Book of Common Prayer
A song for those who go up to Jerusalem to worship the Lord. A psalm of David.
131 Lord, my heart isn’t proud.
My eyes aren’t proud either.
I don’t concern myself with important matters.
I don’t concern myself with things that are too wonderful for me.
2 I have made myself calm and content
like a young child in its mother’s arms.
Deep down inside me, I am as content as a young child.
3 Israel, put your hope in the Lord
both now and forever.
A song for those who go up to Jerusalem to worship the Lord.
132 Lord, remember David
and all the times he didn’t do what he wanted.
2 Lord, he made a promise.
Mighty One of Jacob, he made a promise to you.
3 He said, “I won’t enter my house
or go to bed.
4 I won’t let my eyes sleep.
I won’t close my eyelids
5 until I find a place for the Lord.
I want to build a house for the Mighty One of Jacob.”
6 Here are the words we heard in Ephrathah.
We heard them again in the fields of Kiriath Jearim.
7 “Let us go to the Lord’s house.
Let us worship at his feet. Let us say,
8 ‘Lord, rise up and come to your resting place.
Come in together with the ark. It’s the sign of your power.
9 May your priests put on godliness as if it were their clothes.
May your faithful people sing for joy.’ ”
10 In honor of your servant David,
don’t turn your back on your anointed king.
11 The Lord made a promise to David.
It is a firm promise that he will never break.
He said, “After you die,
I will place one of your own sons on your throne.
12 If your sons keep my covenant
and the laws I teach them,
then their sons will sit
on your throne for ever and ever.”
13 The Lord has chosen Zion.
That’s the place where he wants to live.
14 He has said, “This will be my resting place for ever and ever.
Here I will sit on my throne, because that’s what I want.
15 I will greatly bless Zion with everything it needs.
I will give plenty of food to the poor people living there.
16 I will put salvation on its priests as if it were their clothes.
God’s faithful people will always sing for joy.
17 “Here in Jerusalem I will raise up a mighty king from the family of David.
I will set up the lamp of David’s kingdom for my anointed king.
Its flame will burn brightly forever.
18 I will put shame on his enemies as if it were their clothes.
But he will wear on his head a shining crown.”
A song for those who go up to Jerusalem to worship the Lord. A psalm of David.
133 How good and pleasant it is
when God’s people live together in peace!
2 It’s like the special olive oil
that was poured on Aaron’s head.
It ran down on his beard
and on the collar of his robe.
3 It’s as if the dew of Mount Hermon
were falling on Mount Zion.
There the Lord gives his blessing.
He gives life that never ends.
A song for those who go up to Jerusalem to worship the Lord.
134 All you who serve the Lord, praise the Lord.
All you who serve at night in the house of the Lord, praise him.
2 Lift up your hands in the temple
and praise the Lord.
3 May the Lord bless you from Zion.
He is the Maker of heaven and earth.
135 Praise the Lord.
Praise the name of the Lord.
You who serve the Lord, praise him.
2 You who serve in the house of the Lord, praise him.
You who serve in the courtyards of the temple of our God, praise him.
3 Praise the Lord, because he is good.
Sing praise to his name, because that is pleasant.
4 The Lord has chosen the people of Jacob to be his own.
He has chosen Israel to be his special treasure.
5 I know that the Lord is great.
I know that our Lord is greater than all gods.
6 The Lord does anything he wants to do
in the heavens and on the earth.
He does it even in the deepest parts of the oceans.
7 He makes clouds rise from one end of the earth to the other.
He sends lightning with the rain.
He brings the wind out of his storerooms.
8 He killed the oldest son of each family in Egypt.
He struck down the oldest males that were born to people and animals.
9 He did miraculous signs in Egypt.
He did wonders against Pharaoh and everyone who served him.
10 He destroyed many nations.
He killed mighty kings.
11 He killed Sihon, the king of the Amorites,
and Og, the king of Bashan.
He killed all the kings of Canaan.
12 He gave their land as a gift
to his people Israel.
13 Lord, your name continues forever.
Lord, your fame will last for all time to come.
14 When the Lord hands down his sentence, it will be in his people’s favor.
He will show deep concern for those who serve him.
15 The statues of the nations’ gods are made out of silver and gold.
They are made by human hands.
16 They have mouths but can’t speak.
They have eyes but can’t see.
17 They have ears but can’t hear.
They have mouths but can’t breathe.
18 Those who make statues of gods will be like them.
So will all those who trust in them.
19 People of Israel, praise the Lord.
Priests of Aaron, praise the Lord.
20 Tribe of Levi, praise the Lord.
You who have respect for the Lord, praise him.
21 Give praise to the Lord in Zion.
Give praise to the God who lives in Jerusalem.
Praise the Lord.
19 Someone told Joab, “The king is weeping and mourning for Absalom. He’s filled with sadness because his son has died.” 2 The army had won a great battle that day. But their joy turned into sadness. That’s because someone had told the troops, “The king is filled with sorrow because his son is dead.” 3 The men came quietly into the city that day. They were like fighting men who are ashamed because they’ve run away from a battle. 4 The king covered his face. He cried loudly, “My son Absalom! Absalom, my son, my son!”
5 Then Joab went into the king’s house. He said to him, “Today you have made all your men feel ashamed. They have just saved your life. They have saved the lives of your sons and daughters. And they have saved the lives of your wives and concubines. 6 You love those who hate you. You hate those who love you. The commanders and their troops don’t mean anything to you. You made that very clear today. I can see that you would be pleased if Absalom were alive today and all of us were dead. 7 Now go out there and cheer up your men. If you don’t, you won’t have any of them left with you by sunset. That will be worse for you than all the troubles you have ever had in your whole life. That’s what I promise you in the Lord’s name.”
8 So the king got up and took his seat in the entrance of the city gate. His men were told, “The king is sitting in the entrance of the gate.” Then all of them came and stood in front of him.
While all of that was going on, the Israelites had run back to their homes.
David Returns to Jerusalem
9 People from all the tribes of Israel began to argue among themselves. They were saying, “The king saved us from the power of our enemies. He saved us from the power of the Philistines. But now he has left the country to escape from Absalom. 10 We anointed Absalom to rule over us. But he has died in battle. So why aren’t any of you talking about bringing the king back?”
11 King David sent a message to Zadok and Abiathar, the priests. David said, “Speak to the elders of Judah. Tell them I said, ‘News has reached me where I’m staying. People all over Israel are talking about bringing me back to my palace. Why should you be the last to do something about it? 12 You are my relatives. You are my own flesh and blood. So why should you be the last to bring me back?’ 13 Say to Amasa, ‘Aren’t you my own flesh and blood? You will be the commander of my army for life in place of Joab. If that isn’t true, may God punish me greatly.’ ”
14 So the hearts of all the men of Judah were turned toward David. All of them had the same purpose in mind. They sent a message to the king. They said, “We want you to come back. We want all your men to come back too.” 15 Then the king returned. He went as far as the Jordan River.
The men of Judah had come to Gilgal to welcome the king back. They had come to bring him across the Jordan. 16 Shimei, the son of Gera, was among them. Shimei was from Bahurim in the territory of Benjamin. He hurried down to welcome King David back. 17 There were 1,000 people from Benjamin with him. Ziba, the manager of Saul’s house, was with him too. And so were Ziba’s 15 sons and 20 servants. All of them rushed down to the Jordan River. That’s where the king was. 18 They went across at the place where people usually cross it. Then they brought the king’s family back over with them. They were ready to do anything he wanted them to do.
Shimei, the son of Gera, had also gone across the Jordan. When he did, he fell down flat with his face toward the ground in front of the king. 19 He said to him, “You are my king and master. Please don’t hold me guilty. Please forgive me for the wrong things I did on the day you left Jerusalem. Please forget all about them. 20 I know I’ve sinned. But today I’ve come down here to welcome you. I’m the first member of Joseph’s whole family to do it.”
21 Then Abishai, the son of Zeruiah, said, “Shouldn’t Shimei be put to death for what he did? He cursed you. And you are the Lord’s anointed king.”
22 But David replied, “You and Joab are sons of Zeruiah. What does this have to do with you? What right do you have to interfere? Should anyone be put to death in Israel today? Don’t I know that today I am king over Israel again?” 23 So the king made a promise to Shimei. He said to him, “You aren’t going to be put to death.”
Paul’s Trial in Front of Felix
24 Five days later Ananias the high priest went down to Caesarea. Some elders and a lawyer named Tertullus went with him. They brought their charges against Paul to the governor. 2 So Paul was called in. Tertullus began to bring the charges against Paul. He said to Felix, “We have enjoyed a long time of peace while you have been ruling. You are a wise leader. You have made this a better nation. 3 Most excellent Felix, we gladly admit this everywhere and in every way. And we are very thankful. 4 I don’t want to bother you. But would you be kind enough to listen to us for a short time?
5 “We have found that Paul is a troublemaker. This man stirs up trouble among Jews all over the world. He is a leader of those who follow Jesus of Nazareth. 6-7 He even tried to make our temple impure. So we arrested him. 8 Question him yourself. Then you will learn the truth about all these charges we are bringing against him.”
9 The other Jews said the same thing. They agreed that the charges were true.
10 The governor motioned for Paul to speak. Paul said, “I know that you have been a judge over this nation for quite a few years. So I am glad to explain my actions to you. 11 About 12 days ago I went up to Jerusalem to worship. You can easily check on this. 12 Those bringing charges against me did not find me arguing with anyone at the temple. I wasn’t stirring up a crowd in the synagogues or anywhere else in the city. 13 They can’t prove to you any of the charges they are making against me. 14 It is true that I worship the God of our people. I am a follower of the Way of Jesus. Those bringing charges against me call it a cult. I believe everything that is in keeping with the Law. I believe everything that is in keeping with what is written in the Prophets. 15 I have the same hope in God that these men themselves have. I believe that both the godly and the ungodly will rise from the dead. 16 So I always try not to do anything wrong in the eyes of God or in the eyes of people.
17 “I was away for several years. Then I came to Jerusalem to bring my people gifts for those who were poor. I also came to offer sacrifices. 18 They found me doing this in the temple courtyard. I had already been made pure and ‘clean’ in the usual way. There was no crowd with me. I didn’t stir up any trouble. 19 But there are some other Jews who should be here in front of you. They are from Asia Minor. They should bring charges if they have anything against me. 20 Let the Jews who are here tell you what crime I am guilty of. After all, I was put on trial by the Sanhedrin. 21 Perhaps they blame me for what I said when I was on trial. I shouted, ‘I believe that people will rise from the dead. That is why I am on trial here today.’ ”
22 Felix knew all about the Way of Jesus. So he put off the trial for the time being. “Lysias the commanding officer will come,” he said. “Then I will decide your case.” 23 He ordered the commander to keep Paul under guard. He told him to give Paul some freedom. He also told him to allow Paul’s friends to take care of his needs.
The Most Important Commandment
28 One of the teachers of the law came and heard the Sadducees arguing. He noticed that Jesus had given the Sadducees a good answer. So he asked him, “Which is the most important of all the commandments?”
29 Jesus answered, “Here is the most important one. Moses said, ‘Israel, listen to me. The Lord is our God. The Lord is one. 30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. Love him with all your mind and with all your strength.’ (Deuteronomy 6:4,5) 31 And here is the second one. ‘Love your neighbor as you love yourself.’ (Leviticus 19:18) There is no commandment more important than these.”
32 “You have spoken well, teacher,” the man replied. “You are right in saying that God is one. There is no other God but him. 33 To love God with all your heart and mind and strength is very important. So is loving your neighbor as you love yourself. These things are more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”
34 Jesus saw that the man had answered wisely. He said to him, “You are not far from God’s kingdom.” From then on, no one dared to ask Jesus any more questions.
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