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.
9 Proclaim this among the nations:
Prepare for war!(A)
Rouse the warriors!(B)
Let all the fighting men draw near and attack.
10 Beat your plowshares into swords
and your pruning hooks(C) into spears.(D)
Let the weakling(E) say,
“I am strong!”(F)
11 Come quickly, all you nations from every side,
and assemble(G) there.
Bring down your warriors,(H) Lord!
12 “Let the nations be roused;
let them advance into the Valley of Jehoshaphat,(I)
for there I will sit
to judge(J) all the nations on every side.
13 Swing the sickle,(K)
for the harvest(L) is ripe.
Come, trample the grapes,(M)
for the winepress(N) is full
and the vats overflow—
so great is their wickedness!”
14 Multitudes,(O) multitudes
in the valley(P) of decision!
For the day of the Lord(Q) is near
in the valley of decision.(R)
15 The sun and moon will be darkened,
and the stars no longer shine.(S)
16 The Lord will roar(T) from Zion
and thunder from Jerusalem;(U)
the earth and the heavens will tremble.(V)
But the Lord will be a refuge(W) for his people,
a stronghold(X) for the people of Israel.
Blessings for God’s People
Favoritism Forbidden
2 My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious(A) Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism.(B) 2 Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in. 3 If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,” 4 have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges(C) with evil thoughts?
5 Listen, my dear brothers and sisters:(D) Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world(E) to be rich in faith(F) and to inherit the kingdom(G) he promised those who love him?(H) 6 But you have dishonored the poor.(I) Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court?(J) 7 Are they not the ones who are blaspheming the noble name of him to whom you belong?
8 If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,”[a](K) you are doing right. 9 But if you show favoritism,(L) you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers.(M) 10 For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles(N) at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.(O) 11 For he who said, “You shall not commit adultery,”[b](P) also said, “You shall not murder.”[c](Q) If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.
12 Speak and act as those who are going to be judged(R) by the law that gives freedom,(S) 13 because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful.(T) Mercy triumphs over judgment.
10 “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much,(A) and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. 11 So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth,(B) who will trust you with true riches? 12 And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own?
13 “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”(C)
14 The Pharisees, who loved money,(D) heard all this and were sneering at Jesus.(E) 15 He said to them, “You are the ones who justify yourselves(F) in the eyes of others, but God knows your hearts.(G) What people value highly is detestable in God’s sight.
Additional Teachings
16 “The Law and the Prophets were proclaimed until John.(H) Since that time, the good news of the kingdom of God is being preached,(I) and everyone is forcing their way into it. 17 It is easier for heaven and earth to disappear than for the least stroke of a pen to drop out of the Law.(J)
18 “Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery, and the man who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.(K)
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