Book of Common Prayer
Psalm 55
Betrayal by a Friend
For the choir director: with stringed instruments. A Maskil of David.
1 God, listen to my prayer
and do not hide from my plea for help.(A)
2 Pay attention to me and answer me.(B)
I am restless and in turmoil with my complaint,(C)
3 because of the enemy’s words,[a]
because of the pressure[b] of the wicked.
For they bring down disaster on me
and harass me in anger.(D)
4 My heart shudders within me;(E)
terrors of death sweep over me.
5 Fear and trembling grip me;
horror has overwhelmed me.(F)
6 I said, “If only I had wings like a dove!
I would fly away and find rest.(G)
7 How far away I would flee;
I would stay in the wilderness.(H)Selah
8 I would hurry to my shelter
from the raging wind and the storm.”(I)
9 Lord, confuse[c] and confound their speech,[d](J)
for I see violence and strife in the city;
10 day and night they make the rounds on its walls.
Crime and trouble are within it;(K)
11 destruction is inside it;
oppression and deceit never leave its marketplace.(L)
12 Now it is not an enemy who insults me—
otherwise I could bear it;
it is not a foe who rises up against me—
otherwise I could hide from him.
13 But it is you, a man who is my peer,
my companion and good friend!(M)
14 We used to have close fellowship;
we walked with the crowd into the house of God.(N)
15 Let death take them by surprise;(O)
let them go down to Sheol alive,
because evil is in their homes and within them.(P)
16 But I call to God,
and the Lord will save me.(Q)
17 I complain and groan morning, noon, and night,(R)
and he hears my voice.(S)
18 Though many are against me,
he will redeem me from my battle unharmed.(T)
19 God, the one enthroned from long ago,(U)
will hear and will humiliate themSelah
because they do not change
and do not fear God.(V)
20 My friend(W) acts violently
against those at peace with him;(X)
he violates his covenant.(Y)
21 His buttery words are smooth,
but war is in his heart.
His words are softer than oil,
but they are drawn swords.(Z)
Psalm 138
A Thankful Heart
Of David.
1 I will give you thanks with all my heart;(A)
I will sing your praise before the heavenly beings.[a](B)
2 I will bow down toward your holy temple
and give thanks to your name
for your constant love and truth.
You have exalted your name
and your promise above everything else.[b](C)
3 On the day I called, you answered me;
you increased strength within me.[c](D)
4 All the kings on earth will give you thanks, Lord,
when they hear what you have promised.[d](E)
5 They will sing of the Lord’s ways,
for the Lord’s glory is great.(F)
6 Though the Lord is exalted,
he takes note of the humble;
but he knows the haughty from a distance.(G)
7 If I walk into the thick of danger,
you will preserve my life
from the anger of my enemies.(H)
You will extend your hand;
your right hand will save me.(I)
8 The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me.(J)
Lord, your faithful love endures forever;
do not abandon the work of your hands.(K)
Psalm 139
The All-Knowing, Ever-Present God
For the choir director. A psalm of David.
1 Lord, you have searched me and known me.(L)
2 You know when I sit down and when I stand up;
you understand my thoughts from far away.(M)
3 You observe my travels and my rest;
you are aware of all my ways.(N)
4 Before a word is on my tongue,
you know all about it, Lord.(O)
5 You have encircled me;
you have placed your hand on me.(P)
6 This wondrous knowledge is beyond me.
It is lofty; I am unable to reach it.(Q)
7 Where can I go to escape your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?(R)
8 If I go up to heaven, you are there;(S)
if I make my bed in Sheol, you are there.(T)
9 If I fly on the wings of the dawn
and settle down on the western horizon,[e]
10 even there your hand will lead me;
your right hand will hold on to me.(U)
11 If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me,
and the light around me will be night”(V)—
12 even the darkness is not dark to you.
The night shines like the day;
darkness and light are alike to you.(W)
13 For it was you who created my inward parts;[f]
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.(X)
14 I will praise you
because I have been remarkably and wondrously made.[g][h]
Your works are wondrous,
and I know this very well.(Y)
15 My bones were not hidden from you
when I was made in secret,
when I was formed in the depths of the earth.(Z)
16 Your eyes saw me when I was formless;
all my days were written in your book and planned
before a single one of them began.(AA)
17 God, how precious[i] your thoughts are to me;
how vast their sum is!
18 If I counted them,
they would outnumber the grains of sand;(AB)
when I wake up,[j] I am still with you.(AC)
19 God, if only you would kill the wicked—
you bloodthirsty men, stay away from me(AD)—
20 who invoke you deceitfully.
Your enemies swear by you falsely.(AE)
21 Lord, don’t I hate those who hate you,
and detest those who rebel against you?
22 I hate them with extreme hatred;
I consider them my enemies.(AF)
23 Search me, God, and know my heart;
test me and know my concerns.(AG)
Responses to Saul’s Death
1 After the death of Saul,(A) David returned from defeating the Amalekites(B) and stayed at Ziklag two days. 2 On the third day a man with torn clothes and dust on his head(C) came from Saul’s camp. When he came to David, he fell to the ground and paid homage. 3 David asked him, “Where have you come from?”
He replied to him, “I’ve escaped from the Israelite camp.”
4 “What was the outcome? Tell me,” David asked him.
“The troops fled from the battle,” he answered. “Many of the troops have fallen and are dead. Also, Saul and his son Jonathan are dead.”(D)
5 David asked the young man who had brought him the report, “How do you know Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?”
6 “I happened to be on Mount Gilboa,”(E) he replied, “and there was Saul, leaning on his spear. At that very moment the chariots and the cavalry were closing in on him. 7 When he turned around and saw me, he called out to me, so I answered: I’m at your service. 8 He asked me, ‘Who are you?’ I told him: I’m an Amalekite.(F) 9 Then he begged me, ‘Stand over me and kill me, for I’m mortally wounded,[a] but my life still lingers.’(G) 10 So I stood over him and killed him because I knew that after he had fallen he couldn’t survive. I took the crown that was on his head and the armband that was on his arm, and I’ve brought them here to my lord.”
11 Then David took hold of his clothes and tore them,(H) and all the men with him did the same. 12 They mourned, wept, and fasted until the evening(I) for those who died by the sword—for Saul, his son Jonathan, the Lord’s people, and the house of Israel.
13 David inquired of the young man who had brought him the report, “Where are you from?”
“I’m the son of a resident alien,” he said. “I’m an Amalekite.”
14 David questioned him, “How is it that you were not afraid to lift your hand to destroy the Lord’s anointed?” (J) 15 Then David summoned one of his servants and said, “Come here and kill him!” The servant struck him, and he died.(K) 16 For David had said to the Amalekite, “Your blood is on your own head(L) because your own mouth testified against you by saying, ‘I killed the Lord’s anointed.’”
The Letter to the Gentile Believers
22 Then the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, decided to select men who were among them and to send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas: Judas, called Barsabbas, and Silas,(A) both leading men among the brothers. 23 They wrote:
“From the apostles and the elders, your brothers,
To the brothers and sisters among the Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia:(B)
Greetings.
24 Since we have heard that some without our authorization went out from us(C) and troubled you with their words and unsettled your hearts,[a](D) 25 we have unanimously(E) decided to select men and send them to you along with our dearly loved Barnabas and Paul, 26 who have risked their lives(F) for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27 Therefore we have sent Judas and Silas, who will personally report the same things by word of mouth. 28 For it was the Holy Spirit’s decision—and ours—not to place further burdens on you beyond these requirements:(G) 29 that you abstain from food offered to idols, from blood, from eating anything that has been strangled, and from sexual immorality.(H) You will do well if you keep yourselves from these things.
Farewell.”
The Outcome of the Jerusalem Letter
30 So they were sent off and went down to Antioch, and after gathering the assembly, they delivered the letter. 31 When they read it, they rejoiced because of its encouragement. 32 Both Judas and Silas, who were also prophets themselves, encouraged the brothers and sisters and strengthened them with a long message.(I) 33 After spending some time there, they were sent back in peace(J) by the brothers and sisters to those who had sent them.[b][c] 35 But Paul and Barnabas, along with many others, remained in Antioch, teaching and proclaiming the word of the Lord.(K)
Rejection at Nazareth
6 He(A) left there and came to his hometown,(B) and his disciples(C) followed him. 2 When the Sabbath(D) came, he began to teach(E) in the synagogue,(F) and many who heard him were astonished. “Where did this man get these things?” they said. “What is this wisdom(G) that has been given to him, and how are these miracles(H) performed by his hands? 3 Isn’t this the carpenter,(I) the son of Mary,(J) and the brother of James,(K) Joses, Judas,(L) and Simon? And aren’t his sisters here with us?” So they were offended(M) by him.
4 Jesus said to them, “A prophet(N) is not without honor(O) except in his hometown, among his relatives, and in his household.” 5 He was not able to do a miracle(P) there, except that he laid his hands on(Q) a few sick(R) people and healed(S) them. 6 And he was amazed(T) at their unbelief.(U) He was going around the villages teaching.(V)
Commissioning the Twelve
7 He(W) summoned(X) the Twelve(Y) and began to send(Z) them out in pairs and gave them authority over unclean(AA) spirits.(AB) 8 He instructed them to take nothing for the road except a staff—no bread, no traveling bag,(AC) no money in their belts, 9 but to wear sandals and not put on an extra shirt.(AD) 10 He said to them, “Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that place. 11 If any place does not welcome(AE) you or listen to you, when you leave there, shake the dust off your feet(AF) as a testimony(AG) against them.”[a] 12 So they went out and preached(AH) that people should repent.(AI) 13 They drove out many demons,(AJ) anointed(AK) many sick(AL) people with oil(AM) and healed them.(AN)
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