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.
4 He then said to me: “Son of man, go now to the people of Israel and speak my words to them.(A) 5 You are not being sent to a people of obscure speech and strange language,(B) but to the people of Israel— 6 not to many peoples of obscure speech and strange language, whose words you cannot understand. Surely if I had sent you to them, they would have listened to you.(C) 7 But the people of Israel are not willing to listen(D) to you because they are not willing to listen to me, for all the Israelites are hardened and obstinate.(E) 8 But I will make you as unyielding and hardened as they are.(F) 9 I will make your forehead(G) like the hardest stone, harder than flint.(H) Do not be afraid of them or terrified by them, though they are a rebellious people.(I)”
10 And he said to me, “Son of man, listen carefully and take to heart(J) all the words I speak to you. 11 Go(K) now to your people in exile and speak to them. Say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says,’(L) whether they listen or fail to listen.(M)”
12 Then the Spirit lifted me up,(N) and I heard behind me a loud rumbling sound as the glory of the Lord rose from the place where it was standing.[a] 13 It was the sound of the wings of the living creatures(O) brushing against each other and the sound of the wheels beside them, a loud rumbling sound.(P) 14 The Spirit(Q) then lifted me up(R) and took me away, and I went in bitterness and in the anger of my spirit, with the strong hand of the Lord(S) on me. 15 I came to the exiles who lived at Tel Aviv near the Kebar River.(T) And there, where they were living, I sat among them for seven days(U)—deeply distressed.
Ezekiel’s Task as Watchman
16 At the end of seven days the word of the Lord came to me:(V) 17 “Son of man, I have made you a watchman(W) for the people of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me.(X)
7 During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions(A) with fervent cries and tears(B) to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard(C) because of his reverent submission.(D) 8 Son(E) though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered(F) 9 and, once made perfect,(G) he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him 10 and was designated by God to be high priest(H) in the order of Melchizedek.(I)
Warning Against Falling Away(J)
11 We have much to say about this, but it is hard to make it clear to you because you no longer try to understand. 12 In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths(K) of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food!(L) 13 Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant,(M) is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. 14 But solid food is for the mature,(N) who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.(O)
Jesus Heals a Demon-Possessed Boy(A)
37 The next day, when they came down from the mountain, a large crowd met him. 38 A man in the crowd called out, “Teacher, I beg you to look at my son, for he is my only child. 39 A spirit seizes him and he suddenly screams; it throws him into convulsions so that he foams at the mouth. It scarcely ever leaves him and is destroying him. 40 I begged your disciples to drive it out, but they could not.”
41 “You unbelieving and perverse generation,”(B) Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you and put up with you? Bring your son here.”
42 Even while the boy was coming, the demon threw him to the ground in a convulsion. But Jesus rebuked the impure spirit, healed the boy and gave him back to his father. 43 And they were all amazed at the greatness of God.
Jesus Predicts His Death a Second Time
While everyone was marveling at all that Jesus did, he said to his disciples, 44 “Listen carefully to what I am about to tell you: The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men.”(C) 45 But they did not understand what this meant. It was hidden from them, so that they did not grasp it,(D) and they were afraid to ask him about it.
46 An argument started among the disciples as to which of them would be the greatest.(E) 47 Jesus, knowing their thoughts,(F) took a little child and had him stand beside him. 48 Then he said to them, “Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.(G) For it is the one who is least among you all who is the greatest.”(H)
49 “Master,”(I) said John, “we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we tried to stop him, because he is not one of us.”
50 “Do not stop him,” Jesus said, “for whoever is not against you is for you.”(J)
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