Book of Common Prayer
Psalm 97
1 The Lord reigns,(A) let the earth be glad;(B)
let the distant shores(C) rejoice.
2 Clouds(D) and thick darkness(E) surround him;
righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.(F)
3 Fire(G) goes before(H) him
and consumes(I) his foes on every side.
4 His lightning(J) lights up the world;
the earth(K) sees and trembles.(L)
5 The mountains melt(M) like wax(N) before the Lord,
before the Lord of all the earth.(O)
6 The heavens proclaim his righteousness,(P)
and all peoples see his glory.(Q)
7 All who worship images(R) are put to shame,(S)
those who boast in idols(T)—
worship him,(U) all you gods!(V)
8 Zion hears and rejoices
and the villages of Judah are glad(W)
because of your judgments,(X) Lord.
9 For you, Lord, are the Most High(Y) over all the earth;(Z)
you are exalted(AA) far above all gods.
10 Let those who love the Lord hate evil,(AB)
for he guards(AC) the lives of his faithful ones(AD)
and delivers(AE) them from the hand of the wicked.(AF)
11 Light shines[a](AG) on the righteous(AH)
and joy on the upright in heart.(AI)
12 Rejoice in the Lord,(AJ) you who are righteous,
and praise his holy name.(AK)
Psalm 99
1 The Lord reigns,(A)
let the nations tremble;(B)
he sits enthroned(C) between the cherubim,(D)
let the earth shake.
2 Great is the Lord(E) in Zion;(F)
he is exalted(G) over all the nations.
3 Let them praise(H) your great and awesome name(I)—
he is holy.(J)
4 The King(K) is mighty, he loves justice(L)—
you have established equity;(M)
in Jacob you have done
what is just and right.(N)
5 Exalt(O) the Lord our God
and worship at his footstool;
he is holy.
Psalm 115(A)
1 Not to us, Lord, not to us
but to your name be the glory,(B)
because of your love and faithfulness.(C)
2 Why do the nations say,
“Where is their God?”(D)
3 Our God is in heaven;(E)
he does whatever pleases him.(F)
4 But their idols are silver and gold,(G)
made by human hands.(H)
5 They have mouths, but cannot speak,(I)
eyes, but cannot see.
6 They have ears, but cannot hear,
noses, but cannot smell.
7 They have hands, but cannot feel,
feet, but cannot walk,
nor can they utter a sound with their throats.
8 Those who make them will be like them,
and so will all who trust in them.
9 All you Israelites, trust(J) in the Lord—
he is their help and shield.
10 House of Aaron,(K) trust in the Lord—
he is their help and shield.
11 You who fear him,(L) trust in the Lord—
he is their help and shield.
12 The Lord remembers(M) us and will bless us:(N)
He will bless his people Israel,
he will bless the house of Aaron,
13 he will bless those who fear(O) the Lord—
small and great alike.
14 May the Lord cause you to flourish,(P)
both you and your children.
15 May you be blessed by the Lord,
the Maker of heaven(Q) and earth.
7 But as for me, I watch(A) in hope(B) for the Lord,
I wait for God my Savior;
my God will hear(C) me.
Israel Will Rise
8 Do not gloat over me,(D) my enemy!
Though I have fallen, I will rise.(E)
Though I sit in darkness,
the Lord will be my light.(F)
9 Because I have sinned against him,
I will bear the Lord’s wrath,(G)
until he pleads my case(H)
and upholds my cause.
He will bring me out into the light;(I)
I will see his righteousness.(J)
10 Then my enemy will see it
and will be covered with shame,(K)
she who said to me,
“Where is the Lord your God?”(L)
My eyes will see her downfall;(M)
even now she will be trampled(N) underfoot
like mire in the streets.
11 The day for building your walls(O) will come,
the day for extending your boundaries.
12 In that day people will come to you
from Assyria(P) and the cities of Egypt,
even from Egypt to the Euphrates
and from sea to sea
and from mountain to mountain.(Q)
13 The earth will become desolate because of its inhabitants,
as the result of their deeds.(R)
Prayer and Praise
14 Shepherd(S) your people with your staff,(T)
the flock of your inheritance,
which lives by itself in a forest,
in fertile pasturelands.[a](U)
Let them feed in Bashan(V) and Gilead(W)
as in days long ago.(X)
15 “As in the days when you came out of Egypt,
I will show them my wonders.(Y)”
Peter Heals a Lame Beggar
3 One day Peter and John(A) were going up to the temple(B) at the time of prayer—at three in the afternoon.(C) 2 Now a man who was lame from birth(D) was being carried to the temple gate(E) called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg(F) from those going into the temple courts. 3 When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. 4 Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, “Look at us!” 5 So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them.
6 Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth,(G) walk.” 7 Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. 8 He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping,(H) and praising God. 9 When all the people(I) saw him walking and praising God, 10 they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful,(J) and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.
The Vine and the Branches
15 “I am(A) the true vine,(B) and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit,(C) while every branch that does bear fruit(D) he prunes[a] so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.(E) 4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you.(F) No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit;(G) apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.(H) 7 If you remain in me(I) and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.(J) 8 This is to my Father’s glory,(K) that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.(L)
9 “As the Father has loved me,(M) so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commands,(N) you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.(O)
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