Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Psalm 5[a]
Morning Prayer for Divine Help
1 For the director.[b] With flutes. A psalm of David.
2 Listen to my words, O Lord;
pay heed to my sighs.
3 Hear my cry for help,
my King and my God;
for to you I pray.
4 O Lord, at daybreak[c] you hear my voice;
at daybreak I bring my petition before you
and await your reply.
5 For you are not a God who delights in wickedness;
evil cannot remain in your presence.
6 The arrogant shrink before your gaze;
you hate all who do evil.
7 You destroy all who tell lies;
the Lord detests the violent and the deceitful.
8 But I will enter your house
because of your great kindness,[d]
and I will bow down in your holy temple,
filled with awe of you.
9 Lead me in your ways of righteousness, O Lord,
for I am surrounded by enemies;
make your path straight before me.[e]
10 For there is nothing trustworthy in their mouth;[f]
their heart devises treacherous schemes.
Their throat is a wide open grave;
with their tongue they utter flattery.
11 Punish them, O God;
may their intrigues result in their downfall.
Cast them out because of their many transgressions,
for they have rebelled against you.[g]
12 But may all who take refuge in you rejoice;
may they shout for joy forever.
Grant them your protection
so that those who love your name[h] may rejoice in you.
13 Truly, you bless the righteous, O Lord;
you surround them with your goodwill as with a shield.
The Deeds of Nehemiah
Chapter 1
Nehemiah’s Vocation. 1 The words of Nehemiah, the son of Hacaliah.
In the month of Kislev,[a] in the twentieth year, while I was in the citadel of Susa, 2 Hanani, one of my brothers, arrived with some men from Judah. I asked them about the Jews—those who had survived the captivity—and about Jerusalem.
3 They replied: “Those who survived the captivity and remained in the province are in dire distress and badly demoralized. The wall of Jerusalem lies in ruins and its gates have been destroyed by fire.” 4 Upon hearing this, I sat down and wept,[b] mourning for several days while fasting and praying before the God of heaven.
5 Then I offered this prayer: “O Lord, God of heaven, you are a great and awesome God who keeps his covenant of steadfast love with those who love him and obey his commandments. 6 Let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to heed the prayer of your servant that I now offer to you day and night in your presence on behalf of your servants, the people of Israel.
“I confess the sins that your servants, the Israelites, have committed against you. I and my family are equally guilty in this regard. 7 We have offended you grievously and failed to keep the commandments, the statutes, and the laws you enjoined on your servant Moses.
8 “Do not fail to remember the promise you made to your servant Moses when you said: ‘If you are unfaithful, I shall scatter you among the nations. 9 However, if you return to me and obey my commandments and fulfill them, then I will gather even those among you who have been scattered to the farthest ends of the world and bring you back to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for my name.’
10 “These are your servants, your people, whom you have redeemed by your great power and your strong hand. 11 O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the humble prayer of your servants who take delight in revering your name. Grant that your servant will be given success this day and win this man’s compassion”—for at that time I was cupbearer to the king.[c]
First Encounter with the Authorities in Israel
Chapter 3
In the Name of Jesus Christ, Walk![a] 1 One day, Peter and John were on their way to the temple for the hour of prayer at three o’clock in the afternoon.[b] 2 A man who had been crippled from his birth was carried there every day and laid at the gate of the temple called the Beautiful Gate[c] so that he could beg for alms from those who entered the temple.
3 When this man saw Peter and John about to enter into the temple, he asked them for alms. 4 Peter looked intently at him, as did John, and said to him, “Look at us!” 5 He looked at them attentively, expecting to receive something from them. 6 But Peter said, “I have neither silver nor gold, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, stand up and walk.”
7 Then Peter grasped him by the right hand and helped him to get up. Immediately, his feet and ankles were strengthened. 8 He jumped up, stood straight, and began to walk, and he entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. 9 When all the people there saw him walking and praising God, 10 they recognized him as the man who used to sit and beg for alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.
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