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Book of Common Prayer

Daily Old and New Testament readings based on the Book of Common Prayer.
Duration: 861 days
American Standard Version (ASV)
Version
Psalm 1-4

Book I

The righteous and the wicked contrasted.

[a]Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the wicked,
Nor standeth in the way of sinners,
Nor sitteth in the seat of scoffers:
But his delight is in the law of Jehovah;
And on his law doth he meditate day and night.
And he shall be like a tree planted by the streams of water,
That bringeth forth its fruit in its season,
Whose leaf also doth not wither;
And [b]whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
The wicked are not so,
But are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.
Therefore the wicked shall not stand in the judgment,
Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
For Jehovah knoweth the way of the righteous;
But the way of the wicked shall perish.

The reign of Jehovah’s anointed.

Why do the nations [c]rage,
And the peoples meditate a vain thing?
The kings of the earth set themselves,
And the rulers take counsel together,
Against Jehovah, and against his anointed, saying,
Let us break their bonds asunder,
And cast away their cords from us.
He that sitteth in the heavens will laugh:
The Lord will have them in derision.
Then will he speak unto them in his wrath,
And [d]vex them in his sore displeasure:
Yet I have set my king
Upon my holy hill of Zion.
I will tell of the decree:
Jehovah said unto me, Thou art my son;
This day have I begotten thee.
Ask of me, and I will give thee the nations for thine inheritance,
And the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.
Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron;
Thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.

10 Now therefore be wise, O ye kings:
Be instructed, ye judges of the earth.
11 Serve Jehovah with fear,
And rejoice with trembling.
12 Kiss the son, lest he be angry, and ye perish in the way,
For his wrath [e]will soon be kindled.
[f]Blessed are all they that take refuge in him.

Morning prayer of trust in God.

A Psalm of David, when he fled from Absalom his son.

Jehovah, how are mine adversaries increased!
Many are they that rise up against me.
Many there are that say [g]of my soul,
There is no [h]help for him in God. Selah
But thou, O Jehovah, art a shield about me;
My glory, and the lifter up of my head.
I cry unto Jehovah with my voice,
And he answereth me out of his holy hill. Selah
I laid me down and slept;
I awaked; for Jehovah sustaineth me.
I will not be afraid of ten thousands of the people
That have set themselves against me round about.
Arise, O Jehovah; save me, O my God:
For thou hast smitten all mine enemies upon the cheek bone;
Thou hast broken the teeth of the wicked.
[i]Salvation belongeth unto Jehovah:
Thy blessing be upon thy people. Selah

Evening prayer of trust in God.

For the Chief Musician; on stringed instruments. A Psalm of David.

Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness;
Thou hast set me at large when I was in distress:
[j]Have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer.
O ye sons of men, how long shall my glory be turned into dishonor?
How long will ye love vanity, and seek after falsehood? Selah
But know that Jehovah hath set apart for himself [k]him that is godly:
Jehovah will hear when I call unto him.
[l]Stand in awe, and sin not:
Commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah
Offer the sacrifices of righteousness,
And put your trust in Jehovah.
Many there are that say, Who will show us any good?
Jehovah, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us.
Thou hast put gladness in my heart,
More than they have when their grain and their new wine are increased.
In peace will I both lay me down and sleep;
For thou, Jehovah, [m]alone makest me dwell in safety.

Psalm 7

Jehovah implored to defend the psalmist against the wicked.

Shiggaion of David, which he sang unto Jehovah, concerning the words of Cush a Benjamite.

O Jehovah my God, in thee do I take refuge:
Save me from all them that pursue me, and deliver me,
Lest they tear my soul like a lion,
Rending it in pieces, while there is none to deliver.
O Jehovah my God, if I have done this;
If there be iniquity in my hands;
If I have rewarded evil unto him that was at peace with me
(Yea, I have delivered him that without cause was mine adversary;)
Let the enemy pursue my soul, and overtake it;
Yea, let him tread my life down to the earth,
And lay my glory in the dust. Selah
Arise, O Jehovah, in thine anger;
Lift up thyself against the rage of mine adversaries,
And awake for me; thou hast commanded judgment.
[a]And let the congregation of the peoples compass thee about;
And over them return thou on high.
Jehovah ministereth judgment to the peoples:
Judge me, O Jehovah, according to my righteousness, and to mine integrity [b]that is in me.
Oh let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end, but establish thou the righteous:
For the righteous God trieth the minds and [c]hearts.
10 My shield is with God,
Who saveth the upright in heart.
11 God is a righteous judge,
Yea, a God that hath indignation every day.
12 [d]If a man turn not, he will whet his sword;
He hath bent his bow, and made it ready;
13 He hath also prepared for him the instruments of death;
He maketh his arrows fiery shafts.
14 Behold, he travaileth with iniquity;
Yea, he hath conceived mischief, and brought forth falsehood.
15 He hath made a pit, and digged it,
And is fallen into the ditch which he made.
16 His mischief shall return upon his own head,
And his violence shall come down upon his own pate.
17 I will give thanks unto Jehovah according to his righteousness,
And will sing praise to the name of Jehovah Most High.

Numbers 32:1-6

32 Now the children of Reuben and the children of Gad had a very great multitude of cattle: and when they saw the land of Jazer, and the land of Gilead, that, behold, the place was a place for cattle; the children of Gad and the children of Reuben came and spake unto Moses, and to Eleazar the priest, and unto the princes of the congregation, saying, Ataroth, and Dibon, and Jazer, and [a]Nimrah, and Heshbon, and Elealeh, and [b]Sebam, and Nebo, and [c]Beon, the land which Jehovah smote before the congregation of Israel, is a land for cattle; and thy servants have cattle. And they said, If we have found favor in thy sight, let this land be given unto thy servants for a possession; bring us not over the Jordan.

And Moses said unto the children of Gad, and to the children of Reuben, Shall your brethren go to the war, and shall ye sit here?

Numbers 32:16-27

16 And they came near unto him, and said, We will build sheepfolds here for our cattle, and cities for our little ones: 17 but we ourselves will be ready armed to go before the children of Israel, until we have brought them unto their place: and our little ones shall dwell in the fortified cities because of the inhabitants of the land. 18 We will not return unto our houses, until the children of Israel have inherited every man his inheritance. 19 For we will not inherit with them on the other side of the Jordan, and forward; because our inheritance is fallen to us on this side of the Jordan eastward.

20 And Moses said unto them, If ye will do this thing, if ye will arm yourselves to go before Jehovah to the war, 21 and every armed man of you will pass over the Jordan before Jehovah, until he hath driven out his enemies from before him, 22 and the land is subdued before Jehovah; then afterward ye shall return, and be guiltless towards Jehovah, and towards Israel; and this land shall be unto you for a possession before Jehovah. 23 But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against Jehovah; and be sure your sin will find you out. 24 Build you cities for your little ones, and folds for your sheep; and do that which hath proceeded out of your mouth. 25 And the children of Gad and the children of Reuben spake unto Moses, saying, Thy servants will do as my lord commandeth. 26 Our little ones, our wives, our flocks, and all our cattle, shall be there in the cities of Gilead; 27 but thy servants will pass over, every man that is armed for war, before Jehovah to battle, as my lord saith.

Romans 8:26-30

26 And in like manner the Spirit also helpeth our infirmity: for we know not how to pray as we ought; but the Spirit himself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered; 27 and he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, [a]because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. 28 And we know that to them that love God [b]all things work together for good, even to them that are called according to his purpose. 29 For whom he foreknew, he also foreordained to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren: 30 and whom he foreordained, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

Matthew 23:1-12

23 Then spake Jesus to the multitudes and to his disciples, saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat: all things therefore whatsoever they bid you, these do and observe: but do not ye after their works; for they say, and do not. Yea, they bind heavy burdens [a]and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with their finger. But all their works they do to be seen of men: for they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments, and love the chief place at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues, and the salutations in the marketplaces, and to be called of men, Rabbi. But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your teacher, and all ye are brethren. And call no man your father on the earth: for one is your Father, [b]even he who is in heaven. 10 Neither be ye called masters: for one is your master, even the Christ. 11 But he that is [c]greatest among you shall be your [d]servant. 12 And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be humbled; and whosoever shall humble himself shall be exalted.