ESV: Book of Common Prayer Daily Office Lectionary

September 2 (Proper 17): Ps. 37:1-18; Ps. 37:19-42; Job 16:16-22, 17:1, 13-16; Acts 13:1-12; John 9:1-17 (ESV)

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 00:01:00 -0500

Psalm 37:1-18 (Listen)

He Will Not Forsake His Saints

Of David.

37:1 Fret not yourself because of evildoers;
be not envious of wrongdoers!
For they will soon fade like the grass
and wither like the green herb.

Trust in the LORD, and do good;
dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.
Delight yourself in the LORD,
and he will give you the desires of your heart.

Commit your way to the LORD;
trust in him, and he will act.
He will bring forth your righteousness as the light,
and your justice as the noonday.

Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him;
fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way,
over the man who carries out evil devices!

Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath!
Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil.
For the evildoers shall be cut off,
but those who wait for the LORD shall inherit the land.

In just a little while, the wicked will be no more;
though you look carefully at his place, he will not be there.
But the meek shall inherit the land
and delight themselves in abundant peace.

The wicked plots against the righteous
and gnashes his teeth at him,
but the Lord laughs at the wicked,
for he sees that his day is coming.

The wicked draw the sword and bend their bows
  to bring down the poor and needy,
  to slay those whose way is upright;
their sword shall enter their own heart,
  and their bows shall be broken.

Better is the little that the righteous has
than the abundance of many wicked.
For the arms of the wicked shall be broken,
but the LORD upholds the righteous.

The LORD knows the days of the blameless,
and their heritage will remain forever;

Psalm 37:19-40 (Listen)

they are not put to shame in evil times;
in the days of famine they have abundance.

But the wicked will perish;
the enemies of the LORD are like the glory of the pastures;
they vanish—like smoke they vanish away.

The wicked borrows but does not pay back,
but the righteous is generous and gives;
for those blessed by the LORD shall inherit the land,
but those cursed by him shall be cut off.

The steps of a man are established by the LORD,
when he delights in his way;
though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong,
for the LORD upholds his hand.

I have been young, and now am old,
  yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken
  or his children begging for bread.
He is ever lending generously,
  and his children become a blessing.

Turn away from evil and do good;
  so shall you dwell forever.
For the LORD loves justice;
  he will not forsake his saints.
They are preserved forever,
  but the children of the wicked shall be cut off.
The righteous shall inherit the land
  and dwell upon it forever.

The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom,
and his tongue speaks justice.
The law of his God is in his heart;
his steps do not slip.

The wicked watches for the righteous
and seeks to put him to death.
The LORD will not abandon him to his power
or let him be condemned when he is brought to trial.

Wait for the LORD and keep his way,
and he will exalt you to inherit the land;
you will look on when the wicked are cut off.

I have seen a wicked, ruthless man,
spreading himself like a green laurel tree.
But he passed away, and behold, he was no more;
though I sought him, he could not be found.

Mark the blameless and behold the upright,
for there is a future for the man of peace.
But transgressors shall be altogether destroyed;
the future of the wicked shall be cut off.

The salvation of the righteous is from the LORD;
  he is their stronghold in the time of trouble.
The LORD helps them and delivers them;
  he delivers them from the wicked and saves them,
  because they take refuge in him.

Job 16:16-22 (Listen)

My face is red with weeping,
and on my eyelids is deep darkness,
although there is no violence in my hands,
and my prayer is pure.

“O earth, cover not my blood,
  and let my cry find no resting place.
Even now, behold, my witness is in heaven,
  and he who testifies for me is on high.
My friends scorn me;
  my eye pours out tears to God,
that he would argue the case of a man with God,
  as a son of man does with his neighbor.
For when a few years have come
  I shall go the way from which I shall not return.

Job 17:1 (Listen)

Job Continues: Where Then Is My Hope?

17:1 “My spirit is broken; my days are extinct;
the graveyard is ready for me.

Job 17:13-16 (Listen)

If I hope for Sheol as my house,
  if I make my bed in darkness,
if I say to the pit, ‘You are my father,’
  and to the worm, ‘My mother,’ or ‘My sister,’
where then is my hope?
  Who will see my hope?
Will it go down to the bars of Sheol?
  Shall we descend together into the dust?”

Acts 13:1-12 (Listen)

Barnabas and Saul Sent Off

13:1 Now there were in the church at Antioch prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a member of the court of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off.

Barnabas and Saul on Cyprus

So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus. When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews. And they had John to assist them. When they had gone through the whole island as far as Paphos, they came upon a certain magician, a Jewish false prophet named Bar-Jesus. He was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of intelligence, who summoned Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God. But Elymas the magician (for that is the meaning of his name) opposed them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith. But Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him and said, “You son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, full of all deceit and villainy, will you not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord? And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind and unable to see the sun for a time.” Immediately mist and darkness fell upon him, and he went about seeking people to lead him by the hand. Then the proconsul believed, when he saw what had occurred, for he was astonished at the teaching of the Lord.

John 9:1-17 (Listen)

Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind

9:1 As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him. We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” Having said these things, he spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva. Then he anointed the man's eyes with the mud and said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). So he went and washed and came back seeing.

The neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar were saying, “Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?” Some said, “It is he.” Others said, “No, but he is like him.” He kept saying, “I am the man.” So they said to him, “Then how were your eyes opened?” He answered, “The man called Jesus made mud and anointed my eyes and said to me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’ So I went and washed and received my sight.” They said to him, “Where is he?” He said, “I do not know.”

They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind. Now it was a Sabbath day when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes. So the Pharisees again asked him how he had received his sight. And he said to them, “He put mud on my eyes, and I washed, and I see.” Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.” But others said, “How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?” And there was a division among them. So they said again to the blind man, “What do you say about him, since he has opened your eyes?” He said, “He is a prophet.”

Footnotes

[1] 37:1 This psalm is an acrostic poem, each stanza beginning with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet
[2] 37:3 Or and feed on faithfulness, or and find safe pasture
[3] 37:22 Hebrew by him
[4] 37:35 The identity of this tree is uncertain
[5] 37:36 Or But one passed by
[6] 16:21 Hebrew and
[7] 13:1 Niger is a Latin word meaning black, or dark

This reading plan is adapted from the Daily Office Lectionary found in The Book of Common Prayer.

September 1 (Proper 17): Ps. 38; Ps. 119:25-48; Job 12:1, 14:1-22; Acts 12:18-25; John 8:47-59 (ESV)

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 00:01:00 -0500

Psalm 38 (Listen)

Do Not Forsake Me, O LORD

A Psalm of David, for the memorial offering.

38:1 O LORD, rebuke me not in your anger,
nor discipline me in your wrath!
For your arrows have sunk into me,
and your hand has come down on me.

There is no soundness in my flesh
  because of your indignation;
there is no health in my bones
  because of my sin.
For my iniquities have gone over my head;
  like a heavy burden, they are too heavy for me.

My wounds stink and fester
  because of my foolishness,
I am utterly bowed down and prostrate;
  all the day I go about mourning.
For my sides are filled with burning,
  and there is no soundness in my flesh.
I am feeble and crushed;
  I groan because of the tumult of my heart.

O Lord, all my longing is before you;
  my sighing is not hidden from you.
My heart throbs; my strength fails me,
  and the light of my eyes—it also has gone from me.
My friends and companions stand aloof from my plague,
  and my nearest kin stand far off.

Those who seek my life lay their snares;
those who seek my hurt speak of ruin
and meditate treachery all day long.

But I am like a deaf man; I do not hear,
like a mute man who does not open his mouth.
I have become like a man who does not hear,
and in whose mouth are no rebukes.

But for you, O LORD, do I wait;
it is you, O Lord my God, who will answer.
For I said, “Only let them not rejoice over me,
who boast against me when my foot slips!”

For I am ready to fall,
  and my pain is ever before me.
I confess my iniquity;
  I am sorry for my sin.
But my foes are vigorous, they are mighty,
  and many are those who hate me wrongfully.
Those who render me evil for good
  accuse me because I follow after good.

Do not forsake me, O LORD!
O my God, be not far from me!
Make haste to help me,
O Lord, my salvation!

Psalm 119:25-48 (Listen)

Daleth

My soul clings to the dust;
  give me life according to your word!
When I told of my ways, you answered me;
  teach me your statutes!
Make me understand the way of your precepts,
  and I will meditate on your wondrous works.
My soul melts away for sorrow;
  strengthen me according to your word!
Put false ways far from me
  and graciously teach me your law!
I have chosen the way of faithfulness;
  I set your rules before me.
I cling to your testimonies, O LORD;
  let me not be put to shame!
I will run in the way of your commandments
  when you enlarge my heart!

He

Teach me, O LORD, the way of your statutes;
  and I will keep it to the end.
Give me understanding, that I may keep your law
  and observe it with my whole heart.
Lead me in the path of your commandments,
  for I delight in it.
Incline my heart to your testimonies,
  and not to selfish gain!
Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things;
  and give me life in your ways.
Confirm to your servant your promise,
  that you may be feared.
Turn away the reproach that I dread,
  for your rules are good.
Behold, I long for your precepts;
  in your righteousness give me life!

Waw

Let your steadfast love come to me, O LORD,
  your salvation according to your promise;
then shall I have an answer for him who taunts me,
  for I trust in your word.
And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth,
  for my hope is in your rules.
I will keep your law continually,
  forever and ever,
and I shall walk in a wide place,
  for I have sought your precepts.
I will also speak of your testimonies before kings
  and shall not be put to shame,
for I find my delight in your commandments,
  which I love.
I will lift up my hands toward your commandments, which I love,
  and I will meditate on your statutes.

Job 12:1 (Listen)

Job Replies: The LORD Has Done This

12:1 Then Job answered and said:

Job 14 (Listen)

Job Continues: Death Comes Soon to All

14:1 “Man who is born of a woman
  is few of days and full of trouble.
He comes out like a flower and withers;
  he flees like a shadow and continues not.
And do you open your eyes on such a one
  and bring me into judgment with you?
Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean?
  There is not one.
Since his days are determined,
  and the number of his months is with you,
  and you have appointed his limits that he cannot pass,
look away from him and leave him alone,
  that he may enjoy, like a hired hand, his day.

“For there is hope for a tree,
  if it be cut down, that it will sprout again,
  and that its shoots will not cease.
Though its root grow old in the earth,
  and its stump die in the soil,
yet at the scent of water it will bud
  and put out branches like a young plant.
But a man dies and is laid low;
  man breathes his last, and where is he?
As waters fail from a lake
  and a river wastes away and dries up,
so a man lies down and rises not again;
  till the heavens are no more he will not awake
  or be roused out of his sleep.
Oh that you would hide me in Sheol,
  that you would conceal me until your wrath be past,
  that you would appoint me a set time, and remember me!
If a man dies, shall he live again?
  All the days of my service I would wait,
  till my renewal should come.
You would call, and I would answer you;
  you would long for the work of your hands.
For then you would number my steps;
  you would not keep watch over my sin;
my transgression would be sealed up in a bag,
  and you would cover over my iniquity.

“But the mountain falls and crumbles away,
  and the rock is removed from its place;
the waters wear away the stones;
  the torrents wash away the soil of the earth;
  so you destroy the hope of man.
You prevail forever against him, and he passes;
  you change his countenance, and send him away.
His sons come to honor, and he does not know it;
  they are brought low, and he perceives it not.
He feels only the pain of his own body,
  and he mourns only for himself.”

Acts 12:18-25 (Listen)

Now when day came, there was no little disturbance among the soldiers over what had become of Peter. And after Herod searched for him and did not find him, he examined the sentries and ordered that they should be put to death. Then he went down from Judea to Caesarea and spent time there.

The Death of Herod

Now Herod was angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon, and they came to him with one accord, and having persuaded Blastus, the king's chamberlain, they asked for peace, because their country depended on the king's country for food. On an appointed day Herod put on his royal robes, took his seat upon the throne, and delivered an oration to them. And the people were shouting, “The voice of a god, and not of a man!” Immediately an angel of the Lord struck him down, because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and breathed his last.

But the word of God increased and multiplied.

And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem when they had completed their service, bringing with them John, whose other name was Mark.

John 8:47-59 (Listen)

Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God.”

Before Abraham Was, I Am

The Jews answered him, “Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?” Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon, but I honor my Father, and you dishonor me. Yet I do not seek my own glory; there is One who seeks it, and he is the judge. Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.” The Jews said to him, “Now we know that you have a demon! Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet you say, ‘If anyone keeps my word, he will never taste death.’ Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? And the prophets died! Who do you make yourself out to be?” Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God.’ But you have not known him. I know him. If I were to say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and I keep his word. Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad.” So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?” Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.

Footnotes

[1] 119:32 Or for you set my heart free
[2] 119:33 Or keep it as my reward
[3] 14:6 Probable reading; Hebrew look away from him, that he may cease
[4] 14:14 Or relief
[5] 12:25 Some manuscripts to
[6] 8:54 Some manuscripts your God
[7] 8:57 Some manuscripts has Abraham seen you?

This reading plan is adapted from the Daily Office Lectionary found in The Book of Common Prayer.

August 31 (Proper 17): Ps. 26, 28; Ps. 36, 39; Job 12:1, 13:3-17, 21-27; Acts 12:1-17; John 8:33-47 (ESV)

Tue, 31 Aug 2010 00:01:00 -0500

Psalm 26 (Listen)

I Will Bless the LORD

Of David.

26:1 Vindicate me, O LORD,
  for I have walked in my integrity,
  and I have trusted in the LORD without wavering.
Prove me, O LORD, and try me;
  test my heart and my mind.
For your steadfast love is before my eyes,
  and I walk in your faithfulness.

I do not sit with men of falsehood,
nor do I consort with hypocrites.
I hate the assembly of evildoers,
and I will not sit with the wicked.

I wash my hands in innocence
and go around your altar, O LORD,
proclaiming thanksgiving aloud,
and telling all your wondrous deeds.

O LORD, I love the habitation of your house
  and the place where your glory dwells.
Do not sweep my soul away with sinners,
  nor my life with bloodthirsty men,
in whose hands are evil devices,
  and whose right hands are full of bribes.

But as for me, I shall walk in my integrity;
redeem me, and be gracious to me.
My foot stands on level ground;
in the great assembly I will bless the LORD.

Psalm 28 (Listen)

The LORD Is My Strength and My Shield

Of David.

28:1 To you, O LORD, I call;
  my rock, be not deaf to me,
lest, if you be silent to me,
  I become like those who go down to the pit.
Hear the voice of my pleas for mercy,
  when I cry to you for help,
when I lift up my hands
  toward your most holy sanctuary.

Do not drag me off with the wicked,
  with the workers of evil,
who speak peace with their neighbors
  while evil is in their hearts.
Give to them according to their work
  and according to the evil of their deeds;
give to them according to the work of their hands;
  render them their due reward.
Because they do not regard the works of the LORD
  or the work of his hands,
he will tear them down and build them up no more.

Blessed be the LORD!
  For he has heard the voice of my pleas for mercy.
The LORD is my strength and my shield;
  in him my heart trusts, and I am helped;
my heart exults,
  and with my song I give thanks to him.

The LORD is the strength of his people;
he is the saving refuge of his anointed.
Oh, save your people and bless your heritage!
Be their shepherd and carry them forever.

Psalm 36 (Listen)

How Precious Is Your Steadfast Love

To the choirmaster. Of David, the servant of the LORD.

36:1 Transgression speaks to the wicked
  deep in his heart;
there is no fear of God
  before his eyes.
For he flatters himself in his own eyes
  that his iniquity cannot be found out and hated.
The words of his mouth are trouble and deceit;
  he has ceased to act wisely and do good.
He plots trouble while on his bed;
  he sets himself in a way that is not good;
  he does not reject evil.

Your steadfast love, O LORD, extends to the heavens,
  your faithfulness to the clouds.
Your righteousness is like the mountains of God;
  your judgments are like the great deep;
  man and beast you save, O LORD.

How precious is your steadfast love, O God!
  The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings.
They feast on the abundance of your house,
  and you give them drink from the river of your delights.
For with you is the fountain of life;
  in your light do we see light.

Oh, continue your steadfast love to those who know you,
  and your righteousness to the upright of heart!
Let not the foot of arrogance come upon me,
  nor the hand of the wicked drive me away.
There the evildoers lie fallen;
  they are thrust down, unable to rise.

Psalm 39 (Listen)

What Is the Measure of My Days?

To the choirmaster: to Jeduthun. A Psalm of David.

39:1 I said, “I will guard my ways,
  that I may not sin with my tongue;
I will guard my mouth with a muzzle,
  so long as the wicked are in my presence.”
I was mute and silent;
  I held my peace to no avail,
and my distress grew worse.
  My heart became hot within me.
As I mused, the fire burned;
  then I spoke with my tongue:

“O LORD, make me know my end
  and what is the measure of my days;
  let me know how fleeting I am!
Behold, you have made my days a few handbreadths,
  and my lifetime is as nothing before you.
Surely all mankind stands as a mere breath!     Selah
  Surely a man goes about as a shadow!
Surely for nothing they are in turmoil;
  man heaps up wealth and does not know who will gather!

“And now, O Lord, for what do I wait?
  My hope is in you.
Deliver me from all my transgressions.
  Do not make me the scorn of the fool!
I am mute; I do not open my mouth,
  for it is you who have done it.
Remove your stroke from me;
  I am spent by the hostility of your hand.
When you discipline a man
  with rebukes for sin,
you consume like a moth what is dear to him;
  surely all mankind is a mere breath!     Selah

“Hear my prayer, O LORD,
  and give ear to my cry;
  hold not your peace at my tears!
For I am a sojourner with you,
  a guest, like all my fathers.
Look away from me, that I may smile again,
  before I depart and am no more!”

Job 12:1 (Listen)

Job Replies: The LORD Has Done This

12:1 Then Job answered and said:

Job 13:3-17 (Listen)

But I would speak to the Almighty,
  and I desire to argue my case with God.
As for you, you whitewash with lies;
  worthless physicians are you all.
Oh that you would keep silent,
  and it would be your wisdom!
Hear now my argument
  and listen to the pleadings of my lips.
Will you speak falsely for God
  and speak deceitfully for him?
Will you show partiality toward him?
  Will you plead the case for God?
Will it be well with you when he searches you out?
  Or can you deceive him, as one deceives a man?
He will surely rebuke you
  if in secret you show partiality.
Will not his majesty terrify you,
  and the dread of him fall upon you?
Your maxims are proverbs of ashes;
  your defenses are defenses of clay.

“Let me have silence, and I will speak,
  and let come on me what may.
Why should I take my flesh in my teeth
  and put my life in my hand?
Though he slay me, I will hope in him;
  yet I will argue my ways to his face.
This will be my salvation,
  that the godless shall not come before him.
Keep listening to my words,
  and let my declaration be in your ears.

Job 13:21-27 (Listen)

withdraw your hand far from me,
  and let not dread of you terrify me.
Then call, and I will answer;
  or let me speak, and you reply to me.
How many are my iniquities and my sins?
  Make me know my transgression and my sin.
Why do you hide your face
  and count me as your enemy?
Will you frighten a driven leaf
  and pursue dry chaff?
For you write bitter things against me
  and make me inherit the iniquities of my youth.
You put my feet in the stocks
  and watch all my paths;
  you set a limit for the soles of my feet.

Acts 12:1-17 (Listen)

James Killed and Peter Imprisoned

12:1 About that time Herod the king laid violent hands on some who belonged to the church. He killed James the brother of John with the sword, and when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. This was during the days of Unleavened Bread. And when he had seized him, he put him in prison, delivering him over to four squads of soldiers to guard him, intending after the Passover to bring him out to the people. So Peter was kept in prison, but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church.

Peter Is Rescued

Now when Herod was about to bring him out, on that very night, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries before the door were guarding the prison. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood next to him, and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him, saying, “Get up quickly.” And the chains fell off his hands. And the angel said to him, “Dress yourself and put on your sandals.” And he did so. And he said to him, “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me.” And he went out and followed him. He did not know that what was being done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. When they had passed the first and the second guard, they came to the iron gate leading into the city. It opened for them of its own accord, and they went out and went along one street, and immediately the angel left him. When Peter came to himself, he said, “Now I am sure that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.”

When he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose other name was Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying. And when he knocked at the door of the gateway, a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer. Recognizing Peter's voice, in her joy she did not open the gate but ran in and reported that Peter was standing at the gate. They said to her, “You are out of your mind.” But she kept insisting that it was so, and they kept saying, “It is his angel!” But Peter continued knocking, and when they opened, they saw him and were amazed. But motioning to them with his hand to be silent, he described to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, “Tell these things to James and to the brothers.” Then he departed and went to another place.

John 8:33-47 (Listen)

They answered him, “We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free’?”

Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. I know that you are offspring of Abraham; yet you seek to kill me because my word finds no place in you. I speak of what I have seen with my Father, and you do what you have heard from your father.”

You Are of Your Father the Devil

They answered him, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham's children, you would be doing the works Abraham did, but now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. This is not what Abraham did. You are doing the works your father did.” They said to him, “We were not born of sexual immorality. We have one Father—even God.” Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I came not of my own accord, but he sent me. Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word. You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies. But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me. Which one of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me? Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God.”

Footnotes

[1] 26:2 Hebrew test my kidneys and my heart
[2] 28:2 Hebrew your innermost sanctuary
[3] 28:8 Some Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint, Syriac; most Hebrew manuscripts is their strength
[4] 36:1 Some Hebrew manuscripts, Syriac, Jerome (compare Septuagint); most Hebrew manuscripts in my heart
[5] 39:6 Hebrew Surely as a breath
[6] 13:15 Or Behold, he will slay me; I have no hope
[7] 13:27 Or you marked
[8] 12:17 Or brothers and sisters
[9] 8:34 Greek bondservant; also verse 35

This reading plan is adapted from the Daily Office Lectionary found in The Book of Common Prayer.

August 30 (Proper 17): Ps. 25; Ps. 9, 15; Job 12:1-6, 13-25; Acts 11:19-30; John 8:21-32 (ESV)

Mon, 30 Aug 2010 00:01:00 -0500

Psalm 25 (Listen)

Teach Me Your Paths

Of David.

25:1 To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul.
O my God, in you I trust;
  let me not be put to shame;
  let not my enemies exult over me.
Indeed, none who wait for you shall be put to shame;
  they shall be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous.

Make me to know your ways, O LORD;
  teach me your paths.
Lead me in your truth and teach me,
  for you are the God of my salvation;
  for you I wait all the day long.

Remember your mercy, O LORD, and your steadfast love,
  for they have been from of old.
Remember not the sins of my youth or my transgressions;
  according to your steadfast love remember me,
  for the sake of your goodness, O LORD!

Good and upright is the LORD;
  therefore he instructs sinners in the way.
He leads the humble in what is right,
  and teaches the humble his way.
All the paths of the LORD are steadfast love and faithfulness,
  for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.

For your name's sake, O LORD,
  pardon my guilt, for it is great.
Who is the man who fears the LORD?
  Him will he instruct in the way that he should choose.
His soul shall abide in well-being,
  and his offspring shall inherit the land.
The friendship of the LORD is for those who fear him,
  and he makes known to them his covenant.
My eyes are ever toward the LORD,
  for he will pluck my feet out of the net.

Turn to me and be gracious to me,
  for I am lonely and afflicted.
The troubles of my heart are enlarged;
  bring me out of my distresses.
Consider my affliction and my trouble,
  and forgive all my sins.

Consider how many are my foes,
  and with what violent hatred they hate me.
Oh, guard my soul, and deliver me!
  Let me not be put to shame, for I take refuge in you.
May integrity and uprightness preserve me,
  for I wait for you.

Redeem Israel, O God,
out of all his troubles.

Psalm 9 (Listen)

I Will Recount Your Wonderful Deeds

To the choirmaster: according to Muth-labben. A Psalm of David.

9:1 I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart;
I will recount all of your wonderful deeds.
I will be glad and exult in you;
I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.

When my enemies turn back,
they stumble and perish before your presence.
For you have maintained my just cause;
you have sat on the throne, giving righteous judgment.

You have rebuked the nations; you have made the wicked perish;
  you have blotted out their name forever and ever.
The enemy came to an end in everlasting ruins;
  their cities you rooted out;
  the very memory of them has perished.

But the LORD sits enthroned forever;
he has established his throne for justice,
and he judges the world with righteousness;
he judges the peoples with uprightness.

The LORD is a stronghold for the oppressed,
a stronghold in times of trouble.
And those who know your name put their trust in you,
for you, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek you.

Sing praises to the LORD, who sits enthroned in Zion!
Tell among the peoples his deeds!
For he who avenges blood is mindful of them;
he does not forget the cry of the afflicted.

Be gracious to me, O LORD!
  See my affliction from those who hate me,
  O you who lift me up from the gates of death,
that I may recount all your praises,
  that in the gates of the daughter of Zion
  I may rejoice in your salvation.

The nations have sunk in the pit that they made;
in the net that they hid, their own foot has been caught.
The LORD has made himself known; he has executed judgment;
the wicked are snared in the work of their own hands. Higgaion. Selah

The wicked shall return to Sheol,
all the nations that forget God.

For the needy shall not always be forgotten,
and the hope of the poor shall not perish forever.

Arise, O LORD! Let not man prevail;
let the nations be judged before you!
Put them in fear, O LORD!
Let the nations know that they are but men! Selah

Psalm 15 (Listen)

Who Shall Dwell on Your Holy Hill?

A Psalm of David.

15:1 O LORD, who shall sojourn in your tent?
Who shall dwell on your holy hill?

He who walks blamelessly and does what is right
  and speaks truth in his heart;
who does not slander with his tongue
  and does no evil to his neighbor,
  nor takes up a reproach against his friend;
in whose eyes a vile person is despised,
  but who honors those who fear the LORD;
who swears to his own hurt and does not change;
who does not put out his money at interest
  and does not take a bribe against the innocent.
He who does these things shall never be moved.

Job 12:1-6 (Listen)

Job Replies: The LORD Has Done This

12:1 Then Job answered and said:

“No doubt you are the people,
  and wisdom will die with you.
But I have understanding as well as you;
  I am not inferior to you.
  Who does not know such things as these?
I am a laughingstock to my friends;
  I, who called to God and he answered me,
  a just and blameless man, am a laughingstock.
In the thought of one who is at ease there is contempt for misfortune;
  it is ready for those whose feet slip.
The tents of robbers are at peace,
  and those who provoke God are secure,
  who bring their god in their hand.

Job 12:13-25 (Listen)

“With God are wisdom and might;
  he has counsel and understanding.
If he tears down, none can rebuild;
  if he shuts a man in, none can open.
If he withholds the waters, they dry up;
  if he sends them out, they overwhelm the land.
With him are strength and sound wisdom;
  the deceived and the deceiver are his.
He leads counselors away stripped,
  and judges he makes fools.
He looses the bonds of kings
  and binds a waistcloth on their hips.
He leads priests away stripped
  and overthrows the mighty.
He deprives of speech those who are trusted
  and takes away the discernment of the elders.
He pours contempt on princes
  and loosens the belt of the strong.
He uncovers the deeps out of darkness
  and brings deep darkness to light.
He makes nations great, and he destroys them;
  he enlarges nations, and leads them away.
He takes away understanding from the chiefs of the people of the earth
  and makes them wander in a pathless waste.
They grope in the dark without light,
  and he makes them stagger like a drunken man.

Acts 11:19-30 (Listen)

The Church in Antioch

Now those who were scattered because of the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except Jews. But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who on coming to Antioch spoke to the Hellenists also, preaching the Lord Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord. The report of this came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. When he came and saw the grace of God, he was glad, and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose, for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord. So Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church and taught a great many people. And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians.

Now in these days prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. And one of them named Agabus stood up and foretold by the Spirit that there would be a great famine over all the world (this took place in the days of Claudius). So the disciples determined, everyone according to his ability, to send relief to the brothers living in Judea. And they did so, sending it to the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul.

John 8:21-32 (Listen)

So he said to them again, “I am going away, and you will seek me, and you will die in your sin. Where I am going, you cannot come.” So the Jews said, “Will he kill himself, since he says, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come’?” He said to them, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins.” So they said to him, “Who are you?” Jesus said to them, “Just what I have been telling you from the beginning. I have much to say about you and much to judge, but he who sent me is true, and I declare to the world what I have heard from him.” They did not understand that he had been speaking to them about the Father. So Jesus said to them, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own authority, but speak just as the Father taught me. And he who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to him.” As he was saying these things, many believed in him.

The Truth Will Set You Free

So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

Footnotes

[1] 25:1 This psalm is an acrostic poem, each verse beginning with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet
[2] 25:14 Or The secret counsel
[3] 9:1 Psalms 9 and 10 together follow an acrostic pattern, each stanza beginning with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet. In the Septuagint they form one psalm
[4] 9:1 Probably a musical or liturgical term
[5] 9:3 Or because of
[6] 9:16 Probably a musical or liturgical term
[7] 12:6 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain
[8] 12:13 Hebrew him
[9] 11:20 Or Greeks (that is, Greek-speaking non-Jews)
[10] 11:29 Or brothers and sisters

This reading plan is adapted from the Daily Office Lectionary found in The Book of Common Prayer.

August 29 (Proper 17): Ps. 148, 149, 150; Ps. 114, 115; Job 11:1-9, 13-20; Rev. 5:1-14; Matt. 5:1-12 (ESV)

Sun, 29 Aug 2010 00:01:00 -0500

Psalm 148 (Listen)

Praise the Name of the LORD

148:1 Praise the LORD!
Praise the LORD from the heavens;
praise him in the heights!
Praise him, all his angels;
praise him, all his hosts!

Praise him, sun and moon,
praise him, all you shining stars!
Praise him, you highest heavens,
and you waters above the heavens!

Let them praise the name of the LORD!
For he commanded and they were created.
And he established them forever and ever;
he gave a decree, and it shall not pass away.

Praise the LORD from the earth,
you great sea creatures and all deeps,
fire and hail, snow and mist,
stormy wind fulfilling his word!

Mountains and all hills,
fruit trees and all cedars!
Beasts and all livestock,
creeping things and flying birds!

Kings of the earth and all peoples,
princes and all rulers of the earth!
Young men and maidens together,
old men and children!

Let them praise the name of the LORD,
  for his name alone is exalted;
  his majesty is above earth and heaven.
He has raised up a horn for his people,
  praise for all his saints,
  for the people of Israel who are near to him.
Praise the LORD!

Psalm 149 (Listen)

Sing to the LORD a New Song

149:1 Praise the LORD!
Sing to the LORD a new song,
  his praise in the assembly of the godly!
Let Israel be glad in his Maker;
  let the children of Zion rejoice in their King!
Let them praise his name with dancing,
  making melody to him with tambourine and lyre!
For the LORD takes pleasure in his people;
  he adorns the humble with salvation.
Let the godly exult in glory;
  let them sing for joy on their beds.
Let the high praises of God be in their throats
  and two-edged swords in their hands,
to execute vengeance on the nations
  and punishments on the peoples,
to bind their kings with chains
  and their nobles with fetters of iron,
to execute on them the judgment written!
  This is honor for all his godly ones.
Praise the LORD!

Psalm 150 (Listen)

Let Everything Praise the LORD

150:1 Praise the LORD!
Praise God in his sanctuary;
praise him in his mighty heavens!
Praise him for his mighty deeds;
praise him according to his excellent greatness!

Praise him with trumpet sound;
  praise him with lute and harp!
Praise him with tambourine and dance;
  praise him with strings and pipe!
Praise him with sounding cymbals;
  praise him with loud clashing cymbals!
Let everything that has breath praise the LORD!
Praise the LORD!

Psalm 114 (Listen)

Tremble at the Presence of the Lord

114:1 When Israel went out from Egypt,
the house of Jacob from a people of strange language,
Judah became his sanctuary,
Israel his dominion.

The sea looked and fled;
Jordan turned back.
The mountains skipped like rams,
the hills like lambs.

What ails you, O sea, that you flee?
O Jordan, that you turn back?
O mountains, that you skip like rams?
O hills, like lambs?

Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord,
at the presence of the God of Jacob,
who turns the rock into a pool of water,
the flint into a spring of water.

Psalm 115 (Listen)

To Your Name Give Glory

115:1 Not to us, O LORD, not to us, but to your name give glory,
for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness!

Why should the nations say,
“Where is their God?”
Our God is in the heavens;
he does all that he pleases.

Their idols are silver and gold,
  the work of human hands.
They have mouths, but do not speak;
  eyes, but do not see.
They have ears, but do not hear;
  noses, but do not smell.
They have hands, but do not feel;
  feet, but do not walk;
  and they do not make a sound in their throat.
Those who make them become like them;
  so do all who trust in them.

O Israel, trust in the LORD!
  He is their help and their shield.
O house of Aaron, trust in the LORD!
  He is their help and their shield.
You who fear the LORD, trust in the LORD!
  He is their help and their shield.

The LORD has remembered us; he will bless us;
  he will bless the house of Israel;
  he will bless the house of Aaron;
he will bless those who fear the LORD,
  both the small and the great.

May the LORD give you increase,
you and your children!
May you be blessed by the LORD,
who made heaven and earth!

The heavens are the LORD's heavens,
  but the earth he has given to the children of man.
The dead do not praise the LORD,
  nor do any who go down into silence.
But we will bless the LORD
  from this time forth and forevermore.
Praise the LORD!

Job 11:1-9 (Listen)

Zophar Speaks: You Deserve Worse

11:1 Then Zophar the Naamathite answered and said:

“Should a multitude of words go unanswered,
  and a man full of talk be judged right?
Should your babble silence men,
  and when you mock, shall no one shame you?
For you say, ‘My doctrine is pure,
  and I am clean in God's eyes.’
But oh, that God would speak
  and open his lips to you,
and that he would tell you the secrets of wisdom!
  For he is manifold in understanding.
Know then that God exacts of you less than your guilt deserves.

“Can you find out the deep things of God?
  Can you find out the limit of the Almighty?
It is higher than heaven—what can you do?
  Deeper than Sheol—what can you know?
Its measure is longer than the earth
  and broader than the sea.

Job 11:13-20 (Listen)

“If you prepare your heart,
  you will stretch out your hands toward him.
If iniquity is in your hand, put it far away,
  and let not injustice dwell in your tents.
Surely then you will lift up your face without blemish;
  you will be secure and will not fear.
You will forget your misery;
  you will remember it as waters that have passed away.
And your life will be brighter than the noonday;
  its darkness will be like the morning.
And you will feel secure, because there is hope;
  you will look around and take your rest in security.
You will lie down, and none will make you afraid;
  many will court your favor.
But the eyes of the wicked will fail;
  all way of escape will be lost to them,
  and their hope is to breathe their last.”

Revelation 5 (Listen)

The Scroll and the Lamb

5:1 Then I saw in the right hand of him who was seated on the throne a scroll written within and on the back, sealed with seven seals. And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it, and I began to weep loudly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. And one of the elders said to me, “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.”

And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. And he went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who was seated on the throne. And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song, saying,

“Worthy are you to take the scroll
  and to open its seals,
for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God
  from every tribe and language and people and nation,
and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God,
  and they shall reign on the earth.”

Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!” And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!” And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” and the elders fell down and worshiped.

Matthew 5:1-12 (Listen)

The Sermon on the Mount

5:1 Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him.

The Beatitudes

And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

“Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Footnotes

[1] 148:6 Or it shall not be transgressed
[2] 150:1 Hebrew expanse (compare Genesis 1:6-8)
[3] 115:9 Masoretic Text; many Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint, Syriac O house of Israel
[4] 11:4 Hebrew your
[5] 11:6 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain
[6] 11:8 Hebrew The heights of heaven
[7] 5:9 Greek huioi; see preface

This reading plan is adapted from the Daily Office Lectionary found in The Book of Common Prayer.

August 28 (Proper 16): Ps. 20, 21:1-7(8-13); Ps. 110:1-5(6-7), Ps. 116, 117; Job 9:1, 10:1-9, 16-22; Acts 11:1-18; John 8:12-20 (ESV)

Sat, 28 Aug 2010 00:01:00 -0500

Psalm 20 (Listen)

Trust in the Name of the LORD Our God

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

20:1 May the LORD answer you in the day of trouble!
  May the name of the God of Jacob protect you!
May he send you help from the sanctuary
  and give you support from Zion!
May he remember all your offerings
  and regard with favor your burnt sacrifices!     Selah

May he grant you your heart's desire
and fulfill all your plans!
May we shout for joy over your salvation,
and in the name of our God set up our banners!
May the LORD fulfill all your petitions!

Now I know that the LORD saves his anointed;
  he will answer him from his holy heaven
  with the saving might of his right hand.
Some trust in chariots and some in horses,
  but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.
They collapse and fall,
  but we rise and stand upright.

O LORD, save the king!
May he answer us when we call.

Psalm 21:1-7 (Listen)

The King Rejoices in the LORD's Strength

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

21:1 O LORD, in your strength the king rejoices,
  and in your salvation how greatly he exults!
You have given him his heart's desire
  and have not withheld the request of his lips.     Selah
For you meet him with rich blessings;
  you set a crown of fine gold upon his head.
He asked life of you; you gave it to him,
  length of days forever and ever.
His glory is great through your salvation;
  splendor and majesty you bestow on him.
For you make him most blessed forever;
  you make him glad with the joy of your presence.
For the king trusts in the LORD,
  and through the steadfast love of the Most High he shall not be moved.

Psalm 21:8-13 (Listen)

Your hand will find out all your enemies;
  your right hand will find out those who hate you.
You will make them as a blazing oven
  when you appear.
The LORD will swallow them up in his wrath,
  and fire will consume them.
You will destroy their descendants from the earth,
  and their offspring from among the children of man.
Though they plan evil against you,
  though they devise mischief, they will not succeed.
For you will put them to flight;
  you will aim at their faces with your bows.

Be exalted, O LORD, in your strength!
We will sing and praise your power.

Psalm 110:1-5 (Listen)

Sit at My Right Hand

A Psalm of David.

110:1 The LORD says to my Lord:
“Sit at my right hand,
until I make your enemies your footstool.”

The LORD sends forth from Zion
  your mighty scepter.
  Rule in the midst of your enemies!
Your people will offer themselves freely
  on the day of your power,
  in holy garments;
from the womb of the morning,
  the dew of your youth will be yours.
The LORD has sworn
  and will not change his mind,
“You are a priest forever
  after the order of Melchizedek.”

The Lord is at your right hand;
he will shatter kings on the day of his wrath.

Psalm 110:6-7 (Listen)

He will execute judgment among the nations,
  filling them with corpses;
he will shatter chiefs
  over the wide earth.
He will drink from the brook by the way;
  therefore he will lift up his head.

Psalm 116 (Listen)

I Love the LORD

116:1 I love the LORD, because he has heard
  my voice and my pleas for mercy.
Because he inclined his ear to me,
  therefore I will call on him as long as I live.
The snares of death encompassed me;
  the pangs of Sheol laid hold on me;
  I suffered distress and anguish.
Then I called on the name of the LORD:
  “O LORD, I pray, deliver my soul!”

Gracious is the LORD, and righteous;
  our God is merciful.
The LORD preserves the simple;
  when I was brought low, he saved me.
Return, O my soul, to your rest;
  for the LORD has dealt bountifully with you.

For you have delivered my soul from death,
  my eyes from tears,
  my feet from stumbling;
I will walk before the LORD
  in the land of the living.

I believed, even when I spoke,
“I am greatly afflicted”;
I said in my alarm,
“All mankind are liars.”

What shall I render to the LORD
  for all his benefits to me?
I will lift up the cup of salvation
  and call on the name of the LORD,
I will pay my vows to the LORD
  in the presence of all his people.

Precious in the sight of the LORD
  is the death of his saints.
O LORD, I am your servant;
  I am your servant, the son of your maidservant.
  You have loosed my bonds.
I will offer to you the sacrifice of thanksgiving
  and call on the name of the LORD.
I will pay my vows to the LORD
  in the presence of all his people,
in the courts of the house of the LORD,
  in your midst, O Jerusalem.
Praise the LORD!

Psalm 117 (Listen)

The LORD's Faithfulness Endures Forever

117:1 Praise the LORD, all nations!
Extol him, all peoples!
For great is his steadfast love toward us,
and the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever.
Praise the LORD!

Job 9:1 (Listen)

Job Replies: There Is No Arbiter

9:1 Then Job answered and said:

Job 10:1-9 (Listen)

Job Continues: A Plea to God

10:1 “I loathe my life;
I will give free utterance to my complaint;
  I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.
I will say to God, Do not condemn me;
  let me know why you contend against me.
Does it seem good to you to oppress,
  to despise the work of your hands
  and favor the designs of the wicked?
Have you eyes of flesh?
  Do you see as man sees?
Are your days as the days of man,
  or your years as a man's years,
that you seek out my iniquity
  and search for my sin,
although you know that I am not guilty,
  and there is none to deliver out of your hand?
Your hands fashioned and made me,
  and now you have destroyed me altogether.
Remember that you have made me like clay;
  and will you return me to the dust?

Job 10:16-22 (Listen)

And were my head lifted up, you would hunt me like a lion
  and again work wonders against me.
You renew your witnesses against me
  and increase your vexation toward me;
  you bring fresh troops against me.

“Why did you bring me out from the womb?
  Would that I had died before any eye had seen me
and were as though I had not been,
  carried from the womb to the grave.
Are not my days few?
  Then cease, and leave me alone, that I may find a little cheer
before I go—and I shall not return—
  to the land of darkness and deep shadow,
the land of gloom like thick darkness,
  like deep shadow without any order,
  where light is as thick darkness.”

Acts 11:1-18 (Listen)

Peter Reports to the Church

11:1 Now the apostles and the brothers who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcision party criticized him, saying, “You went to uncircumcised men and ate with them.” But Peter began and explained it to them in order: “I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision, something like a great sheet descending, being let down from heaven by its four corners, and it came down to me. Looking at it closely, I observed animals and beasts of prey and reptiles and birds of the air. And I heard a voice saying to me, ‘Rise, Peter; kill and eat.’ But I said, ‘By no means, Lord; for nothing common or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’ But the voice answered a second time from heaven, ‘What God has made clean, do not call common.’ This happened three times, and all was drawn up again into heaven. And behold, at that very moment three men arrived at the house in which we were, sent to me from Caesarea. And the Spirit told me to go with them, making no distinction. These six brothers also accompanied me, and we entered the man's house. And he told us how he had seen the angel stand in his house and say, ‘Send to Joppa and bring Simon who is called Peter; he will declare to you a message by which you will be saved, you and all your household.’ As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them just as on us at the beginning. And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ If then God gave the same gift to them as he gave to us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God's way?” When they heard these things they fell silent. And they glorified God, saying, “Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life.”

John 8:12-20 (Listen)

I Am the Light of the World

Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” So the Pharisees said to him, “You are bearing witness about yourself; your testimony is not true.” Jesus answered, “Even if I do bear witness about myself, my testimony is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going, but you do not know where I come from or where I am going. You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one. Yet even if I do judge, my judgment is true, for it is not I alone who judge, but I and the Father who sent me. In your Law it is written that the testimony of two people is true. I am the one who bears witness about myself, and the Father who sent me bears witness about me.” They said to him therefore, “Where is your Father?” Jesus answered, “You know neither me nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also.” These words he spoke in the treasury, as he taught in the temple; but no one arrested him, because his hour had not yet come.

Footnotes

[1] 21:6 Or make him a source of blessing forever
[2] 110:3 Or on the day you lead your forces
[3] 110:3 Masoretic Text; some Hebrew manuscripts and Jerome on the holy mountains
[4] 110:3 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain
[5] 110:6 Or the head
[6] 116:10 Or believed, indeed; Septuagint believed, therefore
[7] 10:16 Hebrew lacks my head
[8] 11:1 Or brothers and sisters
[9] 8:16 Some manuscripts he

This reading plan is adapted from the Daily Office Lectionary found in The Book of Common Prayer.

August 27 (Proper 16): Ps. 16, 17; Ps. 22; Job 9:1-15, 32-35; Acts 10:34-48; John 7:37-52 (ESV)

Fri, 27 Aug 2010 00:01:00 -0500

Psalm 16 (Listen)

You Will Not Abandon My Soul

A Miktam of David.

16:1 Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge.
I say to the LORD, “You are my Lord;
I have no good apart from you.”

As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones,
in whom is all my delight.

The sorrows of those who run after another god shall multiply;
their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out
or take their names on my lips.

The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup;
you hold my lot.
The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.

I bless the LORD who gives me counsel;
in the night also my heart instructs me.
I have set the LORD always before me;
because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.

Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices;
my flesh also dwells secure.
For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol,
or let your holy one see corruption.

You make known to me the path of life;
in your presence there is fullness of joy;
at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Psalm 17 (Listen)

In the Shadow of Your Wings

A Prayer of David.

17:1 Hear a just cause, O LORD; attend to my cry!
Give ear to my prayer from lips free of deceit!
From your presence let my vindication come!
Let your eyes behold the right!

You have tried my heart, you have visited me by night,
  you have tested me, and you will find nothing;
  I have purposed that my mouth will not transgress.
With regard to the works of man, by the word of your lips
  I have avoided the ways of the violent.
My steps have held fast to your paths;
  my feet have not slipped.

I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God;
  incline your ear to me; hear my words.
Wondrously show your steadfast love,
  O Savior of those who seek refuge
  from their adversaries at your right hand.

Keep me as the apple of your eye;
hide me in the shadow of your wings,
from the wicked who do me violence,
my deadly enemies who surround me.

They close their hearts to pity;
  with their mouths they speak arrogantly.
They have now surrounded our steps;
  they set their eyes to cast us to the ground.
He is like a lion eager to tear,
  as a young lion lurking in ambush.

Arise, O LORD! Confront him, subdue him!
  Deliver my soul from the wicked by your sword,
from men by your hand, O LORD,
  from men of the world whose portion is in this life.
You fill their womb with treasure;
  they are satisfied with children,
  and they leave their abundance to their infants.

As for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness;
when I awake, I shall be satisfied with your likeness.

Psalm 22 (Listen)

Why Have You Forsaken Me?

To the choirmaster: according to The Doe of the Dawn. A Psalm of David.

22:1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning?
O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer,
and by night, but I find no rest.

Yet you are holy,
  enthroned on the praises of Israel.
In you our fathers trusted;
  they trusted, and you delivered them.
To you they cried and were rescued;
  in you they trusted and were not put to shame.

But I am a worm and not a man,
  scorned by mankind and despised by the people.
All who see me mock me;
  they make mouths at me; they wag their heads;
“He trusts in the LORD; let him deliver him;
  let him rescue him, for he delights in him!”

Yet you are he who took me from the womb;
  you made me trust you at my mother's breasts.
On you was I cast from my birth,
  and from my mother's womb you have been my God.
Be not far from me,
  for trouble is near,
  and there is none to help.

Many bulls encompass me;
strong bulls of Bashan surround me;
they open wide their mouths at me,
like a ravening and roaring lion.

I am poured out like water,
  and all my bones are out of joint;
my heart is like wax;
  it is melted within my breast;
my strength is dried up like a potsherd,
  and my tongue sticks to my jaws;
  you lay me in the dust of death.

For dogs encompass me;
a company of evildoers encircles me;
they have pierced my hands and feet—
I can count all my bones—
they stare and gloat over me;
they divide my garments among them,
and for my clothing they cast lots.

But you, O LORD, do not be far off!
  O you my help, come quickly to my aid!
Deliver my soul from the sword,
  my precious life from the power of the dog!
  Save me from the mouth of the lion!
You have rescued me from the horns of the wild oxen!

I will tell of your name to my brothers;
  in the midst of the congregation I will praise you:
You who fear the LORD, praise him!
  All you offspring of Jacob, glorify him,
  and stand in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel!
For he has not despised or abhorred
  the affliction of the afflicted,
and he has not hidden his face from him,
  but has heard, when he cried to him.

From you comes my praise in the great congregation;
  my vows I will perform before those who fear him.
The afflicted shall eat and be satisfied;
  those who seek him shall praise the LORD!
  May your hearts live forever!

All the ends of the earth shall remember
  and turn to the LORD,
and all the families of the nations
  shall worship before you.
For kingship belongs to the LORD,
  and he rules over the nations.

All the prosperous of the earth eat and worship;
  before him shall bow all who go down to the dust,
  even the one who could not keep himself alive.
Posterity shall serve him;
  it shall be told of the Lord to the coming generation;
they shall come and proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn,
  that he has done it.

Job 9:1-15 (Listen)

Job Replies: There Is No Arbiter

9:1 Then Job answered and said:

“Truly I know that it is so:
  But how can a man be in the right before God?
If one wished to contend with him,
  one could not answer him once in a thousand times.
He is wise in heart and mighty in strength
  —who has hardened himself against him, and succeeded?—
he who removes mountains, and they know it not,
  when he overturns them in his anger,
who shakes the earth out of its place,
  and its pillars tremble;
who commands the sun, and it does not rise;
  who seals up the stars;
who alone stretched out the heavens
  and trampled the waves of the sea;
who made the Bear and Orion,
  the Pleiades and the chambers of the south;
who does great things beyond searching out,
  and marvelous things beyond number.
Behold, he passes by me, and I see him not;
  he moves on, but I do not perceive him.
Behold, he snatches away; who can turn him back?
  Who will say to him, ‘What are you doing?’

“God will not turn back his anger;
  beneath him bowed the helpers of Rahab.
How then can I answer him,
  choosing my words with him?
Though I am in the right, I cannot answer him;
  I must appeal for mercy to my accuser.

Job 9:32-35 (Listen)

For he is not a man, as I am, that I might answer him,
  that we should come to trial together.
There is no arbiter between us,
  who might lay his hand on us both.
Let him take his rod away from me,
  and let not dread of him terrify me.
Then I would speak without fear of him,
  for I am not so in myself.

Acts 10:34-48 (Listen)

Gentiles Hear the Good News

So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. As for the word that he sent to Israel, preaching good news of peace through Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all), you yourselves know what happened throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism that John proclaimed: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. And we are witnesses of all that he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree, but God raised him on the third day and made him to appear, not to all the people but to us who had been chosen by God as witnesses, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. And he commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead. To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”

The Holy Spirit Falls on the Gentiles

While Peter was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word. And the believers from among the circumcised who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out even on the Gentiles. For they were hearing them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter declared, “Can anyone withhold water for baptizing these people, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to remain for some days.

John 7:37-52 (Listen)

Rivers of Living Water

On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

Division Among the People

When they heard these words, some of the people said, “This really is the Prophet.” Others said, “This is the Christ.” But some said, “Is the Christ to come from Galilee? Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the offspring of David, and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David was?” So there was a division among the people over him. Some of them wanted to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him.

The officers then came to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, “Why did you not bring him?” The officers answered, “No one ever spoke like this man!” The Pharisees answered them, “Have you also been deceived? Have any of the authorities or the Pharisees believed in him? But this crowd that does not know the law is accursed.” Nicodemus, who had gone to him before, and who was one of them, said to them, “Does our law judge a man without first giving him a hearing and learning what he does?” They replied, “Are you from Galilee too? Search and see that no prophet arises from Galilee.”

Footnotes

[1] 16:1 Probably a musical or liturgical term
[2] 16:3 Or To the saints in the land, the excellent in whom is all my delight, I say:
[3] 16:4 Or who acquire
[4] 16:7 Hebrew my kidneys instruct me
[5] 16:9 Hebrew my glory
[6] 16:10 Or see the pit
[7] 17:7 Or Distinguish me by
[8] 17:14 Or from men whose portion in life is of the world
[9] 17:14 Or As for your treasured ones, you fill their womb
[10] 22:3 Or dwelling in the praises
[11] 22:16 Some Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint, Vulgate, Syriac; most Hebrew manuscripts like a lion [they are at] my hands and feet
[12] 22:21 Hebrew answered
[13] 22:26 Or The meek
[14] 9:15 Or to my judge
[15] 9:33 Or Would that there were an
[16] 7:38 Or let him come to me, and let him who believes in me drink. As

This reading plan is adapted from the Daily Office Lectionary found in The Book of Common Prayer.