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.
Naomi Makes Plans for Ruth
3 One day, Naomi said to Ruth:
It's time I found you a husband, who will give you a home and take care of you.
2 You have been picking up grain alongside the women who work for Boaz, and you know he is a relative of ours. Tonight he will be threshing the grain. 3 Now take a bath and put on some perfume, then dress in your best clothes. Go where he is working, but don't let him see you until he has finished eating and drinking. 4 Watch where he goes to spend the night, then when he is asleep, lift the cover and lie down at his feet.[a] He will tell you what to do.
5 Ruth answered, “I'll do whatever you say.” 6 She went out to the place where Boaz was working and did what Naomi had told her.
7 After Boaz finished eating and drinking and was feeling happy, he went over and fell asleep near the pile of grain. Ruth slipped over quietly. She lifted the cover and lay down near his feet.
8 In the middle of the night, Boaz suddenly woke up and was shocked to see a woman lying at his feet. 9 “Who are you?” he asked.
“Sir, I am Ruth,” she answered, “and you are the relative who is supposed to take care of me. So spread the edge of your cover over me.”[b]
10 Boaz replied:
The Lord bless you! This shows how truly loyal you are to your family. You could have looked for a younger man, either rich or poor, but you didn't. 11 Don't worry, I'll do what you have asked. You are respected by everyone in town.
12 (A) It's true that I am one of the relatives who is supposed to take care of you, but there is someone who is an even closer relative. 13 Stay here until morning, then I will find out if he is willing to look after you. If he isn't, I promise by the living God to do it myself. Now go back to sleep until morning.
14 Ruth lay down again, but she got up before daylight, because Boaz did not want anyone to know she had been there. 15 Then he told her to spread out her cape. And he filled it with grain and placed it on her shoulder.
When Ruth got back to town, 16 Naomi asked her[c] what had happened, and Ruth told her everything. 17 She also said, “Boaz gave me this grain, because he didn't want me to come back without something for you.”
18 Naomi replied, “Just be patient and don't worry about what will happen. He won't rest until everything is settled today!”
Treasure in Clay Jars
4 God has been kind enough to trust us with this work. This is why we never give up. 2 We don't do shameful things that must be kept secret. And we don't try to fool anyone or twist God's message around. God is our witness that we speak only the truth, so others will be sure we can be trusted. 3 If there is anything hidden about our message, it is hidden only to someone who is lost.
4 The god who rules this world has blinded the minds of unbelievers. They cannot see the light, which is the good news about our glorious Christ, who shows what God is like. 5 We are not preaching about ourselves. Our message is that Jesus Christ is Lord. He also sent us to be your servants. 6 (A) The Scriptures say, “God commanded light to shine in the dark.” Now God is shining in our hearts to let you know that his glory is seen in Jesus Christ.
7 We are like clay jars in which this treasure is stored. The real power comes from God and not from us. 8 We often suffer, but we are never crushed. Even when we don't know what to do, we never give up. 9 In times of trouble, God is with us, and when we are knocked down, we get up again. 10-11 We face death every day because of Jesus. Our bodies show what his death was like, so his life can also be seen in us. 12 This means that death is working in us, but life is working in you.
Revenge
(Luke 6.29,30)
38 (A) You know you have been taught, “An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.” 39 But I tell you not to try to get even with a person who has done something to you. When someone slaps your right cheek,[a] turn and let that person slap your other cheek. 40 If someone sues you for your shirt, give up your coat as well. 41 If a soldier forces you to carry his pack one kilometer, carry it two kilometers.[b] 42 When people ask you for something, give it to them. When they want to borrow money, lend it to them.
Love
(Luke 6.27,28,32-36)
43 (B) You have heard people say, “Love your neighbors and hate your enemies.” 44 But I tell you to love your enemies and pray for anyone who mistreats you. 45 (C) Then you will be acting like your Father in heaven. He makes the sun rise on both good and bad people. And he sends rain for the ones who do right and for the ones who do wrong. 46 If you love only those people who love you, will God reward you for this? Even tax collectors[c] love their friends. 47 If you greet only your friends, what's so great about this? Don't even unbelievers do that? 48 (D) But you must always act like your Father in heaven.
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