Book of Common Prayer
Psalm 87
Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm. A song.
1 He has founded his city on the holy mountain.(A)
2 The Lord loves the gates of Zion(B)
more than all the other dwellings of Jacob.
3 Glorious things are said of you,
city of God:[a](C)
4 “I will record Rahab[b](D) and Babylon
among those who acknowledge me—
Philistia(E) too, and Tyre(F), along with Cush[c]—
and will say, ‘This one was born in Zion.’”[d](G)
5 Indeed, of Zion it will be said,
“This one and that one were born in her,
and the Most High himself will establish her.”
6 The Lord will write in the register(H) of the peoples:
“This one was born in Zion.”
BOOK IV
Psalms 90–106
Psalm 90
A prayer of Moses the man of God.
1 Lord, you have been our dwelling place(A)
throughout all generations.
2 Before the mountains were born(B)
or you brought forth the whole world,
from everlasting to everlasting(C) you are God.(D)
3 You turn people back to dust,
saying, “Return to dust, you mortals.”(E)
4 A thousand years in your sight
are like a day that has just gone by,
or like a watch in the night.(F)
5 Yet you sweep people away(G) in the sleep of death—
they are like the new grass of the morning:
6 In the morning it springs up new,
but by evening it is dry and withered.(H)
7 We are consumed by your anger
and terrified by your indignation.
8 You have set our iniquities before you,
our secret sins(I) in the light of your presence.(J)
9 All our days pass away under your wrath;
we finish our years with a moan.(K)
10 Our days may come to seventy years,(L)
or eighty,(M) if our strength endures;
yet the best of them are but trouble and sorrow,(N)
for they quickly pass, and we fly away.(O)
11 If only we knew the power of your anger!
Your wrath(P) is as great as the fear that is your due.(Q)
12 Teach us to number our days,(R)
that we may gain a heart of wisdom.(S)
13 Relent, Lord! How long(T) will it be?
Have compassion on your servants.(U)
14 Satisfy(V) us in the morning with your unfailing love,(W)
that we may sing for joy(X) and be glad all our days.(Y)
15 Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us,
for as many years as we have seen trouble.
16 May your deeds be shown to your servants,
your splendor to their children.(Z)
Psalm 136
1 Give thanks(A) to the Lord, for he is good.(B)
His love endures forever.(C)
2 Give thanks(D) to the God of gods.(E)
His love endures forever.
3 Give thanks(F) to the Lord of lords:(G)
His love endures forever.
4 to him who alone does great wonders,(H)
His love endures forever.
5 who by his understanding(I) made the heavens,(J)
His love endures forever.
6 who spread out the earth(K) upon the waters,(L)
His love endures forever.
7 who made the great lights(M)—
His love endures forever.
8 the sun to govern(N) the day,
His love endures forever.
9 the moon and stars to govern the night;
His love endures forever.
10 to him who struck down the firstborn(O) of Egypt
His love endures forever.
11 and brought Israel out(P) from among them
His love endures forever.
12 with a mighty hand(Q) and outstretched arm;(R)
His love endures forever.
13 to him who divided the Red Sea[a](S) asunder
His love endures forever.
14 and brought Israel through(T) the midst of it,
His love endures forever.
15 but swept Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea;(U)
His love endures forever.
16 to him who led his people through the wilderness;(V)
His love endures forever.
17 to him who struck down great kings,(W)
His love endures forever.
18 and killed mighty kings(X)—
His love endures forever.
19 Sihon king of the Amorites(Y)
His love endures forever.
20 and Og king of Bashan(Z)—
His love endures forever.
21 and gave their land(AA) as an inheritance,(AB)
His love endures forever.
22 an inheritance(AC) to his servant Israel.(AD)
His love endures forever.
A Linen Belt
13 This is what the Lord said to me: “Go and buy a linen belt and put it around your waist, but do not let it touch water.” 2 So I bought a belt, as the Lord directed, and put it around my waist.
3 Then the word of the Lord came to me a second time:(A) 4 “Take the belt you bought and are wearing around your waist, and go now to Perath[a](B) and hide it there in a crevice in the rocks.” 5 So I went and hid it at Perath, as the Lord told me.(C)
6 Many days later the Lord said to me, “Go now to Perath and get the belt I told you to hide there.” 7 So I went to Perath and dug up the belt and took it from the place where I had hidden it, but now it was ruined and completely useless.
8 Then the word of the Lord came to me: 9 “This is what the Lord says: ‘In the same way I will ruin the pride of Judah and the great pride(D) of Jerusalem. 10 These wicked people, who refuse to listen(E) to my words, who follow the stubbornness of their hearts(F) and go after other gods(G) to serve and worship them,(H) will be like this belt—completely useless!(I) 11 For as a belt is bound around the waist, so I bound all the people of Israel and all the people of Judah to me,’ declares the Lord, ‘to be my people for my renown(J) and praise and honor.(K) But they have not listened.’(L)
12 Therefore do not let sin reign(A) in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. 13 Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness,(B) but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness.(C) 14 For sin shall no longer be your master,(D) because you are not under the law,(E) but under grace.(F)
Slaves to Righteousness
15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law but under grace?(G) By no means! 16 Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey(H)—whether you are slaves to sin,(I) which leads to death,(J) or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? 17 But thanks be to God(K) that, though you used to be slaves to sin,(L) you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching(M) that has now claimed your allegiance. 18 You have been set free from sin(N) and have become slaves to righteousness.(O)
19 I am using an example from everyday life(P) because of your human limitations. Just as you used to offer yourselves as slaves to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer yourselves as slaves to righteousness(Q) leading to holiness. 20 When you were slaves to sin,(R) you were free from the control of righteousness.(S) 21 What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death!(T) 22 But now that you have been set free from sin(U) and have become slaves of God,(V) the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.(W) 23 For the wages of sin is death,(X) but the gift of God is eternal life(Y) in[a] Christ Jesus our Lord.
47 Whoever belongs to God hears what God says.(A) The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.”
Jesus’ Claims About Himself
48 The Jews answered him, “Aren’t we right in saying that you are a Samaritan(B) and demon-possessed?”(C)
49 “I am not possessed by a demon,” said Jesus, “but I honor my Father and you dishonor me. 50 I am not seeking glory for myself;(D) but there is one who seeks it, and he is the judge. 51 Very truly I tell you, whoever obeys my word will never see death.”(E)
52 At this they exclaimed, “Now we know that you are demon-possessed!(F) Abraham died and so did the prophets, yet you say that whoever obeys your word will never taste death. 53 Are you greater than our father Abraham?(G) He died, and so did the prophets. Who do you think you are?”
54 Jesus replied, “If I glorify myself,(H) my glory means nothing. My Father, whom you claim as your God, is the one who glorifies me.(I) 55 Though you do not know him,(J) I know him.(K) If I said I did not, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and obey his word.(L) 56 Your father Abraham(M) rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it(N) and was glad.”
57 “You are not yet fifty years old,” they said to him, “and you have seen Abraham!”
58 “Very truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born,(O) I am!”(P) 59 At this, they picked up stones to stone him,(Q) but Jesus hid himself,(R) slipping away from the temple grounds.
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