Book of Common Prayer
Psalm 38
A psalm by David; to be kept in mind.[a]
1 O Yahweh, do not angrily punish me
or discipline me in your wrath.
2 Your arrows have struck me.
Your hand has struck me hard.
3 No healthy spot is left on my body
because of your rage.
There is no peace in my bones
because of my sin.
4 My guilt has overwhelmed me.
Like a heavy load, it is more than I can bear.
5 My wounds smell rotten.
They fester because of my stupidity.
6 I am bent over and bowed down very low.
All day I walk around in mourning.
7 My insides are filled with burning pain,
and no healthy spot is left on my body.
8 I am numb and completely devastated.
I roar because my heart’s in turmoil.
9 You know all my desires, O Adonay,
and my groaning has not been hidden from you.
10 My heart is pounding.
I have lost my strength.
Even the light of my eyes has left me.
11 My loved ones and my friends keep their distance
and my relatives stand far away because of my sickness.
12 Those who seek my life lay traps for me.
Those who are out to harm me talk about ruining me.
All day long they think of ways to deceive me.
13 But I am like a person who cannot hear
and like a person who cannot speak.
14 I am like one who cannot hear
and who can offer no arguments.
15 But I wait with hope for you, O Yahweh.
You will answer, O Adonay, my Elohim.
16 I said, “Do not let them gloat over me.
When my foot slips,
do not let them promote themselves at my expense.”
17 I am ready to fall.
I am continually aware of my pain.
18 I confess my guilt.
My sin troubles me.
19 My mortal enemies are growing stronger.
Many hate me for no reason.
20 They pay me back with evil instead of good,
and they accuse me because I try to do what is good.
21 Do not abandon me, O Yahweh.
O my Elohim, do not be so distant from me.
22 Come quickly to help me, O Adonay, my savior.
25 I am close to death.
Give me a new life as you promised.
26 I told you what I have done, and you answered me.
Teach me your laws.
27 Help me understand your guiding principles
so that I may reflect on your miracles.
28 I am drowning in tears.
Strengthen me as you promised.
29 Turn me away from a life of lies.
Graciously provide me with your teachings.
30 I have chosen a life of faithfulness.
I have set your regulations in front of me.
31 I have clung tightly to your written instructions.
O Yahweh, do not let me be put to shame.
32 I will eagerly pursue your commandments
because you continue to increase my understanding.
33 Teach me, O Yahweh, how to live by your laws,
and I will obey them to the end.
34 Help me understand so that I can follow your teachings.
I will guard them with all my heart.
35 Lead me on the path of your commandments,
because I am happy with them.
36 Direct my heart toward your written instructions
rather than getting rich in underhanded ways.
37 Turn my eyes away from worthless things.
Give me a new life in your ways.
38 Keep your promise to me
so that I can fear you.
39 Take away insults, which I dread,
because your regulations are good.
40 I long for your guiding principles.
Give me a new life in your righteousness.
41 Let your blessings reach me, O Yahweh.
Save me as you promised.
42 Then I will have an answer for the one who insults me
since I trust your word.
43 Do not take so much as a single word of truth from my mouth.
My hope is based on your regulations.
44 I will follow your teachings forever and ever.
45 I will walk around freely
because I sought out your guiding principles.
46 I will speak about your written instructions in the presence of kings
and not feel ashamed.
47 Your commandments, which I love, make me happy.
48 I lift my hands in prayer because of your commandments,
which I love.
I will reflect on your laws.
David Makes a Promise to Jonathan
20 David fled from the pastures at Ramah, came to Jonathan, and asked, “What have I done? What crime am I guilty of? What sin have I committed against your father that he’s trying to kill me?”
2 Jonathan answered, “That’s unthinkable! You’re not going to die! My father does nothing without telling me, whether it’s important or not. Why should my father hide this from me? It’s just not that way.”
3 But David took an oath, saying, “Your father certainly knows that you support me, so he said to himself, ‘Jonathan must not know about this. It will bring him distress.’ But I solemnly swear, as Yahweh and you live, I’m only one step away from death.”
4 Jonathan said to David, “I’ll do whatever you say.”
5 David replied, “Tomorrow is the New Moon Festival, when I should sit and eat at the king’s table. But let me go and hide in the countryside for two more nights. 6 If your father really misses me, tell him, ‘David repeatedly begged me to let him run to Bethlehem, his hometown, because his relatives are offering the annual sacrifice there.’ 7 If he says, ‘Good!’ then I will be safe. But if he gets really angry, then you’ll know for sure that he has decided to harm me. 8 Now, be kind to me. After all, you forced me into an agreement with Yahweh. If I have committed any crime, kill me yourself. Why bother taking me to your father?”
9 Jonathan answered, “That’s unthinkable! If I knew for sure that my father had decided to harm you, I would have told you about it.”
10 Then David asked, “Who will tell me whether or not your father gives you a harsh answer?”
11 Jonathan said, “Let’s go out into the country.” So they went out into the country.
12 “As Yahweh Elohim of Israel is my witness,” Jonathan continued, “I’ll find out in the next two or three days how my father feels about you. If he does feel kindly toward you, then I will send someone to tell you. 13 If my father plans to harm you and I fail to tell you and send you away safely, may Yahweh harm me even more. May Yahweh be with you as he used to be with my father. 14 But as long as I live, promise me that you will show me kindness because of Yahweh. And even when I die, 15 never stop being kind to my family. Yahweh will wipe each of David’s enemies off the face of the earth. 16 At that time, if Jonathan’s name[a] is cut off from David’s family, then may Yahweh punish David’s house.”[b]
17 Once again Jonathan swore an oath to David because of his love for David. He loved David as much as he loved himself. 18 “Tomorrow is the New Moon Festival,” Jonathan told him, “and you will be missed when your seat is empty. 19 The day after tomorrow you will be missed even more.[c] So go to the place where you hid on that other occasion, and stay by the rock. 20 I will shoot three arrows from beside it toward a target. 21 Then I will send out a boy and say, ‘Go, find the arrows.’ Now, if I tell the boy, ‘Look, the arrows are next to you; get them,’ then come back with me. You will be safe, and there will be no trouble. I swear it, as Yahweh lives. 22 But if I tell the boy, ‘The arrows are next to you,’ then go, because Yahweh has sent you away. 23 We have made a promise to each other, and Yahweh is a witness between you and me forever.”
18 In the morning the soldiers were in an uproar over what had happened to Peter. 19 Herod searched for Peter but couldn’t find him. So he questioned the guards and gave orders to have them executed.
Herod’s Death
Then Herod left Judea and went to Caesarea, where he stayed for a while.
20 Herod was very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon. They were going to meet with Herod. They had agreed on what they wanted to do: They enlisted the help of Blastus to ask Herod for terms of peace. This was because their cities depended on Herod for their food supply. (Blastus was in charge of the king’s living quarters.)
21 The appointed day came. Herod, wearing his royal clothes, sat on his throne and began making a speech to them. 22 The people started shouting, “The voice of a god and not of a man!”
23 Immediately, an angel from the Lord killed Herod for not giving glory to God. Herod was eaten by maggots, and he died.
24 But God’s word continued to spread and win many followers.
Barnabas and Saul Travel to Cyprus
25 After Barnabas and Saul delivered the contribution to the leaders in Jerusalem, they returned to Antioch from Jerusalem. They brought John Mark with them.
Jesus Chooses Levi [Matthew] to Be a Disciple(A)
13 Yeshua went to the seashore again. Large crowds came to him, and he taught them.
14 When Yeshua was leaving, he saw Levi, son of Alphaeus, sitting in a tax office. Yeshua said to him, “Follow me!” So Levi got up and followed him.
15 Later Yeshua was having dinner at Levi’s house. Many tax collectors and sinners who were followers of Yeshua were eating with him and his disciples. 16 When the experts in Moses’ Teachings who were Pharisees saw him eating with sinners and tax collectors, they asked his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
17 When Yeshua heard that, he said to them, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor; those who are sick do. I’ve come to call sinners, not people who think they have God’s approval.”
Jesus Is Questioned about Fasting(B)
18 John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. Some people came to Yeshua and said to him, “Why do John’s disciples and the Pharisees’ disciples fast, but your disciples don’t?”
19 Yeshua replied, “Can wedding guests fast while the groom is still with them? As long as they have the groom with them, they cannot fast. 20 But the time will come when the groom will be taken away from them. Then they will fast.
21 “No one patches an old coat with a new piece of cloth that will shrink. Otherwise, the new patch will shrink and rip away some of the old cloth, and the tear will become worse. 22 People don’t pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the wine will make the skins burst, and both the wine and the skins will be ruined. Rather, new wine is to be poured into fresh skins.”
The Names of God Bible (without notes) © 2011 by Baker Publishing Group.