Book of Common Prayer
Psalm 38
Prayer of a Suffering Sinner
A psalm of David to bring remembrance.(A)
1 Lord, do not punish me in your anger
or discipline me in your wrath.(B)
2 For your arrows have sunk into me,
and your hand has pressed down on me.(C)
3 There is no soundness in my body
because of your indignation;
there is no health[a] in my bones
because of my sin.(D)
4 For my iniquities have flooded over my head;
they are a burden too heavy for me to bear.(E)
5 My wounds are foul and festering
because of my foolishness.(F)
6 I am bent over and brought very low;
all day long I go around in mourning.(G)
7 For my insides are full of burning pain,
and there is no soundness in my body.(H)
8 I am faint and severely crushed;
I groan because of the anguish of my heart.(I)
9 Lord, my every desire is in front of you;
my sighing is not hidden from you.(J)
10 My heart races, my strength leaves me,
and even the light of my eyes has faded.[b](K)
11 My loved ones and friends stand back from my affliction,
and my relatives stand at a distance.(L)
12 Those who intend to kill me set traps,
and those who want to harm me threaten to destroy me;
they plot treachery all day long.(M)
13 I am like a deaf person; I do not hear.
I am like a speechless person
who does not open his mouth.(N)
14 I am like a man who does not hear
and has no arguments in his mouth.(O)
15 For I put my hope in you, Lord;
you will answer me, my Lord, my God.(P)
16 For I said, “Don’t let them rejoice over me—
those who are arrogant toward me when I stumble.”(Q)
17 For I am about to fall,
and my pain is constantly with me.(R)
18 So I confess my iniquity;
I am anxious because of my sin.(S)
19 But my enemies are vigorous and powerful;[c]
many hate me for no reason.(T)
20 Those who repay evil for good
attack me for pursuing good.(U)
ד Daleth
25 My life is down in the dust;(A)
give me life(B) through your word.
26 I told you about my life,
and you answered me;
teach me your statutes.(C)
27 Help me understand
the meaning of your precepts
so that I can meditate on your wonders.(D)
28 I am weary[a] from grief;
strengthen me through your word.(E)
29 Keep me from the way of deceit
and graciously give me your instruction.
30 I have chosen the way of truth;
I have set your ordinances before me.(F)
31 I cling to your decrees;
Lord, do not put me to shame.(G)
32 I pursue the way of your commands,
for you broaden my understanding.[b](H)
ה He
33 Teach me, Lord, the meaning[c] of your statutes,
and I will always keep them.[d](I)
34 Help me understand your instruction,(J)
and I will obey it
and follow it with all my heart.(K)
35 Help me stay on the path of your commands,(L)
for I take pleasure in it.(M)
36 Turn my heart to your decrees(N)
and not to dishonest profit.(O)
37 Turn my eyes
from looking at what is worthless;(P)
give me life in your ways.[e](Q)
38 Confirm what you said to your servant,(R)
for it produces reverence for you.
39 Turn away the disgrace I dread;(S)
indeed, your judgments are good.
40 How I long for your precepts!(T)
Give me life through your righteousness.
ו Waw
41 Let your faithful love come to me, Lord,(U)
your salvation, as you promised.(V)
42 Then I can answer the one who taunts me,(W)
for I trust in your word.
43 Never take the word of truth from my mouth,
for I hope in your judgments.(X)
44 I will always obey your instruction,
forever and ever.(Y)
45 I will walk freely in an open place(Z)
because I study your precepts.(AA)
46 I will speak of your decrees before kings
and not be ashamed.(AB)
47 I delight in your commands,
which I love.(AC)
48 I will lift up my hands(AD) to your commands,
which I love,
and will meditate on your statutes.(AE)
Solomon’s Other Activities
24 Pharaoh’s daughter moved from the city of David(A) to the house that Solomon had built for her;(B) he then built the terraces.(C)
25 Three times a year Solomon offered burnt offerings and fellowship offerings on the altar he had built for the Lord, and he burned incense with them in the Lord’s presence.(D) So he completed the temple.(E)
26 King Solomon put together a fleet of ships at Ezion-geber,(F) which is near Eloth on the shore of the Red Sea in the land of Edom. 27 With the fleet, Hiram sent his servants, experienced seamen, along with Solomon’s servants. 28 They went to Ophir(G) and acquired gold there—sixteen tons[a]—and delivered it to Solomon.(H)
The Queen of Sheba
10 The queen of Sheba(I) heard about Solomon’s fame(J) connected with the name of the Lord and came to test him with difficult questions.(K) 2 She came to Jerusalem with a very large entourage, with camels bearing(L) spices, gold in great abundance, and precious stones.(M) She came to Solomon and spoke to him about everything that was on her mind. 3 So Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was too difficult for the king to explain to her. 4 When the queen of Sheba observed all of Solomon’s wisdom, the palace he had built,(N) 5 the food at his table,(O) his servants’ residence, his attendants’ service and their attire, his cupbearers, and the burnt offerings he offered at the Lord’s temple, it took her breath away.
6 She said to the king, “The report I heard in my own country about your words and about your wisdom is true. 7 But I didn’t believe the reports until I came and saw with my own eyes. Indeed, I was not even told half. Your wisdom and prosperity far exceed the report I heard.(P) 8 How happy are your men.[b] How happy are these servants of yours, who always stand in your presence hearing your wisdom.(Q) 9 Blessed be the Lord your God! He delighted in you and put you on the throne of Israel,(R) because of the Lord’s eternal love for Israel.(S) He has made you king to carry out justice and righteousness.”(T)
10 Then she gave the king four and a half tons[c] of gold,(U) a great quantity of spices, and precious stones. Never again did such a quantity of spices arrive as those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.
11 In addition, Hiram’s fleet that carried gold from Ophir brought from Ophir a large quantity of almug[d] wood and precious stones.(V) 12 The king made the almug wood into steps for the Lord’s temple and the king’s palace and into lyres and harps for the singers. Never before did such almug wood arrive, and the like has not been seen again.
13 King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba her every desire—whatever she asked—besides what he had given her out of his royal bounty. Then she, along with her servants, returned to her own country.(W)
Controlling the Tongue
3 Not many should become teachers, my brothers,[a] because you know that we will receive a stricter judgment.(A) 2 For we all stumble in many ways.(B) If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is mature, able also to control the whole body.(C) 3 Now if we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us,(D) we direct their whole bodies. 4 And consider ships: Though very large and driven by fierce winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. 5 So too, though the tongue is a small part of the body, it boasts great things.(E) Consider how a small fire sets ablaze a large forest. 6 And the tongue is a fire. The tongue, a world of unrighteousness, is placed[b] among our members. It stains the whole body,(F) sets the course of life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. 7 Every kind of animal, bird, reptile, and fish is tamed and has been tamed by humankind, 8 but no one can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.(G) 9 With the tongue we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in God’s likeness.(H) 10 Blessing and cursing come out of the same mouth. My brothers and sisters, these things should not be this way. 11 Does a spring pour out sweet and bitter water from the same opening? 12 Can a fig tree produce olives, my brothers and sisters, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a saltwater spring yield fresh water.
Jesus Faces Pilate
15 As(A) soon as it was morning, having held a meeting with the elders,(B) scribes,(C) and the whole Sanhedrin, the chief priests(D) tied Jesus up, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate.(E)
2 So Pilate asked him, “Are you the king(F) of the Jews?”(G)
He answered him, “You say so.”
3 And the chief priests accused him of many things. 4 Pilate(H) questioned him again, “Aren’t you going to answer? Look how many things they are accusing you of!” 5 But Jesus still did not answer, and so Pilate was amazed.
Jesus or Barabbas
6 At(I) the festival(J) Pilate(K) used to release for the people a prisoner whom they requested. 7 There was one named Barabbas, who was in prison with rebels who had committed murder(L) during the rebellion.(M) 8 The crowd came up and began to ask Pilate to do for them as was his custom. 9 Pilate answered them, “Do you want me to release the king(N) of the Jews(O) for you?” 10 For he knew it was because of envy(P) that the chief priests had handed him over. 11 But the chief priests stirred up the crowd so that he would release Barabbas to them instead.
The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.