Book of Common Prayer
A Prayer for the King
Of Solomon.
72 God, give the king your good judgment
and the king’s son your ·goodness [righteousness].
2 Help him judge your people ·fairly [rightly]
and decide what is ·right [just] for the poor.
3 Let there be ·peace [or prosperity] on the mountains
and ·goodness [righteousness] on the hills for the people.
4 Help him be ·fair [just] to the poor
and ·save [give victory to] the ·needy [or children of the needy]
and ·punish [crush] those who ·hurt [oppress; exploit] them.
5 May they ·respect [fear] you as long as the sun
and as long as the moon, throughout the generations.
6 Let him ·be [L come down] like rain on the mown grass,
like showers that water the earth.
7 Let ·goodness [righteousness] ·be plentiful [bloom forth] while he lives.
Let ·peace [or prosperity] continue ·as long as there is a [L until there is no] moon.
8 ·Let his kingdom go [L May he have dominion/rule] from sea to sea,
and from the ·Euphrates River [L river] to the ends of the earth.
9 Let the people of the ·desert [wilderness] ·bow down to [cringe/cower before] him,
and make his enemies lick the dust.
10 Let the kings of Tarshish [48:7] and the ·faraway lands [L islands]
bring him ·gifts [tribute].
Let the kings of Sheba [C an unknown location, perhaps present-day Yemen, Eritrea, or Ethiopia; see 1 Kin. 10:1–13] and Seba [C either in southern Egypt or further south; Gen. 10:7; Is. 43:3; 45:14]
bring their ·presents [tribute] to him.
11 Let all kings ·bow down [bend the knee] to him
and all nations serve him [Ps. 2].
12 He will ·help [protect] the poor when they cry out
and the needy when no one else will help.
13 He will ·be kind to [take pity on] the poor and the needy,
and he will ·save their lives [give victory to the needy].
14 He will ·save [redeem] them from ·cruel people who try to hurt them [L violence and oppression],
because their ·lives [L blood] are precious to ·him [L his eyes].
15 Long live the king!
Let him receive gold from Sheba [v. 10].
Let people always pray for him
and ·bless [praise] him all day long.
16 Let ·the fields grow plenty of grain [L there be much grain in the land/earth]
and ·the hills be covered with crops [L let there be abundance on the top of the mountains; or let it wave on the top of the mountains].
·Let the land be as fertile as Lebanon [L May its fruit be like that of Lebanon],
and let the cities grow like the grass in a field.
17 Let ·the king be famous [L his name/fame be] forever;
let ·him be remembered as long as the sun shines [L his name/fame continue as long as the sun].
Let the nations be ·blessed [praised] because of him,
and may they all ·bless [praise] him [Gen. 12:3].
18 ·Praise [Blessed be] the Lord God, the God of Israel,
who alone does such ·miracles [wonderful things].
19 Praise his glorious name forever.
Let his glory [C manifest presence] fill the whole world.
Amen and amen.
20 This ends the prayers of David son of Jesse [C at one time it did, but see other Davidic psalms at Ps. 101, 103, 108–110, and others].
73 You made me and ·formed [fashioned; or established] me with your hands.
Give me understanding so I can learn your commands.
74 Let those who ·respect [fear; Prov. 1:7] you rejoice when they see me,
because I put my hope in your word.
75 Lord, I know that your ·laws [judgments] are ·right [righteous]
and that it was ·right [faithful] for you to ·punish [humble] me.
76 Comfort me with your ·love [loyalty],
as you promised me, your servant.
77 ·Have mercy [L Let your mercy/compassion come] on me so that I may live.
I ·love [delight in] your ·teachings [laws; instructions].
78 Make ·proud [arrogant] people ashamed because they ·lied about me [perverted me with lies].
But I will ·think about [meditate on] your ·orders [precepts].
79 Let those who ·respect [fear; Prov. 1:7] you return to me,
those who know your ·rules [decrees; testimonies].
80 ·Let me obey your demands perfectly [L May my heart be blameless in regard to your statutes/ordinances/requirements]
so I will not be ashamed.
81 I ·am weak from waiting for you to save me [grow weak for your salvation/victory],
but I hope in your word.
82 My eyes ·are tired from looking [grow weak] for your promise.
I ask, “When will you comfort me?”
83 Even though I am like a wine bag in smoke [C shrunken and dried out],
I do not forget your ·demands [statutes; ordinances; requirements].
84 ·How long will I live [L Like what are the days of your servant]?
When will you ·judge [perform judgment on] those who are ·hurting [pursuing] me?
85 ·Proud [Arrogant] people have dug pits [C to trap him].
They ·have nothing to do with your teachings [L are not according to your teachings/instructions/laws].
86 All of your commands ·can be trusted [are reliable].
Liars are ·hurting [pursuing] me. Help me!
87 They have almost put me in the ·grave [L earth],
but I have not ·rejected [abandoned; forsaken] your ·orders [precepts].
88 Give me life ·by your love [L according to your loyalty]
so I can ·obey [keep; guard] your ·rules [decrees; testimonies].
89 ·Lord, your word is everlasting [or The Lord is everlasting];
·it [L your word] ·continues forever [L is firm] in heaven.
90 Your ·loyalty [faithfulness; truth] will go on and on;
you ·made [established] the earth, and it ·still stands [endures].
91 All things ·continue [endure] to this day because of your ·laws [judgments],
because all things ·serve you [L are your servants].
92 If I had not ·loved [delighted in] your ·teachings [instructions; laws],
I would have ·died [perished] ·from my sufferings [in my afflictions].
93 I will never forget your ·orders [precepts],
because you have given me life by them.
94 I am yours. ·Save me [Give me victory].
I ·want to obey [seek] your ·orders [precepts].
95 Wicked people ·are waiting [hope] to ·destroy me [make me perish],
but I will ·think about [consider] your ·rules [decrees; testimonies].
96 Everything I see has its limits,
but your commands ·have none [L are very broad].
Abner’s Death
22 Just then Joab and David’s ·men [L servants] came from a ·battle [raid], bringing ·many valuable things they had taken from the enemy [L much plunder/spoil with them]. David had let Abner leave in peace, so he was not with David at Hebron. 23 When Joab and all his army arrived at Hebron, the army said to Joab, “Abner son of Ner came to King David, and David let him leave in peace.”
24 Joab came to the king and said, “What have you done? Abner came to you. Why did you let him go? Now he’s gone. 25 You know Abner son of Ner! He came to ·trick [deceive] you! He came to learn about [L your movements/coming and going and] everything you are doing!”
26 After Joab left David, he sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the ·well [cistern] of Sirah. But David did not know this. 27 When Abner arrived at Hebron, Joab took him aside into ·the gateway [an inner chamber]. He acted as though he wanted to talk with Abner in private, but Joab stabbed him in the stomach, and Abner died. ·Abner had killed Joab’s brother Asahel, so Joab killed Abner to pay him back [L …on account of/to revenge the blood/killing of Asahel his brother].
28 Later when David heard the news, he said, “My kingdom and I are innocent before the Lord forever of the ·death [L blood] of Abner son of Ner. 29 ·Joab and his family are responsible for this. [L May it/the guilt fall on the head of Joab and on all his father’s house.] May his family always have someone with [running] sores or ·with a skin disease [T leprosy; C the term covers a variety of skin diseases that would render a person ritually unclean; Lev. 13–14]. May they always have someone who must lean on a crutch. May ·some of his family be killed in war [L someone always fall by the sword]. May they always have someone without food to eat.”
30 (Joab and his brother Abishai killed Abner, because he had killed their brother Asahel in the battle at Gibeon [2:18–32].)
31 Then David said to Joab and to all the people with Joab, “Tear your clothes and put on ·rough cloth [sackcloth; burlap; C a sign of mourning or distress]. ·Cry […lament; mourn] for Abner.” King David himself followed the ·body of Abner [L bier]. 32 They buried Abner in Hebron, and David and all the people cried at Abner’s grave.
33 King David ·sang [chanted; intoned; or composed] this ·funeral song [lament] for Abner.
“·Did [Should] Abner ·die [have died] like a fool?
34 ·His [L Your] hands were not tied.
·His [L Your] feet were not ·in chains [fettered].
·He [L You] fell ·at the hands of [as one falls before] evil men.”
Then all the people cried again for Abner. 35 They came to ·encourage [persuade] David to eat while it was still day. But he made a ·promise [vow], saying, “May God ·punish me terribly [deal severely with me] if I ·eat [taste] bread or anything else before the sun sets!”
36 All the people ·saw what happened [took note], and ·they agreed with what the king was doing [it pleased them; L it was good in their eyes], just as they ·agreed [were pleased] with everything ·he [L the king] did. 37 That day all the ·people of Judah [L people; C likely a reference to the people of Judah] and Israel understood that David ·did not order [had no part in] the killing of Abner son of Ner.
38 David said to his ·officers [L servants], “[L Don’t…?] You know that a [L prince and a] great man died today in Israel. 39 Even though I am the ·appointed [anointed] king, I ·feel empty [am weak/powerless]. These sons of Zeruiah are too ·much [strong; difficult] for me. May the Lord ·give them the punishment they should have [L repay the evildoer as his evil deserves].”
Paul and Silas in Jail
16 Once, while we were going to the place for prayer, a ·servant [slave] girl met us. She had a ·special spirit [spirit/demon of divination/prediction; L Python spirit; C Python was the serpent god that guarded the Delphic oracle; the term came to be used of the ability to predict the future] in her, and she earned a lot of money for her owners by telling fortunes. 17 This girl followed Paul and us, shouting, “These men are ·servants [slaves] of the Most High God. They are telling you ·how you can be saved [L the way/path of salvation].”
18 She kept this up for many days. This ·bothered [annoyed; exasperated] Paul, so he turned and said to the spirit, “By the ·power [L name] of Jesus Christ, I command you to come out of her!” ·Immediately, [L That very hour] the spirit came out.
19 When the owners of the ·servant [slave] girl saw that their ·source for making money [hope of profit] was gone, they grabbed Paul and Silas and dragged them before the ·city rulers [leaders; authorities] in the marketplace. 20 They brought Paul and Silas to the ·Roman rulers [magistrates] and said, “These men are Jews and are ·making trouble in [disturbing] our city. 21 They are ·teaching things [advocating customs] that are not ·right [permitted; lawful] for us as Romans to [L adopt/accept or to] do.”
22 The crowd joined the attack against them. The ·Roman officers [magistrates] ·tore [stripped off] the clothes of Paul and Silas and ·had [ordered] them beaten with rods [2 Cor. 11:25]. 23 After ·being severely beaten [L many blows were laid on them], ·Paul and Silas [L they] were thrown into ·jail [prison], and the jailer was ordered to guard them ·carefully [securely]. 24 When he heard this order, he put them far inside the ·jail [prison] and ·pinned [secured; fastened] their feet ·down between large blocks of wood [in stocks; L in wood].
47 That night, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and Jesus was alone on the land. 48 He saw his ·followers [disciples] struggling hard to row the boat, because the wind was blowing against them. ·Between three and six o’clock in the morning [L At about the fourth watch of the night], Jesus came to them, walking on the water, and he ·wanted [intended; was about] to ·walk past [pass by] the boat. 49 But when they saw him walking on the ·water [lake; sea], they thought he was a ghost and cried out. 50 They all saw him and were afraid. But ·quickly [immediately] Jesus spoke to them and said, “Have courage! It is I. Do not be afraid.” 51 Then he got into the boat with them, and the wind ·became calm [ceased; stopped]. They were greatly amazed. 52 [For] They did not understand ·about the miracle of the five loaves [the significance of the loaves; L about the loaves], because their ·minds were closed [hearts were hardened/stubborn/dull].
53 When they had crossed the lake, they came to shore at Gennesaret [C either the plain on the northwestern shore of the lake, or a town in that region] and tied the boat there. 54 When they got out of the boat, people immediately recognized Jesus. 55 They ran everywhere in that ·area [region] and began to bring sick people on ·mats [cots] wherever they heard he was. 56 And everywhere he went—into towns, cities, or countryside—the people brought the sick to the marketplaces. They begged him to let them touch just the ·edge [fringe; tassels] of his coat, and all who touched it were healed.
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