Book of Common Prayer
Psalm 147
God Restores Jerusalem
1 Hallelujah!
How good it is to sing to our God,
for praise is pleasant and lovely.(A)
2 The Lord rebuilds Jerusalem;(B)
he gathers Israel’s exiled people.(C)
3 He heals the brokenhearted
and bandages their wounds.(D)
4 He counts the number of the stars;
he gives names to all of them.(E)
5 Our Lord is great, vast in power;
his understanding is infinite.[a](F)
6 The Lord helps the oppressed
but brings the wicked to the ground.(G)
7 Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving;
play the lyre to our God,(H)
8 who covers the sky with clouds,
prepares rain for the earth,
and causes grass to grow on the hills.(I)
9 He provides the animals with their food,
and the young ravens what they cry for.(J)
10 He is not impressed by the strength of a horse;
he does not value the power of a warrior.[b](K)
11 The Lord values those who fear him,
those who put their hope in his faithful love.(L)
12 Exalt the Lord, Jerusalem;
praise your God, Zion!(M)
13 For he strengthens the bars of your city gates
and blesses your children within you.(N)
14 He endows your territory with prosperity;[c](O)
he satisfies you with the finest wheat.(P)
Giving the Firstfruits
26 “When you enter the land the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance,(A) and you take possession of it and live in it, 2 take some of the first of all the land’s produce that you harvest from the land the Lord your God is giving you and put it in a basket. Then go to the place where the Lord your God chooses to have his name dwell.(B) 3 When you come before the priest who is serving at that time, say to him, ‘Today I declare to the Lord your[a] God that I have entered the land the Lord swore to our ancestors to give us.’
4 “Then the priest will take the basket from you and place it before the altar of the Lord your God. 5 You are to respond by saying in the presence of the Lord your God:
My father was a wandering Aramean.(C) He went down to Egypt with a few people and resided there as an alien.(D) There he became a great, powerful, and populous nation. 6 But the Egyptians mistreated and oppressed us, and forced us to do hard labor. 7 So we called out to the Lord, the God of our ancestors, and the Lord heard our cry and saw our misery, hardship, and oppression.(E) 8 Then the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a strong hand and an outstretched arm, with terrifying power, and with signs and wonders. 9 He led us to this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey.(F) 10 I have now brought the first of the land’s produce that you, Lord, have given me.
You will then place the container before the Lord your God and bow down to him. 11 You, the Levites, and the resident aliens among you will rejoice(G) in all the good things the Lord your God has given you and your household.
26 Jesus answered, “Truly I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw[a] the signs, but because you ate the loaves and were filled. 27 Don’t work for the food that perishes(A) but for the food that lasts for eternal life,(B) which the Son of Man(C) will give you, because God the Father(D) has set his seal of approval on him.”
28 “What can we do to perform the works of God?” they asked.
29 Jesus replied, “This is the work(E) of God—that you believe in the one he has sent.”(F)
30 “What sign, then, are you going to do so that we may see and believe you?” they asked. “What are you going to perform? 31 Our ancestors ate the manna(G) in the wilderness,(H) just as it is written: He gave them bread from heaven to eat.”[b](I)
32 Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, Moses(J) didn’t give you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is the one who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”
34 Then they said, “Sir, give us this bread always.”
35 “I am(K) the bread of life,” Jesus told them. “No one who comes to me(L) will ever be hungry,(M) and no one who believes in me(N) will ever be thirsty(O) again.
Psalm 145
Praising God’s Greatness
A hymn of David.
1 I[a] exalt you, my God the King,
and bless your name forever and ever.(A)
2 I will bless you every day;
I will praise your name forever and ever.(B)
3 The Lord is great and is highly praised;(C)
his greatness is unsearchable.(D)
4 One generation will declare your works to the next
and will proclaim your mighty acts.(E)
5 I[b] will speak of your splendor and glorious majesty
and[c] your wondrous works.(F)
6 They will proclaim the power of your awe-inspiring acts,
and I will declare your greatness.[d](G)
7 They will give a testimony of your great goodness
and will joyfully sing of your righteousness.(H)
8 The Lord is gracious and compassionate,
slow to anger and great in faithful love.(I)
9 The Lord is good to everyone;(J)
his compassion rests on all he has made.(K)
10 All you have made will thank you, Lord;
the[e] faithful will bless you.(L)
11 They will speak of the glory of your kingdom
and will declare your might,(M)
12 informing all people of your mighty acts
and of the glorious splendor of your[f] kingdom.(N)
13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom;
your rule is for all generations.(O)
The Lord is faithful in all his words
and gracious in all his actions.[g](P)
14 The Lord helps all who fall;
he raises up all who are oppressed.[h](Q)
15 All eyes look to you,
and you give them their food at the proper time.(R)
16 You open your hand
and satisfy the desire of every living thing.(S)
17 The Lord is righteous in all his ways
and faithful in all his acts.(T)
18 The Lord is near all who call out to him,
all who call out to him with integrity.(U)
19 He fulfills the desires of those who fear him;
he hears their cry for help and saves them.(V)
20 The Lord guards all those who love him,
but he destroys all the wicked.(W)
21 My mouth will declare the Lord’s praise;
let every living thing
bless his holy name forever and ever.(X)
Exhortations and Blessings
12 Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to give recognition(A) to those who labor among you and lead you[a] in the Lord and admonish you, 13 and to regard them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace(B) among yourselves. 14 And we exhort you, brothers and sisters:(C) warn those who are idle,[b] comfort the discouraged, help the weak, be patient(D) with everyone. 15 See to it that no one repays evil for evil(E) to anyone,(F) but always pursue what is good for one another and for all.(G) 16 Rejoice(H) always, 17 pray constantly, 18 give thanks in everything; for this is God’s will(I) for you in Christ Jesus. 19 Don’t stifle the Spirit. 20 Don’t despise prophecies, 21 but test all things.(J) Hold on to what is good. 22 Stay away(K) from every kind of evil.
23 Now may the God of peace(L) himself sanctify you completely. And may your whole spirit,(M) soul, and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming(N) of our Lord(O) Jesus Christ.(P) 24 He who calls(Q) you(R) is faithful; he will do it.
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