Book of Common Prayer
Psalm 87
By Korah’s descendants; a psalm; a song.
1 The city Yahweh has founded stands on holy mountains.
2 Yahweh loves the city of Zion
more than any other place in Jacob.
3 Glorious things are said about you, O city of Elohim! Selah
4 The Lord says, “I will add Egypt and Babylon
as well as Philistia, Tyre, and Sudan
to the list of those who acknowledge me.
Each nation will claim that it was born there.”
5 But it will be said of Zion,
“Every race is born in it.
Elyon will make it secure.”
6 Yahweh will record this in the Book of Nations:
“Every race claims that it was born there.” Selah
7 Singers and dancers will sing,
“Zion is the source of all our blessings.”
BOOK FOUR
(Psalms 90–106)
Psalm 90
A prayer by Moses, the man of Elohim.
1 O Adonay, you have been our refuge throughout every generation.
2 Before the mountains were born,
before you gave birth to the earth and the world, you were El.
You are El from everlasting to everlasting.
3 You turn mortals back into dust
and say, “Return, descendants of Adam.”
4 Indeed, in your sight a thousand years are like a single day,
like yesterday—already past—
like an hour in the night.
5 You sweep mortals away.
They are a dream.
They sprout again in the morning like cut grass.
6 In the morning they blossom and sprout.
In the evening they wither and dry up.
7 Indeed, your anger consumes us.
Your rage terrifies us.
8 You have set our sins in front of you.
You have put our secret sins in the light of your presence.
9 Indeed, all our days slip away because of your fury.
We live out our years like one long sigh.
10 Each of us lives for 70 years—
or even 80 if we are in good health.
But the best of them[a] bring trouble and misery.
Indeed, they are soon gone, and we fly away.
11 Who fully understands the power of your anger?
A person fears you more when he better understands your fury.[b]
12 Teach us to number each of our days
so that we may grow in wisdom.
13 Return, Yahweh! How long . . . ?
Change your plans about us, your servants.
14 Satisfy us every morning with your mercy
so that we may sing joyfully and rejoice all our days.
15 Make us rejoice for as many days as you have made us suffer,
for as many years as we have experienced evil.
16 Let us, your servants, see what you can do.
Let our children see your glorious power.
17 Let the kindness of Adonay our Elohim be with us.
Make us successful in everything we do.
Yes, make us successful in everything we do.
Psalm 136
1 Give thanks to Yahweh because he is good,
because his mercy endures forever.
2 Give thanks to the Elohim of gods
because his mercy endures forever.
3 Give thanks to the Adonay of lords
because his mercy endures forever.
4 Give thanks to the only one who does miraculous things—
because his mercy endures forever.
5 to the one who made the heavens by his understanding—
because his mercy endures forever.
6 to the one who spread out the earth on the water—
because his mercy endures forever.
7 to the one who made the great lights—
because his mercy endures forever.
8 the sun to rule the day—
because his mercy endures forever.
9 the moon and stars to rule the night—
because his mercy endures forever.
10 Give thanks to the one who killed the firstborn males in Egypt—
because his mercy endures forever.
11 He brought Israel out from among them—
because his mercy endures forever.
12 with a mighty hand and a powerful arm—
because his mercy endures forever.
13 Give thanks to one who divided the Red Sea—
because his mercy endures forever.
14 He led Israel through the middle of it—
because his mercy endures forever.
15 He swept Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea—
because his mercy endures forever.
16 Give thanks to the one who led his people through the desert—
because his mercy endures forever.
17 Give thanks to the one who defeated powerful kings—
because his mercy endures forever.
18 He killed mighty kings—
because his mercy endures forever.
19 King Sihon of the Amorites—
because his mercy endures forever.
20 and King Og of Bashan—
because his mercy endures forever.
21 He gave their land as an inheritance—
because his mercy endures forever.
22 as an inheritance for his servant Israel—
because his mercy endures forever.
23 He remembered us when we were humiliated—
because his mercy endures forever.
24 He snatched us from the grasp of our enemies—
because his mercy endures forever.
25 He gives food to every living creature—
because his mercy endures forever.
26 Give thanks to El of heaven
because his mercy endures forever.
Abimelech’s Battles
22 Abimelech ruled Israel for three years. 23 Then Elohim sent an evil spirit to cause problems between Abimelech and citizens of Shechem. So citizens of Shechem turned against Abimelech. 24 God did this so that the bloody violence committed against Jerubbaal’s 70 sons would happen to Abimelech and citizens of Shechem. Citizens of Shechem had helped Abimelech execute his brothers.
25 So citizens of Shechem set ambushes for Abimelech on top of the mountains. They also robbed everyone who passed by them on the road. This was reported to Abimelech.
50 Then Abimelech went to Thebez, camped there, and captured it. 51 Now, there was a strong tower inside the town. All the men, women, and leaders of the town fled to it. They locked the door behind them and went up on the roof of the tower. 52 Abimelech came to the tower. He began to fight against it and went near the entrance of the tower to burn it down. 53 Then a woman threw a small millstone that hit Abimelech on the head and cracked his skull. 54 He quickly called his armorbearer. He told him, “Take your sword and kill me! I don’t want anyone to say, ‘A woman killed Abimelech.’” His armorbearer did as he said, so Abimelech died. 55 When the people of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they all went home.
56 So Elohim paid back Abimelech for the evil he had done to his father when he killed his 70 brothers. 57 Elohim also paid back the men of Shechem for all their evil. So the curse of Jotham, son of Jerubbaal, came true.
The Believers Share Their Property
32 The whole group of believers lived in harmony. No one called any of his possessions his own. Instead, they shared everything.
33 With great power the apostles continued to testify that the Lord Yeshua had come back to life. God’s abundant good will[a] was with all of them. 34 None of them needed anything. From time to time, people sold land or houses and brought the money 35 to the apostles. Then the money was distributed to anyone who needed it.
36 Joseph, a descendant of Levi, had been born on the island of Cyprus. The apostles called him Barnabas, which means “a person who encourages.” 37 He had some land. He sold it and turned the money over to the apostles.
Ananias and Sapphira
5 A man named Ananias and his wife Sapphira sold some property. 2 They agreed to hold back some of the money they had pledged and turned only part of it over to the apostles.
3 Peter asked, “Ananias, why did you let Satan fill you with the idea that you could deceive the Holy Spirit? You’ve held back some of the money you received for the land. 4 While you had the land, it was your own. After it was sold, you could have done as you pleased with the money. So how could you do a thing like this? You didn’t lie to people but to God!”
5 When Ananias heard Peter say this, he dropped dead. Everyone who heard about his death was terrified. 6 Some young men got up, wrapped his body in a sheet, carried him outside, and buried him.
7 About three hours later Ananias’ wife arrived. She didn’t know what had happened. 8 So Peter asked her, “Tell me, did you sell the land for that price?”
She answered, “Yes, that was the price.”
9 Then Peter said to her, “How could you and your husband agree to test the Lord’s Spirit? Those who buried your husband are standing at the door, and they will carry you outside for burial.”
10 Immediately, she dropped dead in front of Peter. When the young men came back, they found Sapphira dead. So they carried her outside and buried her next to her husband. 11 The whole church and everyone else who heard about what had happened were terrified.
Jesus Throws Merchants and Moneychangers out of the Temple Courtyard
13 The Jewish Passover was near, so Yeshua went to Jerusalem. 14 He found those who were selling cattle, sheep, and pigeons in the temple courtyard. He also found moneychangers sitting there. 15 He made a whip from small ropes and threw everyone with their sheep and cattle out of the temple courtyard. He dumped the moneychangers’ coins and knocked over their tables.
16 He told those who sold pigeons, “Pick up this stuff, and get it out of here! Stop making my Father’s house a marketplace!”
17 His disciples remembered that Scripture said, “Devotion for your house will consume me.”
18 The Jews reacted by asking Yeshua, “What miracle can you show us to justify what you’re doing?”
19 Yeshua replied, “Tear down this temple, and I’ll rebuild it in three days.”
20 The Jews said, “It took forty-six years to build this temple. Do you really think you’re going to rebuild it in three days?”
21 But the temple Yeshua spoke about was his own body. 22 After he came back to life, his disciples remembered that he had said this. So they believed the Scripture and this statement that Yeshua had made.
23 While Yeshua was in Jerusalem at the Passover festival, many people believed in him because they saw the miracles that he performed. 24 Yeshua, however, was wary of these believers. He understood people 25 and didn’t need anyone to tell him about human nature. He knew what people were really like.
The Names of God Bible (without notes) © 2011 by Baker Publishing Group.