule over all flocks and herds
and over the wild animals.
8 They rule over the birds in the sky
and over the fish in the ocean.
They rule over everything that swims in the oceans.
9 Lord, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in the whole earth!
For the director of music. According to gittith. A psalm of the Sons of Korah.
84 Lord who rules over all,
how lovely is the place where you live!
2 I can’t wait to be in the courtyards of the Lord’s temple.
I really want to be there.
My whole being cries out
for the living God.
3 Lord who rules over all,
even the sparrow has found a home near your altar.
My King and my God,
the swallow also has a nest there,
where she may have her young.
4 Blessed are those who live in your house.
They are always praising you.
5 Blessed are those whose strength comes from you.
They have firmly decided to travel to your temple.
6 As they pass through the dry Valley of Baka,
they make it a place where water flows.
The rain in the fall covers it with pools.
7 Those people get stronger as they go along,
until each of them appears in Zion, where God lives.
8 Lord God who rules over all, hear my prayer.
God of the people of Jacob, listen to me.
9 God, may you be pleased with your anointed king.
You appointed him to be like a shield that keeps us safe.
10 A single day in your courtyards is better
than a thousand anywhere else.
I would rather guard the door of the house of my God
than live in the tents of sinful people.
11 The Lord God is like the sun that gives us light.
He is like a shield that keeps us safe.
The Lord blesses us with favor and honor.
He doesn’t hold back anything good
from those whose lives are without blame.
12 Lord who rules over all,
blessed is the person who trusts in you.
6 I’ve seen another evil thing on this earth. And it’s a heavy load on human beings. 2 God gives some people wealth, possessions and honor. They have everything their hearts desire. But God doesn’t let them enjoy those things. Instead, strangers enjoy them. This doesn’t have any meaning. It’s a very evil thing.
3 A man might have a hundred children. He might live a long time. But suppose he can’t enjoy his wealth. And suppose he isn’t buried in the proper way. Then it doesn’t matter how long he lives. I’m telling you that a baby that is born dead is better off than that man is. 4 That kind of birth doesn’t have any meaning. The baby dies in darkness and leaves this world. And in darkness it is forgotten. 5 It didn’t even see the sun. It didn’t know anything at all. But it has more rest than that man does. 6 And that’s true even if he lives for 2,000 years but doesn’t get to enjoy his wealth. All people die and go to the grave, don’t they?
7 People eat up everything they work to get.
But they are never satisfied.
8 What advantage do wise people have
over those who are foolish?
What do poor people gain
by knowing how to act toward others?
9 Being satisfied with what you have
is better than always wanting more.
That doesn’t have any meaning either.
It’s like chasing the wind.
10 God has already planned what now exists.
He has already decided what a human being is.
No one can argue with someone
who is stronger.
11 The more words people use,
the less meaning there is.
And that doesn’t help anyone.
12 Who knows what’s good for a person? They live for only a few meaningless days. They pass through life like a shadow. Who can tell them what will happen on earth after they are gone?
Peter Has a Vision
9 It was about noon the next day. The men were on their journey and were approaching the city. Peter went up on the roof to pray. 10 He became hungry. He wanted something to eat. While the meal was being prepared, Peter had a vision. 11 He saw heaven open up. There he saw something that looked like a large sheet. It was being let down to earth by its four corners. 12 It had all kinds of four-footed animals in it. It also had reptiles and birds in it. 13 Then a voice told him, “Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.”
14 “No, Lord! I will not!” Peter replied. “I have never eaten anything that is not pure and ‘clean.’ ”
15 The voice spoke to him a second time. It said, “Do not say anything is not pure that God has made ‘clean.’ ”
16 This happened three times. Right away the sheet was taken back up to heaven.
17 Peter was wondering what the vision meant. At that very moment the men sent by Cornelius found Simon’s house. They stopped at the gate 18 and called out. They asked if Simon Peter was staying there.
19 Peter was still thinking about the vision. The Holy Spirit spoke to him. “Simon,” he said, “three men are looking for you. 20 Get up and go downstairs. Don’t let anything keep you from going with them. I have sent them.”
21 Peter went down and spoke to the men. “I’m the one you’re looking for,” he said. “Why have you come?”
22 The men replied, “We have come from Cornelius, the Roman commander. He is a good man who worships God. All the Jewish people respect him. A holy angel told him to invite you to his house. Then Cornelius can hear what you have to say.” 23 Then Peter invited the men into the house to be his guests.
Peter Goes to the House of Cornelius
The next day Peter went with the three men. Some of the believers from Joppa went along.
32 “Little flock, do not be afraid. Your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell what you own. Give to those who are poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out. Store up riches in heaven that will never be used up. There, no thief can come near it. There, no moth can destroy it. 34 Your heart will be where your riches are.
Be Ready
35 “Be dressed and ready to serve. Keep your lamps burning. 36 Be like servants waiting for their master to return from a wedding dinner. When he comes and knocks, they can open the door for him at once. 37 It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready when he comes. What I’m about to tell you is true. The master will then dress himself so he can serve them. He will have them take their places at the table. And he will come and wait on them. 38 It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready. It will even be good if he comes in the middle of the night or toward morning. 39 But here is what you must understand. Suppose the owner of the house knew at what hour the robber was coming. He would not have let his house be broken into. 40 You also must be ready. The Son of Man will come at an hour when you don’t expect him.”
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