Book of Common Prayer
BOOK ONE
(Psalms 1–41)
Psalm 1
1 Blessed is the person who does not
follow the advice of wicked people,
take the path of sinners,
or join the company of mockers.
2 Rather, he delights in the teachings of Yahweh
and reflects on his teachings day and night.
3 He is like a tree planted beside streams—
a tree that produces fruit in season
and whose leaves do not wither.
He succeeds in everything he does.[a]
4 Wicked people are not like that.
Instead, they are like husks that the wind blows away.
5 That is why wicked people will not be able to stand in the judgment
and sinners will not be able to stand where righteous people gather.
6 Yahweh knows the way of righteous people,
but the way of wicked people will end.
Psalm 2
1 Why do the nations gather together?
Why do their people devise useless plots?
2 Kings take their stands.
Rulers make plans together
against Yahweh and against his Mashiach[b] by saying,
3 “Let’s break apart their chains
and shake off their ropes.”
4 The one enthroned in heaven laughs.
Adonay makes fun of them.
5 Then he speaks to them in his anger.
In his burning anger he terrifies them by saying,
6 “I have installed my own king on Zion, my holy mountain.”
7 I will announce Yahweh’s decree.
He said to me:
“You are my Son.
Today I have become your Father.
8 Ask me, and I will give you the nations as your inheritance
and the ends of the earth as your own possession.
9 You will break them with an iron scepter.
You will smash them to pieces like pottery.”
10 Now, you kings, act wisely.
Be warned, you rulers of the earth!
11 Serve Yahweh with fear, and rejoice with trembling.
12 Kiss the Son, or he will become angry
and you will die on your way
because his anger will burst into flames.
Blessed is everyone who takes refuge in him.
Psalm 3
A psalm by David when he fled from his son Absalom.
1 O Yahweh, look how my enemies have increased!
Many are attacking me.
2 Many are saying about me,
“Even with Elohim on his side,
he won’t be victorious.” Selah
3 But you, O Yahweh, are a Magen that surrounds me.
You are my glory.
You hold my head high.
4 I call aloud to Yahweh,
and he answers me from his holy mountain. Selah
5 I lie down and sleep.
I wake up again because Yahweh continues to support me.
6 I am not afraid of the tens of thousands
who have taken positions against me on all sides.
7 Arise, O Yahweh!
Save me, O my Elohim!
You have slapped all my enemies in the face.
You have smashed the teeth of wicked people.
8 Victory belongs to Yahweh!
May your blessing rest on your people. Selah
Psalm 4
For the choir director; with stringed instruments; a psalm by David.
1 Answer me when I call, O Elohim of my righteousness.
You have freed me from my troubles.
Have pity on me, and hear my prayer!
2 You important people,
how long are you going to insult my honor?
How long are you going to love what is empty
and seek what is a lie? Selah
3 Know that Yahweh singles out godly people for himself.
Yahweh hears me when I call to him.
4 Tremble and do not sin.
Think about this on your bed and remain quiet. Selah
5 Offer the sacrifices of righteousness
by trusting Yahweh.
6 Many are saying, “Who can show us anything good?”
Let the light of your presence shine on us, O Yahweh.
7 You put more joy in my heart
than when their grain and new wine increase.
8 I fall asleep in peace the moment I lie down
because you alone, O Yahweh, enable me to live securely.
Psalm 7
A shiggaion[a] by David; he sang it to Yahweh about the slanderous words of Cush, a descendant of Benjamin.
1 O Yahweh my Elohim, I have taken refuge in you.
Save me, and rescue me from all who are pursuing me.
2 Like a lion they will tear me to pieces
and drag me off with no one to rescue me.
3 O Yahweh my Elohim,
if I have done this—
if my hands are stained with injustice,
4 if I have paid back my friend with evil
or rescued someone who has no reason to attack me—[b]
5 then let the enemy chase me and catch me.
Let him trample my life into the ground.
Let him lay my honor in the dust. Selah
6 Arise in anger, O Yahweh.
Stand up against the fury of my attackers.
Wake up, my God.[c]
You have already pronounced judgment.
7 Let an assembly of people gather around you.
Take your seat high above them.
8 Yahweh judges the people of the world.
Judge me, O Yahweh,
according to my righteousness,
according to my integrity.
9 Let the evil within wicked people come to an end,
but make the righteous person secure,
O righteous Elohim who examines thoughts and emotions.
10 My Magen is Elohim above,
who saves those whose motives are decent.
11 Elohim is a fair Shophet,
an El who is angered by injustice every day.
12 If a person does not change, Elohim sharpens his sword.
By bending his bow, he makes it ready to shoot.
13 He prepares his deadly weapons
and turns them into flaming arrows.
14 See how that person conceives evil,
is pregnant with harm,
and gives birth to lies.
15 He digs a pit and shovels it out.
Then he falls into the hole that he made for others.
16 His mischief lands back on his own head.
His violence comes down on top of him.
17 I will give thanks to Yahweh for his righteousness.
I will make music to praise the name of Yahweh Elyon.
Eliphaz Speaks: Be Patient and Listen, Job
4 Then Eliphaz from Teman replied to Job,
Eliphaz Continues: Seek God’s Help, Job
5 “Cry out!
Is there anyone to answer you?
To which of the holy ones will you turn?
2 Certainly, anger kills a stubborn fool,
and jealousy murders a gullible person.
3 I have seen a stubborn fool take root,
but I quickly cursed his house.
4 His children are far from help.
They are crushed at the city gate,
and no one is there to rescue them.
5 What a stubborn fool gathers, hungry people eat.
They take it even from among the thorns,
and thirsty people pant after his wealth.[a]
6 Certainly, sorrow doesn’t come from the soil,
and trouble doesn’t sprout from the ground.
7 But a person is born for trouble as surely as sparks fly up from a fire.
8 “But I would seek El’s help
and present my case to Elohim.
9 He does great things that we cannot understand
and miracles that we cannot count.
10 He gives rain to the earth
and sends water to the fields.
11 He places lowly people up high.
He lifts those who mourn to safety.
Blessing Comes When God Corrects You
17 “Blessed is the person whom Eloah corrects.
That person should not despise discipline from Shadday.
18 God injures, but he bandages.
He beats you up, but his hands make you well.
19 He will keep you safe from six troubles,
and when the seventh one comes, no harm will touch you:
20 “In famine he will save you from death,
and in war he will save you from the sword.
21 “When the tongue lashes out, you will be safe,
and you will not be afraid of destruction when it comes.
26 “You will come to your grave at a ripe old age
like a stack of hay in the right season.
27 “We have studied all of this thoroughly! This is the way it is.
Listen to it, and learn it for yourself.”
19 After he had something to eat, his strength came back to him.
Saul was with the disciples in the city of Damascus for several days. 20 He immediately began to spread the word in their synagogues that Yeshua was the Son of God. 21 Everyone who heard him was amazed. They asked, “Isn’t this the man who destroyed those who worshiped the one named Yeshua in Jerusalem? Didn’t he come here to take these worshipers as prisoners to the chief priests in Jerusalem?”
22 Saul grew more powerful, and he confused the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Yeshua was the Messiah. 23 Later the Jews planned to murder Saul, 24 but Saul was told about their plot. They were watching the city gates day and night in order to murder him. 25 However, Saul’s disciples lowered him in a large basket through an opening in the wall one night.
26 After Saul arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples. But everyone was afraid of him. They wouldn’t believe that he was a disciple.
27 Then Barnabas took an interest in Saul and brought him to the apostles. Barnabas told the apostles how Saul had seen the Lord on the road and that the Lord had spoken to him. Barnabas also told them how boldly Saul had spoken about the one named Yeshua in the city of Damascus. 28 Then Saul went throughout Jerusalem with the disciples. He spoke boldly with the power and authority of the Lord.
29 He talked and argued with Greek-speaking Jews, but they tried to murder him. 30 As soon as the disciples found out about this, they took Saul to Caesarea and sent him to Tarsus.
31 Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace. The number of people increased as people lived in the fear of the Lord and the comfort of the Holy Spirit.
52 The Jews began to quarrel with each other. They said, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”
53 Yeshua told them, “I can guarantee this truth: If you don’t eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you don’t have the source of life in you. 54 Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will bring them back to life on the last day. 55 My flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. 56 Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood live in me, and I live in them. 57 The Father who has life sent me, and I live because of the Father. So those who feed on me will live because of me. 58 This is the bread that came from heaven. It is not like the bread your ancestors ate. They eventually died. Those who eat this bread will live forever.”
59 Yeshua said this while he was teaching in a synagogue in Capernaum.
The Names of God Bible (without notes) © 2011 by Baker Publishing Group.