Book of Common Prayer
(A psalm by David for the music leader.)
A Prayer for the Lord's Help
1 Rescue me from cruel
and violent enemies, Lord!
2 They think up evil plans
and always cause trouble.
3 (A) Their words bite deep
like the poisonous fangs
of a snake.
4 Protect me, Lord, from cruel
and brutal enemies,
who want to destroy me.
5 Those proud people have hidden
traps and nets
to catch me as I walk.
6 You, Lord, are my God!
Please listen to my prayer.
7 You have the power to save me,
and you keep me safe
in every battle.
8 Don't let the wicked succeed
in doing what they want,
or else they might never
stop planning evil.
9 They have me surrounded,
but make them the victims
of their own vicious lies.[a]
10 Dump flaming coals on them
and throw them into pits
where they can't climb out.
11 Chase those cruel liars away!
Let trouble hunt them down.
12 Our Lord, I know that you
defend the homeless
and see that the poor
are given justice.
13 Your people will praise you
and will live with you
because they do right.
(A special psalm and a prayer by David when he was in the cave.)
A Prayer for Help
1 (A) I pray to you, Lord.
I beg for mercy.
2 I tell you all my worries
and my troubles,
3 and whenever I feel low,
you are there to guide me.
A trap has been hidden
along my pathway.
4 Even if you look,
you won't see anyone
who cares enough
to walk beside me.
There is no place to hide,
and no one who really cares.
5 I pray to you, Lord!
You are my place of safety,
and you are my choice
in the land of the living.
Please answer my prayer.
I am completely helpless.
6 Help! They are chasing me,
and they are too strong.
7 Rescue me from this prison,
so I can praise your name.
And when your people notice
your wonderful kindness to me,
they will rush to my side.
(A psalm by David.)
A Prayer for the Lord's Protection
1 I pray to you, Lord!
Please listen when I pray
and hurry to help me.
2 (A) Think of my prayer
as sweet-smelling incense,
and think of my lifted hands
as an evening sacrifice.
3 Help me to guard my words
whenever I say something.
4 Don't let me want to do evil
or waste my time doing wrong
with wicked people.
Don't let me even taste
the good things they offer.
5 Let your faithful people
correct and punish me.
My prayers condemn the deeds
of those who do wrong,
so don't let me be friends
with any of them.
6 Everyone will admit
that I was right
when their rulers are thrown
down a rocky cliff,
7 and their bones lie scattered
like crushed rocks
on top of a grave.[a]
8 You are my Lord and God,
and I look to you for safety.
Don't let me be harmed.
9 Protect me from the traps
of those violent people,
10 and make them fall
into their own traps
while you help me escape.
(A psalm by David.)
A Prayer in Time of Danger
1 Listen, Lord, as I pray!
You are faithful and honest
and will answer my prayer.
2 (A) I am your servant.
Don't try me in your court,
because no one is innocent
by your standards.
3 My enemies are chasing me,
crushing me in the ground.
I am in total darkness,
like someone long dead.
4 I have given up hope,
and I feel numb all over.
5 I remember to think about
the many things you did
in years gone by.
6 Then I lift my hands in prayer,
because my soul is a desert,
thirsty for water from you.
7 Please hurry, Lord,
and answer my prayer.
I feel hopeless.
Don't turn away
and leave me here to die.
8 Each morning let me learn
more about your love
because I trust you.
I come to you in prayer,
asking for your guidance.
9 Please rescue me
from my enemies, Lord!
I come to you for safety.[a]
10 You are my God. Show me
what you want me to do,
and let your gentle Spirit
lead me in the right path.
11 Be true to your name, Lord,
and keep my life safe.
Use your saving power
to protect me from trouble.
12 I am your servant.
Show how much you love me
by destroying my enemies.
War and Victory
14 The Lord will have his day. And when it comes, everything that was ever taken from Jerusalem will be returned and divided among its people. 2 But first, he will bring many nations to attack Jerusalem—homes will be robbed, women raped, and half of the population dragged off, though the others will be allowed to remain.
3 The Lord will attack those nations like a warrior fighting in battle. 4 He will take his stand on the Mount of Olives east of Jerusalem, and the mountain will split in half, forming a wide valley that runs from east to west. 5 Then you people will escape from the Lord's mountain, through this valley, which reaches to Azal.[a] You will run in all directions, just as everyone did when the earthquake struck[b] in the time of King Uzziah of Judah. Afterwards, the Lord my God will appear with his holy angels.
6 It will be a bright day that won't turn cloudy or cold.[c] 7 And the Lord has decided when it will happen—this time of unending day.
8 (A) In both summer and winter, life-giving streams will flow from Jerusalem, half of them to the Dead Sea in the east and half to the Mediterranean Sea in the west. 9 Then there will be only one Lord who rules as King and whose name is worshiped everywhere on earth.
10-11 (B) From Geba down to Rimmon[d] south of Jerusalem, the entire country will be turned into flatlands, with Jerusalem still towering above. Then the city will be full of people, from Benjamin Gate, Old Gate Place, and Hananel Tower in the northeast part of the city over to Corner Gate in the northwest and down to King's Wine Press in the south. Jerusalem will always be secure and will never again be destroyed.
The Good News Is for Jews and Gentiles
7 Honor God by accepting each other, as Christ has accepted you. 8 I tell you that Christ came as a servant of the Jews to show that God has kept the promises he made to their famous ancestors. Christ also came, 9 (A) so that the Gentiles would praise God for being kind to them. It is just as the Scriptures say,
“I will tell the nations
about you,
and I will sing praises
to your name.”
10 (B) The Scriptures also say to the Gentiles, “Come and celebrate with God's people.”
11 (C) Again the Scriptures say,
“Praise the Lord,
all you Gentiles.
All you nations, come
and worship him.”
12 (D) Isaiah says,
“Someone from David's family
will come to power.
He will rule the nations,
and they will put their hope
in him.”
13 I pray that God, who gives hope, will bless you with complete happiness and peace because of your faith. And may the power of the Holy Spirit fill you with hope.
Jesus Enters Jerusalem
(Matthew 21.1-11; Mark 11.1-11; John 12.12-19)
28 When Jesus had finished saying all this, he went on toward Jerusalem. 29 As he was getting near Bethphage and Bethany on the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples on ahead. 30 He told them, “Go into the next village, where you will find a young donkey that has never been ridden. Untie the donkey and bring it here. 31 If anyone asks why you are doing this, just say, ‘The Lord[a] needs it.’ ”
32 They went off and found everything just as Jesus had said. 33 While they were untying the donkey, its owners asked, “Why are you doing that?”
34 They answered, “The Lord[b] needs it.”
35 Then they led the donkey to Jesus. They put some of their clothes on its back and helped Jesus get on. 36 And as he rode along, the people spread clothes on the road[c] in front of him. 37 When Jesus started down the Mount of Olives, his large crowd of disciples were happy and praised God because of all the miracles they had seen. 38 (A) They shouted,
“Blessed is the king who comes
in the name of the Lord!
Peace in heaven
and glory to God.”
39 Some Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, make your disciples stop shouting!”
40 But Jesus answered, “If they keep quiet, these stones will start shouting.”
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