Book of Common Prayer

The Difference between Good and Sinful People

1 Happy is the man who does not walk in the way sinful men tell him to, or stand in the path of sinners, or sit with those who laugh at the truth. ² But he finds joy in the Law of the Lord and thinks about His Law day and night. ³ This man is like a tree planted by rivers of water, which gives its fruit at the right time and its leaf never dries up. Whatever he does will work out well for him.

⁴ Sinful men are not like this. They are like straw blown away by the wind. ⁵ So the sinful will not stand. They will be told they are guilty and have to suffer for it. Sinners will not stand with those who are right with God. ⁶ For the Lord knows the way of those who are right with Him. But the way of the sinful will be lost from God forever.

God’s Chosen One Will Rule

2 Why are the nations so shaken up and the people planning foolish things? ² The kings of the earth stand in a line ready to fight, and all the leaders are against the Lord and against His Chosen One. ³ They say, “Let us break their chains and throw them away from us.”

⁴ He Who sits in the heavens laughs. The Lord makes fun of them. ⁵ Then He will speak to them in His anger and make them afraid, saying, ⁶ “But as for Me, I have set My King on Zion, My holy mountain.” ⁷ I will make known the words of the Lord. He said to Me, “You are My Son. Today I have become Your Father. ⁸ Ask of Me, and I will give the nations for you to own. The ends of the earth will belong to You. ⁹ You will break them using a piece of iron. And they will be broken in pieces like pots of clay.”

¹⁰ So, kings, be wise. Listen, you rulers of the earth. ¹¹ Serve the Lord with fear, and be full of joy as you shake in fear. ¹² Kiss the Son. Be afraid that He may be angry and destroy you in the way. For His anger is quick. Happy are all who put their trust in Him.

Morning Prayer of Trust

3 O Lord, how many are they who hate me! How many rise up against me! ² Many are saying of me, “There is no help for him in God.” ³ But You, O Lord, are a covering around me, my shining-greatness, and the One Who lifts my head. ⁴ I was crying to the Lord with my voice. And He answered me from His holy mountain. ⁵ I lay down and slept, and I woke up again, for the Lord keeps me safe.

⁶ I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people who stand all around against me. ⁷ Rise up, O Lord! Save me, O my God! For You have hit on the face all those who hate me, and you have broken the teeth of the sinful. ⁸ It is You Who saves, O Lord. May You bring happiness to Your people.

Evening Prayer of Trust

4 Answer me when I call, O my God Who is right and good! You have made a way for me when I needed help. Be kind to me, and hear my prayer.

² O sons of men, how long will you turn my honor into shame? How long will you love what is of no use, and run after lies? ³ Know that the Lord has set apart him who is God-like for Himself. The Lord hears when I call to Him.

⁴ Shake with anger and do not sin. When you are on your bed, look into your hearts and be quiet. ⁵ Give the gifts that are right and good, and trust in the Lord.

⁶ Many are asking, “Who will show us any good?” Let the light of Your face shine on us, O Lord. ⁷ You have filled my heart with more happiness than they have when there is much grain and wine. ⁸ I will lie down and sleep in peace. O Lord, You alone keep me safe.

Prayer for Help against the Sinful

7 O Lord my God, in You I have put my trust. Save me from all those who come for me, and keep me safe. ² Or they will tear me like a lion, carrying me away where there is no one to help. ³ O Lord my God, if I have done this, and there is guilt on my hands, ⁴ if I have done wrong to him who was at peace with me, or without a reason have robbed him who worked against me, ⁵ let him who hates me come for me and catch me. Let him break me under his feet until I die, and lay my honor in the dust.

⁶ Rise up in Your anger, O Lord. Rise up against the anger of those who hate me. Awake, my God, and help me. Prove what is right. ⁷ Let the people gather around You, and rule over them from Your throne. ⁸ May the Lord judge which people are guilty or not. O Lord, judge in my favor if I am right with You, and if I am without blame. ⁹ Let the sins of the sinful stop. But build up those who are right with You. For the God Who is right and good tests both the hearts and the minds. ¹⁰ I am kept safe by God, Who saves those who are pure in heart.

¹¹ God is always right in how He judges. He is angry with the sinful every day. ¹² If a man is not sorry for his sins and will not turn from them, God will make His sword sharp. He will string His bow and make it ready. ¹³ He takes up His sword and the bow of death. And He makes arrows of fire.

¹⁴ See how the sinful man thinks up sins and plans trouble and lies start growing inside him. ¹⁵ He has dug out a deep hole, and has fallen into the hole he has dug. ¹⁶ The trouble he makes will return to him. When he hurts others it will come down on his own head. ¹⁷ I will give thanks to the Lord because He is right and good. I will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High.

Daniel Obeys God

1 In the third year that Jehoiakim was king of Judah, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came against Jerusalem. His army was all around the city. ² The Lord let him take King Jehoiakim of Judah, with some of the objects of the house of God. He brought them to the house of his god in the land of Shinar, and put the objects into the store-room of his god. ³ Then the king told Ashpenaz, his head ruler, to bring in some of the sons of Israel, both those of the king’s family and of the important leaders. ⁴ They were to be young men, perfect in body, good-looking, with wisdom, understanding, much learning, and able to serve in the king’s house. The king told Ashpenaz to teach them the writings and language of the Babylonians. ⁵ And the king gave them a share of his best food and wine every day. They were to be taught for three years, and after that they were to serve the king. ⁶ Among these were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah from the sons of Judah. ⁷ The king’s head ruler gave them new names. To Daniel he gave the name Belteshazzar. To Hananiah he gave the name Shadrach. To Mishael he gave the name Meshach. And to Azariah he gave the name Abed-nego.

⁸ But Daniel made up his mind that he would not make himself unclean with the king’s best food and wine. So he asked the head ruler to allow him not to make himself unclean. ⁹ Now God gave Daniel favor and pity in the eyes of the head ruler. ¹⁰ The head ruler said to him, “I am afraid of my lord the king, who has said you were to have so much and he would see that you were not looking as good as the other young men who are as old as you. The king would cut off my head because of you.” ¹¹ Then Daniel said to the man whom the head ruler had chosen to watch over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, ¹² “Test your servants for ten days. Give us only vegetables to eat and water to drink. ¹³ Then compare how we look with the young men who are eating the king’s best food. And do with us what you think is best by what you see.”

¹⁴ So he listened to them, and tested them for ten days. ¹⁵ At the end of ten days they looked even better. They were fatter than all the young men who had been eating the king’s best food. ¹⁶ So the man who watched over them took away the best food and the wine they were to drink, and kept giving them vegetables.

¹⁷ God gave these four young men much learning and understanding in all kinds of writings and wisdom. Daniel even had understanding in all kinds of special dreams. ¹⁸ At the end of the time set by the king to bring them in, the head ruler brought them to Nebuchadnezzar. ¹⁹ The king talked with them, and found no one like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. So they became the king’s own helpers. ²⁰ Every time the king asked them questions that needed wise and understanding answers, he found that they knew ten times more than all the wonder-workers under his rule who used their secret ways. ²¹ And Daniel was there until the first year of King Cyrus.

Christ—the Word of Life

1 Christ is the Word of Life. He was from the beginning. We have heard Him and have seen Him with our own eyes. We have looked at Him and put our hands on Him. ² Christ Who is Life was shown to us. We saw Him. We tell you and preach about the Life that lasts forever. He was with the Father and He has come down to us. ³ We are preaching what we have heard and seen. We want you to share together with us what we have with the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ. ⁴ We are writing this to you so our joy may be full.

Christians Are to Live in the Light

⁵ This is what we heard Him tell us. We are passing it on to you. God is light. There is no darkness in Him. ⁶ If we say we are joined together with Him but live in darkness, we are telling a lie. We are not living the truth. ⁷ If we live in the light as He is in the light, we share what we have in God with each other. And the blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, makes our lives clean from all sin. ⁸ If we say that we have no sin, we lie to ourselves and the truth is not in us. ⁹ If we tell Him our sins, He is faithful and we can depend on Him to forgive us of our sins. He will make our lives clean from all sin. ¹⁰ If we say we have not sinned, we make God a liar. And His Word is not in our hearts.

Jesus Prays for Himself

17 When Jesus had said these things, He looked up to heaven and said, “Father, the time has come! Honor Your Son so Your Son may honor You. ² You have given Him power over all men. He is to give life that lasts forever to all You have given to Him. ³ This is life that lasts forever. It is to know You, the only true God, and to know Jesus Christ Whom You have sent. ⁴ I honored You on earth. I did the work You gave Me to do. ⁵ Now, Father, honor Me with the honor I had with You before the world was made.

Jesus Prays for His Followers

⁶ “I have made Your name known to the people You have given Me from the world. They were Yours but You gave them to Me. They have obeyed Your Word. ⁷ Now they know that everything You have given Me came from You. ⁸ I gave them the Word which You gave Me. They received it. They know I came from You and they believe You sent Me.

⁹ “I pray for them. I do not pray for the world. I pray for those You gave Me. They are Yours. ¹⁰ All that is Mine is Yours. All that is Yours is Mine. I have been honored through them. ¹¹ I am no longer in the world. I am coming to You. But these are still in the world. Holy Father, keep those You have given to Me in the power of Your name. Then they will be one, even as We are One.