Book of Common Prayer
Psalm 55
Betrayal by a Friend
For the choir director: with stringed instruments. A Davidic Maskil.
1 God, listen to my prayer
and do not ignore[a] my plea for help.(A)
2 Pay attention to me and answer me.(B)
I am restless and in turmoil with my complaint,(C)
3 because of the enemy’s voice,
because of the pressure[b] of the wicked.
For they bring down disaster on me[c]
and harass me in anger.(D)
4 My heart shudders within me;(E)
terrors of death sweep over me.
5 Fear and trembling grip me;
horror has overwhelmed me.(F)
6 I said, “If only I had[d] wings like a dove!
I would fly away and find rest.(G)
7 How far away I would flee;
I would stay in the wilderness.(H)
8 I would hurry to my shelter
from the raging wind and the storm.”(I)
9 Lord, confuse[e] and confound their speech,[f](J)
for I see violence and strife in the city;
10 day and night they make the rounds on its walls.
Crime and trouble are within it;(K)
11 destruction is inside it;
oppression and deceit never leave its marketplace.(L)
12 Now it is not an enemy who insults me—
otherwise I could bear it;
it is not a foe who rises up against me—
otherwise I could hide from him.
13 But it is you, a man who is my peer,
my companion and good friend!(M)
14 We used to have close fellowship;
we walked with the crowd into the house of God.(N)
15 Let death take them by surprise;(O)
let them go down to Sheol alive,
because evil is in their homes and within them.(P)
16 But I call to God,
and the Lord will save me.(Q)
17 I complain and groan morning, noon, and night,(R)
and He hears my voice.(S)
18 Though many are against me,
He will redeem me from my battle unharmed.(T)
19 God, the One enthroned from long ago,(U)
will hear and will humiliate them
because they do not change
and do not fear God.(V)
20 My friend(W) acts violently
against those at peace with him;(X)
he violates his covenant.(Y)
21 His buttery words are smooth,[g]
but war is in his heart.
His words are softer than oil,
but they are drawn swords.(Z)
Psalm 74
Prayer for Israel
A Maskil of Asaph.(A)
1 Why have You rejected us forever, God?
Why does Your anger burn
against the sheep of Your pasture?(B)
2 Remember Your congregation,
which You purchased long ago
and redeemed as the tribe for Your own possession.(C)
Remember Mount Zion where You dwell.(D)
3 Make Your way[a] to the everlasting ruins,
to all that the enemy has destroyed in the sanctuary.(E)
4 Your adversaries roared in the meeting place
where You met with us.[b]
They set up their emblems as signs.(F)
5 It was like men in a thicket of trees,
wielding axes,(G)
6 then smashing all the carvings
with hatchets and picks.(H)
7 They set Your sanctuary on fire;
they utterly[c] desecrated
the dwelling place of Your name.(I)
8 They said in their hearts,
“Let us oppress them relentlessly.”
They burned down every place throughout the land
where God met with us.[d](J)
9 There are no signs for us to see.
There is no longer a prophet.
And none of us knows how long this will last.(K)
10 God, how long will the enemy mock?
Will the foe insult Your name forever?(L)
11 Why do You hold back Your hand?
Stretch out[e] Your right hand and destroy them!(M)
12 God my King is from ancient times,
performing saving acts on the earth.(N)
13 You divided the sea with Your strength;
You smashed the heads of the sea monsters in the waters;(O)
14 You crushed the heads of Leviathan;
You fed him to the creatures of the desert.(P)
15 You opened up springs and streams;(Q)
You dried up ever-flowing rivers.(R)
16 The day is Yours, also the night;
You established the moon and the sun.(S)
17 You set all the boundaries of the earth;
You made summer and winter.(T)
18 Remember this: the enemy has mocked Yahweh,
and a foolish people has insulted Your name.(U)
19 Do not give the life of Your dove to beasts;[f]
do not forget the lives of Your poor people forever.(V)
20 Consider the covenant,(W)
for the dark places of the land are full of violence.(X)
21 Do not let the oppressed turn away in shame;
let the poor and needy praise Your name.(Y)
22 Rise up, God, defend Your cause!(Z)
Remember the insults
that fools bring against You all day long.(AA)
23 Do not forget the clamor of Your adversaries,
the tumult of Your opponents that goes up constantly.(AB)
Curse and Blessing
5 This is what the Lord says:
The man who trusts in mankind,(A)
who makes human flesh his strength(B)
and turns his heart from the Lord is cursed.
6 He will be like a juniper in the Arabah;(C)
he cannot see when good comes
but dwells in the parched places in the wilderness,
in a salt land where no one lives.(D)
7 The man who trusts in the Lord,
whose confidence indeed is the Lord, is blessed.(E)
8 He will be like a tree planted by water:(F)
it sends its roots out toward a stream,
it doesn’t fear when heat comes,
and its foliage remains green.
It will not worry in a year of drought
or cease producing fruit.
The Deceitful Heart
Jeremiah’s Plea
14 Heal me, Lord, and I will be healed;
save me, and I will be saved,
for You are my praise.(A)
15 Hear how they keep challenging me,(B)
“Where is the word of the Lord?
Let it come!”
16 But I have not run away from being Your shepherd,
and I have not longed for the fatal day.
You know my words were spoken in Your presence.
17 Don’t become a terror to me.
You are my refuge(C) in the day of disaster.
Practical Counsel
4 So then, my brothers, you are dearly loved and longed for—my joy and crown.(A) In this manner stand firm(B) in the Lord, dear friends. 2 I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to agree in the Lord. 3 Yes, I also ask you, true partner,[a] to help these women who have contended for the gospel at my side, along with Clement and the rest of my coworkers whose names are in the book of life. 4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your graciousness be known to everyone. The Lord is near.(C) 6 Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses(D) every thought, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.(E)
8 Finally brothers, whatever is true,(F) whatever is honorable,(G) whatever is just,(H) whatever is pure,(I) whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable—if there is any moral excellence(J) and if there is any praise—dwell on these things. 9 Do what you have learned and received(K) and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.
Appreciation of Support
10 I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that once again(L) you renewed your care for me.(M) You were, in fact, concerned about me but lacked the opportunity to show it. 11 I don’t say this out of need, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. 12 I know both how to have a little, and I know how to have a lot.(N) In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being content—whether well fed or hungry, whether in abundance or in need. 13 I am able to do all things through Him[b] who strengthens me.(O)
27 “Now My soul is troubled. What should I say—Father, save Me(A) from this hour? But that is why I came to this hour. 28 Father, glorify Your name!”[a](B)
Then a voice(C) came from heaven:(D) “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again!”(E)
29 The crowd standing there heard it and said it was thunder. Others said that an angel had spoken to Him.
30 Jesus responded, “This voice came, not for Me, but for you.(F) 31 Now is the judgment of this world.(G) Now the ruler of this world(H) will be cast out.(I) 32 As for Me, if I am lifted up[b] from the earth I will draw all people to Myself.”(J) 33 He said this to signify what kind of death He was about to die.(K)
34 Then the crowd replied to Him, “We have heard from the scripture that the Messiah will remain forever.(L) So how can You say, ‘The Son of Man(M) must be lifted up’?[c] Who is this Son of Man?”
35 Jesus answered, “The light will be with you only a little longer.(N) Walk while you have the light(O) so that darkness doesn’t overtake you.(P) The one who walks in darkness doesn’t know where he’s going.(Q) 36 While you have the light,(R) believe in the light so that you may become sons of light.” Jesus said this, then went away and hid from them.(S)
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