Book of Common Prayer
ו (Vav)
41 May I experience your loyal love,[a] O Lord,
and your deliverance,[b] as you promised.[c]
42 Then I will have a reply for the one who insults me,[d]
for I trust in your word.
43 Do not completely deprive me of a truthful testimony,[e]
for I await your justice.
44 Then I will keep[f] your law continually
now and for all time.[g]
45 I will be secure,[h]
for I seek your precepts.
46 I will speak[i] about your regulations before kings
and not be ashamed.
47 I will find delight in your commands,
which I love.
48 I will lift my hands to[j] your commands,
which I love,
and I will meditate on your statutes.
ז (Zayin)
49 Remember your word to your servant,
for you have given me hope.
50 This[k] is what comforts me in my trouble,
for your promise revives me.[l]
51 Arrogant people do nothing but scoff at me.[m]
Yet I do not turn aside from your law.
52 I remember your ancient regulations,[n]
O Lord, and console myself.[o]
53 Rage takes hold of me because of the wicked,
those who reject your law.
54 Your statutes have been my songs[p]
in the house where I live.[q]
55 I remember your name during the night, O Lord,
and I will keep[r] your law.
56 This[s] has been my practice,
for I observe your precepts.
ח (Khet)
57 The Lord is my source of security.[t]
I have determined[u] to follow your instructions.[v]
58 I seek your favor[w] with all my heart.
Have mercy on me as you promised.[x]
59 I consider my actions[y]
and follow[z] your rules.
60 I keep your commands eagerly
and without delay.[aa]
61 The ropes of the wicked tighten around[ab] me,
but I do not forget your law.
62 In the middle of the night I arise[ac] to thank you
for your just regulations.
63 I am a friend to all your loyal followers,[ad]
and to those who keep your precepts.
64 O Lord, your loyal love fills the earth.
Teach me your statutes!
The Lord Encourages Isaiah
11 Indeed this is what the Lord told me quite forcefully.[a] He warned me not to act like these people:[b]
12 “Do not say, ‘Conspiracy,’ every time these people say the word.[c]
Don’t be afraid of what scares them; don’t be terrified.
13 You must recognize the authority of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.[d]
He is the one you must respect;
he is the one you must fear.[e]
14 He will become a sanctuary,[f]
but a stone that makes a person trip,
and a rock that makes one stumble—
to the two houses of Israel.[g]
He will become[h] a trap and a snare
to the residents of Jerusalem.
15 Many will stumble over the stone and the rock,[i]
and will fall and be seriously injured,
and will be ensnared and captured.”
16 Tie up the scroll as legal evidence,[j]
seal the official record of God’s instructions and give it to my followers.[k]
17 I will wait patiently for the Lord,
who has rejected the family of Jacob;[l]
I will wait for him.
18 Look, I and the sons whom the Lord has given me[m] are reminders and object lessons[n] in Israel, sent from the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, who lives on Mount Zion.
Darkness Turns to Light as an Ideal King Arrives
19 [o] They will say to you, “Seek oracles at the pits used to conjure up underworld spirits, from the magicians who chirp and mutter incantations.[p] Should people not seek oracles from their gods, by asking the dead about the destiny of the living?”[q] 20 Then you must recall the Lord’s instructions and the prophetic testimony of what would happen.[r] Certainly they say such things because their minds are spiritually darkened.[s]
10 Brothers and sisters,[a] my heart’s desire and prayer to God on behalf of my fellow Israelites[b] is for their salvation. 2 For I can testify that they are zealous for God,[c] but their zeal is not in line with the truth.[d] 3 For ignoring the righteousness that comes from God, and seeking instead to establish their own righteousness, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. 4 For Christ is the end of the law, with the result that there is righteousness for everyone who believes.
5 For Moses writes about the righteousness that is by the law: “The one who does these things will live by them.”[e] 6 But the righteousness that is by faith says: “Do not say in your heart,[f] ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’”[g] (that is, to bring Christ down) 7 or “Who will descend into the abyss?”[h] (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). 8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart”[i] (that is, the word of faith that we preach), 9 because if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord[j] and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and thus has righteousness[k] and with the mouth one confesses and thus has salvation.[l] 11 For the scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.”[m] 12 For there is no distinction between the Jew and the Greek, for the same Lord is Lord of all, who richly blesses all who call on him. 13 For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.[n]
14 How are they to call on one they have not believed in? And how are they to believe in one they have not heard of? And how are they to hear without someone preaching to them?[o] 15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How timely[p] is the arrival[q] of those who proclaim the good news.”[r]
Psalm 19[a]
For the music director, a psalm of David.
19 The heavens declare the glory of God;[b]
the sky displays his handiwork.[c]
2 Day after day it speaks out;[d]
night after night it reveals his greatness.[e]
3 There is no actual speech or word,
nor is its[f] voice literally heard.
4 Yet its voice[g] echoes[h] throughout the earth;
its[i] words carry[j] to the distant horizon.[k]
In the sky[l] he has pitched a tent for the sun.[m]
5 Like a bridegroom it emerges[n] from its chamber;[o]
like a strong man it enjoys[p] running its course.[q]
6 It emerges from the distant horizon,[r]
and goes from one end of the sky to the other;[s]
nothing can escape[t] its heat.
7 The law of the Lord is perfect
and preserves one’s life.[u]
The rules set down by the Lord[v] are reliable[w]
and impart wisdom to the inexperienced.[x]
8 The Lord’s precepts are fair[y]
and make one joyful.[z]
The Lord’s commands[aa] are pure[ab]
and give insight for life.[ac]
9 The commands to fear the Lord are right[ad]
and endure forever.[ae]
The judgments given by the Lord are trustworthy
and absolutely just.[af]
10 They are of greater value[ag] than gold,
than even a great amount of pure gold;
they bring greater delight[ah] than honey,
than even the sweetest honey from a honeycomb.
11 Yes, your servant finds moral guidance there;[ai]
those who obey them receive a rich reward.[aj]
12 Who can know all his errors?[ak]
Please do not punish me for sins I am unaware of.[al]
13 Moreover, keep me from committing flagrant sins;[am]
do not allow such sins to control me.[an]
Then I will be blameless,
and innocent of blatant[ao] rebellion.
14 May my words and my thoughts
be acceptable in your sight,[ap]
O Lord, my sheltering rock[aq] and my redeemer.[ar]
Psalm 112[a]
112 Praise the Lord!
How blessed is the one[b] who obeys[c] the Lord,
who takes great delight in keeping his commands.[d]
2 His descendants[e] will be powerful on the earth;
the godly[f] will be blessed.
3 His house contains wealth and riches;
his integrity endures.[g]
4 In the darkness a light[h] shines for the godly,
for each one who is merciful, compassionate, and just.[i]
5 It goes well for the one[j] who generously lends money,
and conducts his business honestly.[k]
6 For he will never be shaken;
others will always remember one who is just.[l]
7 He does not fear bad news.
He[m] is confident; he trusts in the Lord.
8 His resolve[n] is firm; he will not succumb to fear
before he looks in triumph on his enemies.
9 He generously gives[o] to the needy;
his integrity endures.[p]
He will be vindicated and honored.[q]
10 When the wicked[r] see this, they will worry;
they will grind their teeth in frustration[s] and melt away.
The desire of the wicked will perish.[t]
Parables on the Kingdom of Heaven
44 “The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure, hidden in a field, that a person found and hid. Then because of joy he went and sold all that he had and bought that field.
45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant searching for fine pearls. 46 When he found a pearl of great value, he went out and sold everything he had and bought it.
47 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was cast into the sea that caught all kinds of fish. 48 When it was full, they pulled it ashore, sat down, and put the good fish into containers and threw the bad away. 49 It will be this way at the end of the age. Angels will come and separate the evil from the righteous 50 and throw them into the fiery furnace,[a] where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
51 “Have you understood all these things?” They replied, “Yes.” 52 Then he said to them, “Therefore every expert in the law[b] who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his treasure what is new and old.”
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