Book of Common Prayer
Psalm 45
A Royal Wedding Song
For the choir director: according to “The Lilies.”(A) A Maskil of the sons of Korah. A love song.
1 My heart is moved by a noble theme
as I recite my verses to the king;
my tongue is the pen of a skillful writer.(B)
2 You are the most handsome of men;[a]
grace flows from your lips.(C)
Therefore God has blessed you forever.(D)
3 Mighty warrior, strap your sword at your side.
In your majesty and splendor(E)—
4 in your splendor ride triumphantly
in the cause of truth, humility, and justice.
May your right hand show your awe-inspiring acts.(F)
5 Your sharpened arrows pierce the hearts of the king’s enemies;
the peoples fall under you.(G)
6 Your throne,(H) God, is[b] forever and ever;
the scepter of your kingdom is a scepter of justice.(I)
7 You love righteousness and hate wickedness;(J)
therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of joy
more than your companions.
8 Myrrh, aloes, and cassia perfume all your garments;
from ivory palaces harps bring you joy.(K)
9 Kings’ daughters are among your honored women;(L)
the queen, adorned with gold from Ophir,
stands at your right hand.(M)
10 Listen, daughter, pay attention and consider:
Forget your people and your father’s house,(N)
11 and the king will desire your beauty.
Bow down to him, for he is your lord.(O)
12 The daughter of Tyre, the wealthy people,
will seek your favor with gifts.(P)
Psalm 47
God Our King
For the choir director. A psalm of the sons of Korah.
1 Clap your hands, all you peoples;(A)
shout to God with a jubilant cry.(B)
2 For the Lord, the Most High, is awe-inspiring,
a great King over the whole earth.(C)
3 He subdues peoples under us
and nations under our feet.(D)
4 He chooses for us our inheritance—
the pride of Jacob, whom he loves.(E)Selah
5 God ascends among shouts of joy,
the Lord, with the sound of a ram’s horn.(F)
6 Sing praise to God, sing praise;
sing praise to our King, sing praise!(G)
7 Sing a song of wisdom,[a]
for God is King of the whole earth.(H)
8 God reigns over the nations;
God is seated on his holy throne.(I)
9 The nobles of the peoples have assembled
with the people of the God of Abraham.(J)
For the leaders[b] of the earth belong to God;
he is greatly exalted.(K)
Psalm 48
Zion Exalted
A song. A psalm of the sons of Korah.
1 The Lord is great and highly praised
in the city of our God.(L)
His holy mountain, 2 rising splendidly,
is the joy of the whole earth.
Mount Zion—the summit of Zaphon—
is the city of the great King.(M)
3 God is known as a stronghold
in its citadels.(N)
4 Look! The kings assembled;
they advanced together.(O)
5 They looked and froze with fear;
they fled in terror.(P)
6 Trembling seized them there,
agony like that of a woman in labor,(Q)
7 as you wrecked the ships of Tarshish
with the east wind.(R)
8 Just as we heard, so we have seen
in the city of the Lord of Armies,
in the city of our God;
God will establish it forever.(S)Selah
Third Vision: Surveyor
2 I looked up and saw a man with a measuring line in his hand. 2 I asked, “Where are you going?”
He answered me, “To measure Jerusalem to determine its width and length.”
3 Then the angel who was speaking with me went out, and another angel went out to meet him. 4 He said to him, “Run and tell this young man: Jerusalem will be inhabited without walls because of the number of people and animals in it.”(A) 5 The declaration of the Lord: “I myself will be a wall(B) of fire around it, and I will be the glory within it.”
6 “Listen! Listen! Flee from the land of the north”(C)—this is the Lord’s declaration—“for I have scattered you like the four winds of heaven”—this is the Lord’s declaration. 7 “Listen, Zion! Escape, you who are living with Daughter Babylon.” 8 For the Lord of Armies says this: “In pursuit of his glory, he sent me against the nations plundering you, for whoever touches you touches the pupil[a] of my[b] eye. 9 For look, I am raising my hand against them, and they will become plunder for their own servants.(D) Then you will know that the Lord of Armies has sent me.
10 “Daughter Zion, shout for joy and be glad, for I am coming to dwell among you”—this is the Lord’s declaration. 11 “Many nations will join themselves to the Lord on that day and become my[c] people.(E) I will dwell among you, and you will know that the Lord of Armies has sent me to you. 12 The Lord will take possession of Judah as his portion in the Holy Land, and he will once again choose Jerusalem.(F) 13 Let all humanity be silent(G) before the Lord, for from his holy dwelling he has roused himself.”
The Letter to Laodicea
14 “Write to the angel of the church in Laodicea: Thus says the Amen, (A) the faithful and true witness, the originator[a](B) of God’s creation: 15 I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were cold or hot. 16 So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I am going to vomit[b] you out of my mouth. 17 For you say, ‘I’m rich; I have become wealthy and need nothing,’(C) and you don’t realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked. 18 I advise you to buy from me gold refined in the fire so that you may be rich,(D) white clothes so that you may be dressed and your shameful nakedness not be exposed,(E) and ointment to spread on your eyes so that you may see. 19 As many as I love, I rebuke and discipline.(F) So be zealous and repent. 20 See! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.(G)
21 “To the one who conquers I will give the right to sit with me on my throne,(H) just as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne.
22 “Let anyone who has ears to hear listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.”
The Parable of the Fig Tree
32 “Learn this lesson(A) from the fig tree: As soon as its branch becomes tender and sprouts leaves, you know that summer is near. 33 In the same way, when you see all these things, recognize[a] that he[b] is near—at the door.(B) 34 Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things take place.(C) 35 Heaven and earth will pass away,(D) but my words will never pass away.(E)
No One Knows the Day or Hour
36 “Now concerning that day and hour no one knows—neither the angels of heaven nor the Son[c] —except the Father alone.(F) 37 As the days of Noah were, so the coming of the Son of Man will be. 38 For in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah boarded the ark.(G) 39 They didn’t know until the flood came and swept them all away. This is the way the coming of the Son of Man will be. 40 Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left. 41 Two women will be grinding grain with a hand mill; one will be taken and one left.(H) 42 Therefore be alert, since you don’t know what day[d] your Lord is coming.(I) 43 But know this: If the homeowner had known what time[e] the thief was coming, he would have stayed alert and not let his house be broken into.(J) 44 This is why you are also to be ready, because the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.(K)
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