Book of Common Prayer
Psalm 83[a]
A song. A psalm of Asaph.
1 O God, do not remain silent;(A)
do not turn a deaf ear,
do not stand aloof, O God.
2 See how your enemies growl,(B)
how your foes rear their heads.(C)
3 With cunning they conspire(D) against your people;
they plot against those you cherish.(E)
4 “Come,” they say, “let us destroy(F) them as a nation,(G)
so that Israel’s name is remembered(H) no more.”
5 With one mind they plot together;(I)
they form an alliance against you—
6 the tents of Edom(J) and the Ishmaelites,
of Moab(K) and the Hagrites,(L)
7 Byblos,(M) Ammon(N) and Amalek,(O)
Philistia,(P) with the people of Tyre.(Q)
8 Even Assyria(R) has joined them
to reinforce Lot’s descendants.[b](S)
9 Do to them as you did to Midian,(T)
as you did to Sisera(U) and Jabin(V) at the river Kishon,(W)
10 who perished at Endor(X)
and became like dung(Y) on the ground.
11 Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb,(Z)
all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna,(AA)
12 who said, “Let us take possession(AB)
of the pasturelands of God.”
Psalm 23
A psalm of David.
1 The Lord is my shepherd,(A) I lack nothing.(B)
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,(C)
3 he refreshes my soul.(D)
He guides me(E) along the right paths(F)
for his name’s sake.(G)
4 Even though I walk
through the darkest valley,[a](H)
I will fear no evil,(I)
for you are with me;(J)
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
Psalm 27
Of David.
1 The Lord is my light(A) and my salvation(B)—
whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold(C) of my life—
of whom shall I be afraid?(D)
2 When the wicked advance against me
to devour[a] me,
it is my enemies and my foes
who will stumble and fall.(E)
3 Though an army besiege me,
my heart will not fear;(F)
though war break out against me,
even then I will be confident.(G)
4 One thing(H) I ask from the Lord,
this only do I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
all the days of my life,(I)
to gaze on the beauty of the Lord
and to seek him in his temple.
5 For in the day of trouble(J)
he will keep me safe(K) in his dwelling;
he will hide me(L) in the shelter of his sacred tent
and set me high upon a rock.(M)
6 Then my head will be exalted(N)
above the enemies who surround me;(O)
at his sacred tent I will sacrifice(P) with shouts of joy;(Q)
I will sing(R) and make music(S) to the Lord.
7 Hear my voice(T) when I call, Lord;
be merciful to me and answer me.(U)
8 My heart says of you, “Seek his face!(V)”
Your face, Lord, I will seek.
9 Do not hide your face(W) from me,
do not turn your servant away in anger;(X)
you have been my helper.(Y)
Do not reject me or forsake(Z) me,
God my Savior.(AA)
10 Though my father and mother forsake me,
the Lord will receive me.
11 Teach me your way,(AB) Lord;
lead me in a straight path(AC)
because of my oppressors.(AD)
12 Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes,
for false witnesses(AE) rise up against me,
spouting malicious accusations.
Psalm 85[a]
For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm.
1 You, Lord, showed favor to your land;
you restored the fortunes(A) of Jacob.
2 You forgave(B) the iniquity(C) of your people
and covered all their sins.[b]
3 You set aside all your wrath(D)
and turned from your fierce anger.(E)
4 Restore(F) us again, God our Savior,(G)
and put away your displeasure toward us.
5 Will you be angry with us forever?(H)
Will you prolong your anger through all generations?
6 Will you not revive(I) us again,
that your people may rejoice(J) in you?
7 Show us your unfailing love,(K) Lord,
and grant us your salvation.(L)
8 I will listen to what God the Lord says;
he promises peace(M) to his people, his faithful servants—
but let them not turn to folly.(N)
9 Surely his salvation(O) is near those who fear him,
that his glory(P) may dwell in our land.
10 Love and faithfulness(Q) meet together;
righteousness(R) and peace kiss each other.
11 Faithfulness springs forth from the earth,
and righteousness(S) looks down from heaven.
12 The Lord will indeed give what is good,(T)
and our land will yield(U) its harvest.
13 Righteousness goes before him
and prepares the way for his steps.
Psalm 86
A prayer of David.
1 Hear me, Lord, and answer(V) me,
for I am poor and needy.
2 Guard my life, for I am faithful to you;
save your servant who trusts in you.(W)
You are my God; 3 have mercy(X) on me, Lord,
for I call(Y) to you all day long.
4 Bring joy to your servant, Lord,
for I put my trust(Z) in you.
5 You, Lord, are forgiving and good,
abounding in love(AA) to all who call to you.
6 Hear my prayer, Lord;
listen to my cry(AB) for mercy.
7 When I am in distress,(AC) I call(AD) to you,
because you answer(AE) me.
8 Among the gods(AF) there is none like you,(AG) Lord;
no deeds can compare with yours.
9 All the nations you have made
will come(AH) and worship(AI) before you, Lord;
they will bring glory(AJ) to your name.
10 For you are great(AK) and do marvelous deeds;(AL)
you alone(AM) are God.
11 Teach me your way,(AN) Lord,
that I may rely on your faithfulness;(AO)
give me an undivided(AP) heart,
that I may fear(AQ) your name.
12 I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my heart;(AR)
I will glorify your name forever.
13 For great is your love toward me;
you have delivered me(AS) from the depths,
from the realm of the dead.(AT)
14 Arrogant foes are attacking me, O God;
ruthless people are trying to kill me—
they have no regard for you.(AU)
15 But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious(AV) God,
slow to anger,(AW) abounding(AX) in love and faithfulness.(AY)
16 Turn to me(AZ) and have mercy(BA) on me;
show your strength(BB) in behalf of your servant;
save me, because I serve you
just as my mother did.(BC)
17 Give me a sign(BD) of your goodness,
that my enemies may see it and be put to shame,
for you, Lord, have helped me and comforted me.
21 Do not be afraid,(A) land of Judah;
be glad and rejoice.(B)
Surely the Lord has done great things!(C)
22 Do not be afraid, you wild animals,
for the pastures in the wilderness are becoming green.(D)
The trees are bearing their fruit;
the fig tree(E) and the vine(F) yield their riches.(G)
23 Be glad, people of Zion,
rejoice(H) in the Lord your God,
for he has given you the autumn rains
because he is faithful.(I)
He sends you abundant showers,(J)
both autumn(K) and spring rains,(L) as before.
24 The threshing floors will be filled with grain;
the vats will overflow(M) with new wine(N) and oil.
25 “I will repay you for the years the locusts(O) have eaten(P)—
the great locust and the young locust,
the other locusts and the locust swarm[a]—
my great army(Q) that I sent among you.
26 You will have plenty to eat, until you are full,(R)
and you will praise(S) the name of the Lord your God,
who has worked wonders(T) for you;
never again will my people be shamed.(U)
27 Then you will know(V) that I am in Israel,
that I am the Lord(W) your God,
and that there is no other;
never again will my people be shamed.(X)
1 James,(A) a servant of God(B) and of the Lord Jesus Christ,
To the twelve tribes(C) scattered(D) among the nations:
Greetings.(E)
Trials and Temptations
2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,[a] whenever you face trials of many kinds,(F) 3 because you know that the testing of your faith(G) produces perseverance.(H) 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature(I) and complete, not lacking anything. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God,(J) who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.(K) 6 But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt,(L) because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7 That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8 Such a person is double-minded(M) and unstable(N) in all they do.
9 Believers in humble circumstances ought to take pride in their high position.(O) 10 But the rich should take pride in their humiliation—since they will pass away like a wild flower.(P) 11 For the sun rises with scorching heat(Q) and withers(R) the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed.(S) In the same way, the rich will fade away even while they go about their business.
12 Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial(T) because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life(U) that the Lord has promised to those who love him.(V)
13 When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; 14 but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own(W) evil desire and enticed. 15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin;(X) and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.(Y)
The Parable of the Lost Son
11 Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons.(A) 12 The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’(B) So he divided his property(C) between them.
13 “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth(D) in wild living. 14 After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs.(E) 16 He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.
17 “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned(F) against heaven and against you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ 20 So he got up and went to his father.
“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.(G)
21 “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.(H) I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe(I) and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger(J) and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. 24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again;(K) he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.(L)
25 “Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. 27 ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’
28 “The older brother became angry(M) and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. 29 But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours who has squandered your property(N) with prostitutes(O) comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’
31 “‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”(P)
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