Book of Common Prayer
Psalm 46[a]
For the music director, by the Korahites; according to the alamoth style;[b] a song.
46 God is our strong refuge;[c]
he is truly our helper in times of trouble.[d]
2 For this reason we do not fear[e] when the earth shakes,[f]
and the mountains tumble into the depths of the sea,[g]
3 when its waves[h] crash[i] and foam,
and the mountains shake[j] before the surging sea.[k] (Selah)
4 The river’s channels bring joy to the city of God,[l]
the special, holy dwelling place of[m] the Most High.[n]
5 God lives within it,[o] it cannot be moved.[p]
God rescues it[q] at the break of dawn.[r]
6 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms are overthrown.[s]
God[t] gives a shout,[u] the earth dissolves.[v]
7 The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is on our side.[w]
The God of Jacob[x] is our stronghold.[y] (Selah)
8 Come, Witness the exploits[z] of the Lord,
who brings devastation to the earth.[aa]
9 He brings an end to wars throughout the earth.[ab]
He shatters[ac] the bow and breaks[ad] the spear;
he burns[ae] the shields with fire.[af]
10 He says,[ag] “Stop your striving and recognize[ah] that I am God.
I will be exalted[ai] over[aj] the nations! I will be exalted over[ak] the earth!”
11 The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is on our side![al]
The God of Jacob[am] is our stronghold![an] (Selah)
Psalm 87[a]
Written by the Korahites; a psalm, a song.
87 The Lord’s city is in the holy hills.[b]
2 The Lord loves the gates of Zion
more than all the dwelling places of Jacob.
3 People say wonderful things about you,[c]
O city of God. (Selah)
4 I mention Rahab[d] and Babylon to my followers.[e]
Here are[f] Philistia and Tyre, along with Ethiopia.[g]
It is said of them, “This one was born there.”[h]
5 But it is said of Zion’s residents,[i]
“Each one of these[j] was born in her,
and the Most High[k] makes her secure.”
6 The Lord writes in the census book of the nations,[l]
“This one was born there.”[m] (Selah)
7 As for the singers, as well as the pipers—
all of them sing within your walls.[n]
Solomon Prays for Israel
22 Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in front of the entire assembly of Israel and spread out his hands toward the sky.[a] 23 He prayed:[b] “O Lord, God of Israel, there is no god like you in heaven above or on earth below! You maintain covenantal loyalty[c] to your servants who obey you with sincerity.[d] 24 You have kept your word to your servant, my father David;[e] this very day you have fulfilled what you promised.[f] 25 Now, O Lord, God of Israel, keep the promise you made to your servant, my father David, when you said, ‘You will never fail to have a successor ruling before me on the throne of Israel,[g] provided that your descendants watch their step[h] and serve me as you have done.’[i] 26 Now, O God of Israel, may the promise you made[j] to your servant, my father David, be realized.[k]
27 “God does not really live on the earth![l] Look, if the sky and the highest heaven cannot contain you, how much less this temple I have built! 28 But respond favorably to[m] your servant’s prayer and his request for help, O Lord my God. Answer[n] the desperate prayer[o] your servant is presenting to you[p] today. 29 Night and day may you watch over this temple, the place where you promised you would live.[q] May you answer your servant’s prayer for this place.[r] 30 Respond to the request of your servant and your people Israel for this place.[s] Hear from inside your heavenly dwelling place[t] and respond favorably.[u]
New Life Corporately
11 Therefore remember that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh—who are called “uncircumcision” by the so-called “circumcision” that is performed on the body[a] by human hands— 12 that you were at that time without the Messiah,[b] alienated from the citizenship of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise,[c] having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who used to be far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.[d] 14 For he is our peace, the one who made both groups into one[e] and who destroyed the middle wall of partition, the hostility, 15 when he nullified[f] in his flesh the law of commandments in decrees. He did this to create in himself one new man[g] out of two,[h] thus making peace, 16 and to reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by which the hostility has been killed.[i] 17 And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near, 18 so that[j] through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. 19 So then you are no longer foreigners and noncitizens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of God’s household, 20 because you have been built[k] on the foundation of the apostles and prophets,[l] with Christ Jesus himself as[m] the cornerstone.[n] 21 In him[o] the whole building,[p] being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, 22 in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.
NET Bible® copyright ©1996-2017 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com All rights reserved.