Book of Common Prayer
Psalm 101
A Vow of Integrity
A psalm of David.
1 I will sing of faithful love and justice;
I will sing praise to you, Lord.(A)
2 I will pay attention to the way of integrity.
When will you come to me?
I will live with a heart of integrity in my house.(B)
3 I will not let anything worthless guide me.[a]
I hate the practice of transgression;
it will not cling to me.(C)
4 A devious heart will be far from me;
I will not be involved with[b] evil.(D)
5 I will destroy anyone
who secretly slanders his neighbor;(E)
I cannot tolerate anyone
with haughty eyes or an arrogant heart.(F)
6 My eyes favor the faithful of the land
so that they may sit down with me.
The one who follows the way of integrity
may serve me.(G)
7 No one who acts deceitfully
will live in my palace;
the one who tells lies
will not be retained here to guide me.[c](H)
8 Every morning I will destroy
all the wicked of the land,
wiping out all evildoers from the Lord’s city.(I)
Psalm 109
Prayer against an Enemy
For the choir director. A psalm of David.
1 God of my praise, do not be silent.(A)
2 For wicked and deceitful mouths open against me;
they speak against me with lying tongues.(B)
3 They surround me with hateful words
and attack me without cause.(C)
4 In return for my love they accuse me,
but I continue to pray.[a](D)
5 They repay me evil for good,
and hatred for my love.(E)
6 Set a wicked person over him;
let an accuser[b] stand at his right hand.(F)
7 When he is judged, let him be found guilty,
and let his prayer be counted as sin.(G)
8 Let his days be few;
let another take over his position.(H)
9 Let his children be fatherless
and his wife a widow.(I)
10 Let his children wander as beggars,
searching for food far[c] from their demolished homes.(J)
11 Let a creditor seize all he has;
let strangers plunder what he has worked for.(K)
12 Let no one show him kindness,
and let no one be gracious to his fatherless children.(L)
13 Let the line of his descendants be cut off;
let their name be blotted out in the next generation.(M)
14 Let the iniquity of his fathers
be remembered before the Lord,(N)
and do not let his mother’s sin be blotted out.(O)
15 Let their sins[d] always remain before the Lord,
and let him remove[e] all memory of them from the earth.(P)
16 For he did not think to show kindness,
but pursued the suffering, needy, and brokenhearted
in order to put them to death.(Q)
17 He loved cursing—let it fall on him;
he took no delight in blessing—let it be far from him.(R)
18 He wore cursing like his coat—
let it enter his body like water
and go into his bones like oil.(S)
19 Let it be like a robe he wraps around himself,
like a belt he always wears.(T)
20 Let this be the Lord’s payment to my accusers,
to those who speak evil against me.(U)
21 But you, Lord, my Lord,
deal kindly with me for your name’s sake;(V)
because your faithful love is good, rescue me.(W)
22 For I am suffering and needy;(X)
my heart is wounded within me.(Y)
23 I fade away like a lengthening shadow;(Z)
I am shaken off like a locust.
24 My knees are weak from fasting,
and my body is emaciated.[f](AA)
25 I have become an object of ridicule to my accusers;[g]
when they see me, they shake their heads in scorn.(AB)
26 Help me, Lord my God;
save me according to your faithful love(AC)
27 so they may know that this is your hand
and that you, Lord, have done it.(AD)
28 Though they curse, you will bless.
When they rise up, they will be put to shame,
but your servant will rejoice.(AE)
29 My accusers will be clothed with disgrace;
they will wear their shame like a cloak.(AF)
30 I will fervently thank the Lord with my mouth;
I will praise him in the presence of many.(AG)
ע Ayin
121 I have done what is just and right;(A)
do not leave me to my oppressors.
122 Guarantee your servant’s well-being;(B)
do not let the arrogant oppress me.
123 My eyes grow weary(C) looking for your salvation
and for your righteous promise.
124 Deal with your servant based on your faithful love;(D)
teach me your statutes.
125 I am your servant;(E) give me understanding(F)
so that I may know your decrees.
126 It is time for the Lord to act,(G)
for they have violated your instruction.
127 Since I love your commands(H)
more than gold, even the purest gold,
128 I carefully follow all your precepts(I)
and hate every false way.(J)
פ Pe
129 Your decrees are wondrous;(K)
therefore I obey them.(L)
130 The revelation of your words(M) brings light
and gives understanding to the inexperienced.(N)
131 I open my mouth and pant(O)
because I long for your commands.
132 Turn to me and be gracious to me,(P)
as is your practice toward those who love your name.
133 Make my steps steady through your promise;(Q)
don’t let any sin dominate me.(R)
134 Redeem me from human oppression,(S)
and I will keep your precepts.
135 Make your face shine on your servant,(T)
and teach me your statutes.(U)
136 My eyes pour out streams of tears(V)
because people do not follow your instruction.
צ Tsade
137 You are righteous, Lord,(W)
and your judgments are just.
138 The decrees you issue are righteous
and altogether trustworthy.(X)
139 My anger overwhelms me
because my foes forget your words.(Y)
140 Your word is completely pure,(Z)
and your servant loves it.(AA)
141 I am insignificant and despised,(AB)
but I do not forget your precepts.(AC)
142 Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness,
and your instruction is true.(AD)
143 Trouble and distress have overtaken me,
but your commands are my delight.(AE)
144 Your decrees are righteous forever.(AF)
Give me understanding, and I will live.
Victory at Mizpah
2 Time went by until twenty years had passed since the ark had been taken to Kiriath-jearim. Then the whole house of Israel longed for the Lord. 3 Samuel told them, “If you(A) are returning to the Lord(B) with all your heart,(C) get rid of the foreign gods(D) and the Ashtoreths that are among you, set your hearts on the Lord, and worship only him.(E) Then he will rescue you from the Philistines.” 4 So the Israelites removed the Baals and the Ashtoreths(F) and only worshiped the Lord.
5 Samuel said, “Gather all Israel at Mizpah,(G) and I will pray to the Lord on your behalf.”(H) 6 When they gathered at Mizpah, they drew water and poured it out in the Lord’s presence.(I) They fasted that day,(J) and there they confessed, “We have sinned against the Lord.”(K) And Samuel judged the Israelites at Mizpah.
7 When the Philistines heard that the Israelites had gathered at Mizpah, their rulers marched up toward Israel. When the Israelites heard about it, they were afraid because of the Philistines. 8 The Israelites said to Samuel, “Don’t stop crying out to the Lord our God for us, so that he will save us from the Philistines.”
9 Then Samuel took a young lamb(L) and offered it as a whole burnt offering to the Lord. He cried out to the Lord on behalf of Israel, and the Lord answered him.(M) 10 Samuel was offering the burnt offering as the Philistines approached to fight against Israel. The Lord thundered loudly(N) against the Philistines that day and threw them into such confusion that they were defeated by Israel.(O) 11 Then the men of Israel charged out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines striking them down all the way to a place below Beth-car.
12 Afterward, Samuel took a stone and set it upright(P) between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer,[a] explaining, “The Lord has helped us to this point.” 13 So the Philistines were subdued(Q) and[b] did not invade Israel’s territory again.(R) The Lord’s hand was against the Philistines all of Samuel’s life. 14 The cities from Ekron to Gath, which they had taken from Israel, were restored; Israel even rescued their surrounding territories from Philistine control. There was also peace between Israel and the Amorites.
15 Samuel judged Israel throughout his life.(S) 16 Every year he would go on a circuit to Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah and would judge Israel at all these locations. 17 Then he would return to Ramah(T) because his home was there, he judged Israel there, and he built an altar to the Lord there.
Seven Chosen to Serve
6 In those days, as the disciples(A) were increasing in number, there arose a complaint by the Hellenistic Jews against the Hebraic Jews that their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution.(B) 2 The Twelve summoned the whole company of the disciples and said, “It would not be right for us to give up preaching the word of God to wait on tables. 3 Brothers and sisters, select from among you seven men of good reputation,(C) full of the Spirit(D) and wisdom, whom we can appoint to this duty. 4 But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” 5 This proposal pleased the whole company. So they chose Stephen,(E) a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a convert from Antioch.(F) 6 They had them stand before the apostles, who prayed(G) and laid their hands on(H) them.
7 So the word of God spread, the disciples in Jerusalem increased(I) greatly in number, and a large group of priests became obedient to the faith.
Stephen Accused of Blasphemy
8 Now Stephen, full of grace and power, was performing great wonders and signs among the people. 9 Opposition arose, however, from some members of the Freedmen’s Synagogue, composed of both Cyrenians and Alexandrians, and some from Cilicia and Asia, and they began to argue with Stephen. 10 But they were unable to stand up against his wisdom and the Spirit by whom he was speaking.
11 Then they secretly persuaded some men to say, “We heard him speaking blasphemous words against Moses and God.”(J) 12 They stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes; so they came, seized him, and took him to the Sanhedrin. 13 They also presented false witnesses who said, “This man never stops speaking against this holy place and the law.(K) 14 For we heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs that Moses handed down to us.”(L) 15 And all who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at him and saw that his face was like the face of an angel.
The First Lord’s Supper
14 When(A) the hour came, he reclined at the table, and the apostles with him. 15 Then he said to them, “I have fervently desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. 16 For I tell you, I will not eat it again[a] until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.”(B) 17 Then he took a cup,(C) and after giving thanks,(D) he said, “Take this and share it among yourselves. 18 For I tell you, from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”
19 And he took bread, gave thanks, broke it, gave it to them, and said, “This is my body,(E) which is given for you. Do this in remembrance (F) of me.”
20 In the same way he also took the cup after supper and said, “This cup is the new covenant(G) in my blood,(H) which is poured out for you.[b] 21 But(I) look, the hand of the one betraying me is at the table with me.(J) 22 For the Son of Man will go away as it has been determined,(K) but woe to that man by whom he is betrayed!”
23 So they began to argue(L) among themselves which of them it could be who was going to do it.
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