Book of Common Prayer
(A special psalm by David.)
The Best Choice
1 Protect me, Lord God!
I run to you for safety,
2 and I have said,
“Only you are my Lord!
Every good thing I have
is a gift from you.”
3 Your people are wonderful,
and they make me happy,[a]
4 but worshipers of other gods
will have much sorrow.[b]
I refuse to offer sacrifices
of blood to those gods
or worship in their name.
5 You, Lord, are all I want!
You are my choice,
and you keep me safe.
6 You make my life pleasant,
and my future is bright.
7 I praise you, Lord,
for being my guide.
Even in the darkest night,
your teachings fill my mind.
8 (A) I will always look to you,
as you stand beside me
and protect me from fear.
9 With all my heart,
I will celebrate,
and I can safely rest.
10 (B) I am your chosen one.
You won't leave me in the grave
or let my body decay.
11 You have shown me
the path to life,
and you make me glad
by being near to me.
Sitting at your right side,[c]
I will always be joyful.
(A prayer by David.)
The Prayer of an Innocent Person
1 I am innocent, Lord!
Won't you listen as I pray
and beg for help?
I am honest!
Please hear my prayer.
2 Only you can say
that I am innocent,
because only your eyes
can see the truth.
3 You know my heart,
and even during the night
you have tested me
and found me innocent.
I have made up my mind
never to tell a lie.
4 I don't do like others.
I obey your teachings
and am not cruel.
5 I have followed you,
without ever stumbling.
6 I pray to you, God,
because you will help me.
Listen and answer my prayer!
7 Show your wonderful love.
Your mighty arm protects those
who run to you for safety
from their enemies.
8 Protect me as you would
your very own eyes;
hide me in the shadow
of your wings.
9 Don't let my brutal enemies
attack from all sides
and kill me.
10 They refuse to show mercy,
and they keep bragging.
11 They have caught up with me!
My enemies are everywhere,
eagerly hoping to smear me
in the dirt.
12 They are like hungry lions
hunting for food,
or like young lions
hiding in ambush.
13 Do something, Lord!
Attack and defeat them.
Take your sword and save me
from those evil people.
14 Use your powerful arm
and rescue me
from the hands of mere humans
whose world won't last.[d]
You provide food
for those you love.
Their children have plenty,
and their grandchildren
will have more than enough.
15 I am innocent, Lord,
and I will see your face!
When I awake, all I want
is to see you as you are.
(A psalm by David for the music leader. To the tune “A Deer at Dawn.”)
Suffering and Praise
1 (A) My God, my God, why have you
deserted me?
Why are you so far away?
Won't you listen to my groans
and come to my rescue?
2 I cry out day and night,
but you don't answer,
and I can never rest.
3 Yet you are the holy God,
ruling from your throne
and praised by Israel.
4 (B) Our ancestors trusted you,
and you rescued them.
5 When they cried out for help,
you saved them,
and you did not let them down
when they depended on you.
6 But I am merely a worm,
far less than human,
and I am hated and rejected
by people everywhere.
7 (C) Everyone who sees me
makes fun and sneers.
They shake their heads,
8 (D) and say, “Trust the Lord!
If you are his favorite,
let him protect you
and keep you safe.”
9 You, Lord, brought me
safely through birth,
and you protected me
when I was a baby
at my mother's breast.
10 From the day I was born,
I have been in your care,
and from the time of my birth,
you have been my God.
11 Don't stay far off
when I am in trouble
with no one to help me.
12 Enemies are all around
like a herd of wild bulls.
Powerful bulls from Bashan[a]
are everywhere.
13 My enemies are like lions
roaring and attacking
with jaws open wide.
14 I have no more strength
than a few drops of water.
All my bones are out of joint;
my heart is like melted wax.
15 My strength has dried up
like a broken clay pot,
and my tongue sticks
to the roof of my mouth.
You, God, have left me
to die in the dirt.
16 Brutal enemies attack me
like a pack of dogs,
tearing at[b] my hands
and my feet.
17 I can count all my bones,
and my enemies just stare
and sneer at me.
18 (E) They took my clothes
and gambled for them.
19 Don't stay far away, Lord!
My strength comes from you,
so hurry and help.
20 Rescue me from enemy swords
and save me from those dogs.
21 Don't let lions eat me.
You rescued me from the horns
of wild bulls,
22 (F) and when your people meet,
I will praise you, Lord.
23 All who worship the Lord,
now praise him!
You belong to Jacob's family
and to the people of Israel,
so fear and honor the Lord!
24 The Lord doesn't hate
or despise the helpless
in all of their troubles.
When I cried out, he listened
and did not turn away.
25 When your people meet,
you will fill my heart
with your praises, Lord,
and everyone will see me
keep my promises to you.
26 The poor will eat and be full,
and all who worship you
will be thankful
and live in hope.
27 Everyone on this earth
will remember you, Lord.
People all over the world
will turn and worship you,
28 because you are in control,
the ruler of all nations.
29 All who are rich
and have more than enough
will bow down to you, Lord.
Even those who are dying
and almost in the grave
will come and bow down.
30 In the future, everyone
will worship and learn
about you, our Lord.
31 People not yet born
will be told,
“The Lord has saved us!”
The Lord Will Send a Flood
6 1-2 (A) More and more people were born, until finally they spread all over the earth. Some of their daughters were so beautiful that supernatural beings[a] came down and married the ones they wanted. 3 Then the Lord said, “I won't let my life-giving breath remain in anyone forever.[b] No one will live for more than 120 years.”[c]
4 (B)(C) The children of the supernatural beings who had married these women became famous heroes and warriors. They were called Nephilim and lived on the earth at that time and even later.
5 (D) The Lord saw how bad the people on earth were and that everything they thought and planned was evil. 6 He was sorry that he had made them, 7 and he said, “I'm going to destroy every person on earth! I'll even wipe out animals, birds, and reptiles. I'm sorry I ever made them.”
8 But the Lord was pleased with Noah,
12 My friends, watch out! Don't let evil thoughts or doubts make any of you turn from the living God. 13 You must encourage one another each day. And you must keep on while there is still a time that can be called “today.” If you don't, then sin may fool some of you and make you stubborn. 14 We were sure about Christ when we first became his people. So let's hold tightly to our faith until the end. 15 (A) The Scriptures say,
“If you hear his voice today,
don't be stubborn
like those who rebelled.”
16 (B) Who were those people that heard God's voice and rebelled? Weren't they the same ones that came out of Egypt with Moses? 17 Who were the people that made God angry for 40 years? Weren't they the ones that sinned and died in the desert? 18 And who did God say would never enter his place of rest? Weren't they the ones that disobeyed him? 19 We see that those people did not enter the place of rest because they did not have faith.
Jesus at a Wedding in Cana
2 Three days later Mary, the mother of Jesus, was at a wedding feast in the village of Cana in Galilee. 2 Jesus and his disciples had also been invited and were there.
3 When the wine was all gone, Mary said to Jesus, “They don't have any more wine.”
4 Jesus replied, “Mother, my time hasn't yet come![a] You must not tell me what to do.”
5 Mary then said to the servants, “Do whatever Jesus tells you to do.”
6 At the feast there were six stone water jars that were used by the people for washing themselves in the way that their religion said they must. Each jar held about 100 liters. 7 Jesus told the servants to fill them to the top with water. Then after the jars had been filled, 8 he said, “Now take some water and give it to the man in charge of the feast.”
The servants did as Jesus told them, 9 and the man in charge drank some of the water that had now turned into wine. He did not know where the wine had come from, but the servants did. He called the bridegroom over 10 and said, “The best wine is always served first. Then after the guests have had plenty, the other wine is served. But you have kept the best until last!”
11 This was Jesus' first miracle,[b] and he did it in the village of Cana in Galilee. There Jesus showed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him. 12 (A) After this, he went with his mother, his brothers, and his disciples to the town of Capernaum, where they stayed for a few days.
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