ESV: Book of Common Prayer Daily Office Lectionary

November 20 (Proper 28): Ps. 102; Ps. 107:1-32; 1 Macc. 4:36-59; Rev. 22:6-13; Matt. 18:10-20 (ESV)

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:01:00 -0800

Psalm 102 (Listen)

Do Not Hide Your Face from Me

A Prayer of one afflicted, when he is faint and pours out his complaint before the LORD.

102:1 Hear my prayer, O LORD;
let my cry come to you!
Do not hide your face from me
in the day of my distress!
Incline your ear to me;
answer me speedily in the day when I call!

For my days pass away like smoke,
  and my bones burn like a furnace.
My heart is struck down like grass and has withered;
  I forget to eat my bread.
Because of my loud groaning
  my bones cling to my flesh.
I am like a desert owl of the wilderness,
  like an owl of the waste places;
I lie awake;
  I am like a lonely sparrow on the housetop.
All the day my enemies taunt me;
  those who deride me use my name for a curse.
For I eat ashes like bread
  and mingle tears with my drink,
because of your indignation and anger;
  for you have taken me up and thrown me down.
My days are like an evening shadow;
  I wither away like grass.

But you, O LORD, are enthroned forever;
  you are remembered throughout all generations.
You will arise and have pity on Zion;
  it is the time to favor her;
  the appointed time has come.
For your servants hold her stones dear
  and have pity on her dust.
Nations will fear the name of the LORD,
  and all the kings of the earth will fear your glory.
For the LORD builds up Zion;
  he appears in his glory;
he regards the prayer of the destitute
  and does not despise their prayer.

Let this be recorded for a generation to come,
  so that a people yet to be created may praise the LORD:
that he looked down from his holy height;
  from heaven the LORD looked at the earth,
to hear the groans of the prisoners,
  to set free those who were doomed to die,
that they may declare in Zion the name of the LORD,
  and in Jerusalem his praise,
when peoples gather together,
  and kingdoms, to worship the LORD.

He has broken my strength in midcourse;
  he has shortened my days.
“O my God,” I say, “take me not away
  in the midst of my days—
you whose years endure
  throughout all generations!”

Of old you laid the foundation of the earth,
  and the heavens are the work of your hands.
They will perish, but you will remain;
  they will all wear out like a garment.
You will change them like a robe, and they will pass away,
  but you are the same, and your years have no end.
The children of your servants shall dwell secure;
  their offspring shall be established before you.

Psalm 107:1-32 (Listen)

Book Five

Let the Redeemed of the LORD Say So

107:1 Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,
  for his steadfast love endures forever!
Let the redeemed of the LORD say so,
  whom he has redeemed from trouble
and gathered in from the lands,
  from the east and from the west,
  from the north and from the south.

Some wandered in desert wastes,
  finding no way to a city to dwell in;
hungry and thirsty,
  their soul fainted within them.
Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble,
  and he delivered them from their distress.
He led them by a straight way
  till they reached a city to dwell in.
Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love,
  for his wondrous works to the children of man!
For he satisfies the longing soul,
  and the hungry soul he fills with good things.

Some sat in darkness and in the shadow of death,
  prisoners in affliction and in irons,
for they had rebelled against the words of God,
  and spurned the counsel of the Most High.
So he bowed their hearts down with hard labor;
  they fell down, with none to help.
Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble,
  and he delivered them from their distress.
He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death,
  and burst their bonds apart.
Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love,
  for his wondrous works to the children of man!
For he shatters the doors of bronze
  and cuts in two the bars of iron.

Some were fools through their sinful ways,
  and because of their iniquities suffered affliction;
they loathed any kind of food,
  and they drew near to the gates of death.
Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble,
  and he delivered them from their distress.
He sent out his word and healed them,
  and delivered them from their destruction.
Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love,
  for his wondrous works to the children of man!
And let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving,
  and tell of his deeds in songs of joy!

Some went down to the sea in ships,
  doing business on the great waters;
they saw the deeds of the LORD,
  his wondrous works in the deep.
For he commanded and raised the stormy wind,
  which lifted up the waves of the sea.
They mounted up to heaven; they went down to the depths;
  their courage melted away in their evil plight;
they reeled and staggered like drunken men
  and were at their wits' end.
Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble,
  and he delivered them from their distress.
He made the storm be still,
  and the waves of the sea were hushed.
Then they were glad that the waters were quiet,
  and he brought them to their desired haven.
Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love,
  for his wondrous works to the children of man!
Let them extol him in the congregation of the people,
  and praise him in the assembly of the elders.

Revelation 22:6-13 (Listen)

Jesus Is Coming

And he said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true. And the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent his angel to show his servants what must soon take place.”

“And behold, I am coming soon. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.”

I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I heard and saw them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed them to me, but he said to me, “You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers the prophets, and with those who keep the words of this book. Worship God.”

And he said to me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near. Let the evildoer still do evil, and the filthy still be filthy, and the righteous still do right, and the holy still be holy.”

“Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay everyone for what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.”

Matthew 18:10-20 (Listen)

The Parable of the Lost Sheep

“See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven. What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.

If Your Brother Sins Against You

“If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”

Footnotes

[1] 102:6 The precise identity of these birds is uncertain
[2] 107:2 Or from the hand of the foe
[3] 107:27 Hebrew and all their wisdom was swallowed up
[4] 107:30 Hebrew they
[5] 22:9 Greek fellow bondservant
[6] 18:10 Some manuscripts add verse 11: For the Son of Man came to save the lost
[7] 18:14 Some manuscripts your
[8] 18:18 Or shall have been bound . . . shall have been loosed

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

November 19 (Proper 28): Ps. 105:1-22; Ps. 105:23-45; 1 Macc. 4:1-25; Rev. 21:22-22:5; Matt. 18:1-9 (ESV)

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:01:00 -0800

Psalm 105:1-22 (Listen)

Tell of All His Wonderful Works

105:1 Oh give thanks to the LORD; call upon his name;
  make known his deeds among the peoples!
Sing to him, sing praises to him;
  tell of all his wondrous works!
Glory in his holy name;
  let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice!
Seek the LORD and his strength;
  seek his presence continually!
Remember the wondrous works that he has done,
  his miracles, and the judgments he uttered,
O offspring of Abraham, his servant,
  children of Jacob, his chosen ones!

He is the LORD our God;
  his judgments are in all the earth.
He remembers his covenant forever,
  the word that he commanded, for a thousand generations,
the covenant that he made with Abraham,
  his sworn promise to Isaac,
which he confirmed to Jacob as a statute,
  to Israel as an everlasting covenant,
saying, “To you I will give the land of Canaan
  as your portion for an inheritance.”

When they were few in number,
  of little account, and sojourners in it,
wandering from nation to nation,
  from one kingdom to another people,
he allowed no one to oppress them;
  he rebuked kings on their account,
saying, “Touch not my anointed ones,
  do my prophets no harm!”

When he summoned a famine on the land
  and broke all supply of bread,
he had sent a man ahead of them,
  Joseph, who was sold as a slave.
His feet were hurt with fetters;
  his neck was put in a collar of iron;
until what he had said came to pass,
  the word of the LORD tested him.
The king sent and released him;
  the ruler of the peoples set him free;
he made him lord of his house
  and ruler of all his possessions,
to bind his princes at his pleasure
  and to teach his elders wisdom.

Psalm 105:23-45 (Listen)

Then Israel came to Egypt;
  Jacob sojourned in the land of Ham.
And the LORD made his people very fruitful
  and made them stronger than their foes.
He turned their hearts to hate his people,
  to deal craftily with his servants.

He sent Moses, his servant,
  and Aaron, whom he had chosen.
They performed his signs among them
  and miracles in the land of Ham.
He sent darkness, and made the land dark;
  they did not rebel against his words.
He turned their waters into blood
  and caused their fish to die.
Their land swarmed with frogs,
  even in the chambers of their kings.
He spoke, and there came swarms of flies,
  and gnats throughout their country.
He gave them hail for rain,
  and fiery lightning bolts through their land.
He struck down their vines and fig trees,
  and shattered the trees of their country.
He spoke, and the locusts came,
  young locusts without number,
which devoured all the vegetation in their land
  and ate up the fruit of their ground.
He struck down all the firstborn in their land,
  the firstfruits of all their strength.

Then he brought out Israel with silver and gold,
and there was none among his tribes who stumbled.
Egypt was glad when they departed,
for dread of them had fallen upon it.

He spread a cloud for a covering,
  and fire to give light by night.
They asked, and he brought quail,
  and gave them bread from heaven in abundance.
He opened the rock, and water gushed out;
  it flowed through the desert like a river.
For he remembered his holy promise,
  and Abraham, his servant.

So he brought his people out with joy,
  his chosen ones with singing.
And he gave them the lands of the nations,
  and they took possession of the fruit of the peoples' toil,
that they might keep his statutes
  and observe his laws.
Praise the LORD!

Revelation 21:22-22:5 (Listen)

And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, and its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there. They will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations. But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb's book of life.

The River of Life

22:1 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.

Matthew 18:1-9 (Listen)

Who Is the Greatest?

18:1 At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

“Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.

Temptations to Sin

“Woe to the world for temptations to sin! For it is necessary that temptations come, but woe to the one by whom the temptation comes! And if your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life crippled or lame than with two hands or two feet to be thrown into the eternal fire. And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into the hell of fire.

Footnotes

[1] 105:16 Hebrew staff
[2] 105:22 Septuagint, Syriac, Jerome instruct
[3] 105:28 Septuagint, Syriac omit not
[4] 22:1 Greek he
[5] 22:2 Or the Lamb. In the midst of the street of the city, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life
[6] 22:3 Greek bondservants; also verse 6
[7] 18:6 Greek causes . . . to stumble; also verses 8, 9
[8] 18:7 Greek stumbling blocks
[9] 18:9 Greek Gehenna

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

November 18 (Proper 28): Ps. 101, 109:1-4(5-19)20-30; Ps. 119:121-144; 1 Macc. 3:42-60; Rev. 21:9-21; Matt. 17:22-27 (ESV)

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 00:01:00 -0800

Psalm 101 (Listen)

I Will Walk with Integrity

A Psalm of David.

101:1 I will sing of steadfast love and justice;
  to you, O LORD, I will make music.
I will ponder the way that is blameless.
  Oh when will you come to me?
I will walk with integrity of heart
  within my house;
I will not set before my eyes
  anything that is worthless.
I hate the work of those who fall away;
  it shall not cling to me.
A perverse heart shall be far from me;
  I will know nothing of evil.

Whoever slanders his neighbor secretly
I will destroy.
Whoever has a haughty look and an arrogant heart
I will not endure.

I will look with favor on the faithful in the land,
that they may dwell with me;
he who walks in the way that is blameless
shall minister to me.

No one who practices deceit
shall dwell in my house;
no one who utters lies
shall continue before my eyes.

Morning by morning I will destroy
all the wicked in the land,
cutting off all the evildoers
from the city of the LORD.

Psalm 109:1-4 (Listen)

Help Me, O LORD My God

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

109:1 Be not silent, O God of my praise!
For wicked and deceitful mouths are opened against me,
  speaking against me with lying tongues.
They encircle me with words of hate,
  and attack me without cause.
In return for my love they accuse me,
  but I give myself to prayer.

Psalm 109:5-19 (Listen)

So they reward me evil for good,
and hatred for my love.

Appoint a wicked man against him;
  let an accuser stand at his right hand.
When he is tried, let him come forth guilty;
  let his prayer be counted as sin!
May his days be few;
  may another take his office!
May his children be fatherless
  and his wife a widow!
May his children wander about and beg,
  seeking food far from the ruins they inhabit!
May the creditor seize all that he has;
  may strangers plunder the fruits of his toil!
Let there be none to extend kindness to him,
  nor any to pity his fatherless children!
May his posterity be cut off;
  may his name be blotted out in the second generation!
May the iniquity of his fathers be remembered before the LORD,
  and let not the sin of his mother be blotted out!
Let them be before the LORD continually,
  that he may cut off the memory of them from the earth!

For he did not remember to show kindness,
  but pursued the poor and needy
  and the brokenhearted, to put them to death.
He loved to curse; let curses come upon him!
  He did not delight in blessing; may it be far from him!
He clothed himself with cursing as his coat;
  may it soak into his body like water,
  like oil into his bones!
May it be like a garment that he wraps around him,
  like a belt that he puts on every day!

Psalm 109:20-30 (Listen)

May this be the reward of my accusers from the LORD,
of those who speak evil against my life!

But you, O GOD my Lord,
  deal on my behalf for your name's sake;
  because your steadfast love is good, deliver me!
For I am poor and needy,
  and my heart is stricken within me.
I am gone like a shadow at evening;
  I am shaken off like a locust.
My knees are weak through fasting;
  my body has become gaunt, with no fat.
I am an object of scorn to my accusers;
  when they see me, they wag their heads.

Help me, O LORD my God!
  Save me according to your steadfast love!
Let them know that this is your hand;
  you, O LORD, have done it!
Let them curse, but you will bless!
  They arise and are put to shame, but your servant will be glad!
May my accusers be clothed with dishonor;
  may they be wrapped in their own shame as in a cloak!

With my mouth I will give great thanks to the LORD;
I will praise him in the midst of the throng.

Psalm 119:121-144 (Listen)

Ayin

I have done what is just and right;
  do not leave me to my oppressors.
Give your servant a pledge of good;
  let not the insolent oppress me.
My eyes long for your salvation
  and for the fulfillment of your righteous promise.
Deal with your servant according to your steadfast love,
  and teach me your statutes.
I am your servant; give me understanding,
  that I may know your testimonies!
It is time for the LORD to act,
  for your law has been broken.
Therefore I love your commandments
  above gold, above fine gold.
Therefore I consider all your precepts to be right;
  I hate every false way.

Pe

Your testimonies are wonderful;
  therefore my soul keeps them.
The unfolding of your words gives light;
  it imparts understanding to the simple.
I open my mouth and pant,
  because I long for your commandments.
Turn to me and be gracious to me,
  as is your way with those who love your name.
Keep steady my steps according to your promise,
  and let no iniquity get dominion over me.
Redeem me from man's oppression,
  that I may keep your precepts.
Make your face shine upon your servant,
  and teach me your statutes.
My eyes shed streams of tears,
  because people do not keep your law.

Tsadhe

Righteous are you, O LORD,
  and right are your rules.
You have appointed your testimonies in righteousness
  and in all faithfulness.
My zeal consumes me,
  because my foes forget your words.
Your promise is well tried,
  and your servant loves it.
I am small and despised,
  yet I do not forget your precepts.
Your righteousness is righteous forever,
  and your law is true.
Trouble and anguish have found me out,
  but your commandments are my delight.
Your testimonies are righteous forever;
  give me understanding that I may live.

Revelation 21:9-21 (Listen)

The New Jerusalem

Then came one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues and spoke to me, saying, “Come, I will show you the Bride, the wife of the Lamb.” And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great, high mountain, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God, having the glory of God, its radiance like a most rare jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. It had a great, high wall, with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and on the gates the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel were inscribed— on the east three gates, on the north three gates, on the south three gates, and on the west three gates. And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

And the one who spoke with me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city and its gates and walls. The city lies foursquare, its length the same as its width. And he measured the city with his rod, 12,000 stadia. Its length and width and height are equal. He also measured its wall, 144 cubits by human measurement, which is also an angel's measurement. The wall was built of jasper, while the city was pure gold, clear as glass. The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with every kind of jewel. The first was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, the fifth onyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst. And the twelve gates were twelve pearls, each of the gates made of a single pearl, and the street of the city was pure gold, transparent as glass.

Matthew 17:22-27 (Listen)

Jesus Again Foretells Death, Resurrection

As they were gathering in Galilee, Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is about to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him, and he will be raised on the third day.” And they were greatly distressed.

The Temple Tax

When they came to Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma tax went up to Peter and said, “Does your teacher not pay the tax?” He said, “Yes.” And when he came into the house, Jesus spoke to him first, saying, “What do you think, Simon? From whom do kings of the earth take toll or tax? From their sons or from others?” And when he said, “From others,” Jesus said to him, “Then the sons are free. However, not to give offense to them, go to the sea and cast a hook and take the first fish that comes up, and when you open its mouth you will find a shekel. Take that and give it to them for me and for yourself.”

Footnotes

[1] 109:4 Hebrew but I am prayer
[2] 109:17 Revocalization; Masoretic Text curses have come
[3] 109:17 Revocalization; Masoretic Text it is far
[4] 109:18 Revocalization; Masoretic Text it has soaked
[5] 21:16 About 1,380 miles; a stadion was about 607 feet or 185 meters
[6] 21:17 A cubit was about 18 inches or 45 centimeters
[7] 17:22 Some manuscripts remained
[8] 17:27 Greek stater, a silver coin worth four drachmas or approximately one shekel

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

November 17 (Proper 28): Ps. 97, 99, [100]; Ps. 94, [95]; 1 Macc. 3:25-41; Rev. 21:1-8; Matt. 17:14-21 (ESV)

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:01:00 -0800

Psalm 97 (Listen)

The LORD Reigns

97:1 The LORD reigns, let the earth rejoice;
  let the many coastlands be glad!
Clouds and thick darkness are all around him;
  righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.
Fire goes before him
  and burns up his adversaries all around.
His lightnings light up the world;
  the earth sees and trembles.
The mountains melt like wax before the LORD,
  before the Lord of all the earth.

The heavens proclaim his righteousness,
  and all the peoples see his glory.
All worshipers of images are put to shame,
  who make their boast in worthless idols;
  worship him, all you gods!

Zion hears and is glad,
  and the daughters of Judah rejoice,
  because of your judgments, O LORD.
For you, O LORD, are most high over all the earth;
  you are exalted far above all gods.

O you who love the LORD, hate evil!
  He preserves the lives of his saints;
  he delivers them from the hand of the wicked.
Light is sown for the righteous,
  and joy for the upright in heart.
Rejoice in the LORD, O you righteous,
  and give thanks to his holy name!

Psalm 99 (Listen)

The LORD Our God Is Holy

99:1 The LORD reigns; let the peoples tremble!
  He sits enthroned upon the cherubim; let the earth quake!
The LORD is great in Zion;
  he is exalted over all the peoples.
Let them praise your great and awesome name!
  Holy is he!
The King in his might loves justice.
  You have established equity;
you have executed justice
  and righteousness in Jacob.
Exalt the LORD our God;
  worship at his footstool!
  Holy is he!

Moses and Aaron were among his priests,
  Samuel also was among those who called upon his name.
  They called to the LORD, and he answered them.
In the pillar of the cloud he spoke to them;
  they kept his testimonies
  and the statute that he gave them.

O LORD our God, you answered them;
  you were a forgiving God to them,
  but an avenger of their wrongdoings.
Exalt the LORD our God,
  and worship at his holy mountain;
  for the LORD our God is holy!

Psalm 100 (Listen)

His Steadfast Love Endures Forever

A Psalm for giving thanks.

100:1 Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth!
Serve the LORD with gladness!
Come into his presence with singing!

Know that the LORD, he is God!
It is he who made us, and we are his;
we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
and his courts with praise!
Give thanks to him; bless his name!

For the LORD is good;
his steadfast love endures forever,
and his faithfulness to all generations.

Psalm 94 (Listen)

The LORD Will Not Forsake His People

94:1 O LORD, God of vengeance,
  O God of vengeance, shine forth!
Rise up, O judge of the earth;
  repay to the proud what they deserve!
O LORD, how long shall the wicked,
  how long shall the wicked exult?
They pour out their arrogant words;
  all the evildoers boast.
They crush your people, O LORD,
  and afflict your heritage.
They kill the widow and the sojourner,
  and murder the fatherless;
and they say, “The LORD does not see;
  the God of Jacob does not perceive.”

Understand, O dullest of the people!
  Fools, when will you be wise?
He who planted the ear, does he not hear?
He who formed the eye, does he not see?
He who disciplines the nations, does he not rebuke?
He who teaches man knowledge—
  the LORD—knows the thoughts of man,
  that they are but a breath.

Blessed is the man whom you discipline, O LORD,
  and whom you teach out of your law,
to give him rest from days of trouble,
  until a pit is dug for the wicked.
For the LORD will not forsake his people;
  he will not abandon his heritage;
for justice will return to the righteous,
  and all the upright in heart will follow it.

Who rises up for me against the wicked?
  Who stands up for me against evildoers?
If the LORD had not been my help,
  my soul would soon have lived in the land of silence.
When I thought, “My foot slips,”
  your steadfast love, O LORD, held me up.
When the cares of my heart are many,
  your consolations cheer my soul.
Can wicked rulers be allied with you,
  those who frame injustice by statute?
They band together against the life of the righteous
  and condemn the innocent to death.
But the LORD has become my stronghold,
  and my God the rock of my refuge.
He will bring back on them their iniquity
  and wipe them out for their wickedness;
  the LORD our God will wipe them out.

Psalm 95 (Listen)

Let Us Sing Songs of Praise

95:1 Oh come, let us sing to the LORD;
  let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!
Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;
  let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!
For the LORD is a great God,
  and a great King above all gods.
In his hand are the depths of the earth;
  the heights of the mountains are his also.
The sea is his, for he made it,
  and his hands formed the dry land.

Oh come, let us worship and bow down;
  let us kneel before the LORD, our Maker!
For he is our God,
  and we are the people of his pasture,
  and the sheep of his hand.
Today, if you hear his voice,
  do not harden your hearts, as at Meribah,
  as on the day at Massah in the wilderness,
when your fathers put me to the test
  and put me to the proof, though they had seen my work.
For forty years I loathed that generation
  and said, “They are a people who go astray in their heart,
  and they have not known my ways.”
Therefore I swore in my wrath,
  “They shall not enter my rest.”

Revelation 21:1-8 (Listen)

The New Heaven and the New Earth

21:1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son. But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

Matthew 17:14-20 (Listen)

Jesus Heals a Boy with a Demon

And when they came to the crowd, a man came up to him and, kneeling before him, said, “Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic and he suffers terribly. For often he falls into the fire, and often into the water. And I brought him to your disciples, and they could not heal him.” And Jesus answered, “O faithless and twisted generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him here to me.” And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him, and the boy was healed instantly. Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?” He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.”

Footnotes

[1] 97:11 Most Hebrew manuscripts; one Hebrew manuscript, Septuagint, Syriac, Jerome Light dawns
[2] 99:4 Or The might of the King loves justice
[3] 100:3 Or and not we ourselves
[4] 94:11 Septuagint they are futile
[5] 94:21 Hebrew condemn innocent blood
[6] 21:3 Or tabernacle
[7] 21:3 Some manuscripts peoples
[8] 21:3 Some manuscripts omit as their God
[9] 17:18 Greek it
[10] 17:18 Greek the demon
[11] 17:18 Greek from that hour
[12] 17:20 Some manuscripts insert verse 21: But this kind never comes out except by prayer and fasting

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

November 16 (Proper 28): Ps. 89:1-18; Ps. 89:19-52; 1 Macc. 3:1-24; Rev. 20:7-15; Matt. 17:1-13 (ESV)

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:01:00 -0800

Psalm 89:1-18 (Listen)

I Will Sing of the Steadfast Love of the LORD

A Maskil of Ethan the Ezrahite.

89:1 I will sing of the steadfast love of the LORD, forever;
  with my mouth I will make known your faithfulness to all generations.
For I said, “Steadfast love will be built up forever;
  in the heavens you will establish your faithfulness.”
You have said, “I have made a covenant with my chosen one;
  I have sworn to David my servant:
‘I will establish your offspring forever,
  and build your throne for all generations.’”     Selah

Let the heavens praise your wonders, O LORD,
  your faithfulness in the assembly of the holy ones!
For who in the skies can be compared to the LORD?
  Who among the heavenly beings is like the LORD,
a God greatly to be feared in the council of the holy ones,
  and awesome above all who are around him?
O LORD God of hosts,
  who is mighty as you are, O LORD,
  with your faithfulness all around you?
You rule the raging of the sea;
  when its waves rise, you still them.
You crushed Rahab like a carcass;
  you scattered your enemies with your mighty arm.
The heavens are yours; the earth also is yours;
  the world and all that is in it, you have founded them.
The north and the south, you have created them;
  Tabor and Hermon joyously praise your name.
You have a mighty arm;
  strong is your hand, high your right hand.
Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne;
  steadfast love and faithfulness go before you.
Blessed are the people who know the festal shout,
  who walk, O LORD, in the light of your face,
who exult in your name all the day
  and in your righteousness are exalted.
For you are the glory of their strength;
  by your favor our horn is exalted.
For our shield belongs to the LORD,
  our king to the Holy One of Israel.

Psalm 89:19-52 (Listen)

Of old you spoke in a vision to your godly one, and said:
  “I have granted help to one who is mighty;
  I have exalted one chosen from the people.
I have found David, my servant;
  with my holy oil I have anointed him,
so that my hand shall be established with him;
  my arm also shall strengthen him.
The enemy shall not outwit him;
  the wicked shall not humble him.
I will crush his foes before him
  and strike down those who hate him.
My faithfulness and my steadfast love shall be with him,
  and in my name shall his horn be exalted.
I will set his hand on the sea
  and his right hand on the rivers.
He shall cry to me, ‘You are my Father,
  my God, and the Rock of my salvation.’
And I will make him the firstborn,
  the highest of the kings of the earth.
My steadfast love I will keep for him forever,
  and my covenant will stand firm for him.
I will establish his offspring forever
  and his throne as the days of the heavens.
If his children forsake my law
  and do not walk according to my rules,
if they violate my statutes
  and do not keep my commandments,
then I will punish their transgression with the rod
  and their iniquity with stripes,
but I will not remove from him my steadfast love
  or be false to my faithfulness.
I will not violate my covenant
  or alter the word that went forth from my lips.
Once for all I have sworn by my holiness;
  I will not lie to David.
His offspring shall endure forever,
  his throne as long as the sun before me.
Like the moon it shall be established forever,
  a faithful witness in the skies.”     Selah

But now you have cast off and rejected;
  you are full of wrath against your anointed.
You have renounced the covenant with your servant;
  you have defiled his crown in the dust.
You have breached all his walls;
  you have laid his strongholds in ruins.
All who pass by plunder him;
  he has become the scorn of his neighbors.
You have exalted the right hand of his foes;
  you have made all his enemies rejoice.
You have also turned back the edge of his sword,
  and you have not made him stand in battle.
You have made his splendor to cease
  and cast his throne to the ground.
You have cut short the days of his youth;
  you have covered him with shame.     Selah

How long, O LORD? Will you hide yourself forever?
  How long will your wrath burn like fire?
Remember how short my time is!
  For what vanity you have created all the children of man!
What man can live and never see death?
  Who can deliver his soul from the power of Sheol?     Selah

Lord, where is your steadfast love of old,
  which by your faithfulness you swore to David?
Remember, O Lord, how your servants are mocked,
  and how I bear in my heart the insults of all the many nations,
with which your enemies mock, O LORD,
  with which they mock the footsteps of your anointed.

Blessed be the LORD forever!
Amen and Amen.

Revelation 20:7-15 (Listen)

The Defeat of Satan

And when the thousand years are ended, Satan will be released from his prison and will come out to deceive the nations that are at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them for battle; their number is like the sand of the sea. And they marched up over the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city, but fire came down from heaven and consumed them, and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

Judgment Before the Great White Throne

Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

Matthew 17:1-13 (Listen)

The Transfiguration

17:1 And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light. And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. And Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.” He was still speaking when, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” When the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces and were terrified. But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Rise, and have no fear.” And when they lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.

And as they were coming down the mountain, Jesus commanded them, “Tell no one the vision, until the Son of Man is raised from the dead.” And the disciples asked him, “Then why do the scribes say that first Elijah must come?” He answered, “Elijah does come, and he will restore all things. But I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but did to him whatever they pleased. So also the Son of Man will certainly suffer at their hands.” Then the disciples understood that he was speaking to them of John the Baptist.

Footnotes

[1] 89:1 Probably a musical or liturgical term
[2] 89:6 Hebrew the sons of God, or the sons of might
[3] 89:19 Some Hebrew manuscripts godly ones
[4] 89:28 Or will remain faithful
[5] 89:30 Or my just decrees
[6] 89:50 Hebrew lacks the insults
[7] 20:9 Some manuscripts from God, out of heaven, or out of heaven from God
[8] 17:5 Or my Son, my (or the) Beloved

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

November 15 (Proper 28): Ps. 66, 67; Ps. 19, 46; 1 Macc. 2:29-43, 49-50; Acts 28:14b-23; Luke 16:1-13 (ESV)

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 00:01:00 -0800

Psalm 66 (Listen)

How Awesome Are Your Deeds

To the choirmaster. A Song. A Psalm.

66:1 Shout for joy to God, all the earth;
  sing the glory of his name;
  give to him glorious praise!
Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds!
  So great is your power that your enemies come cringing to you.
All the earth worships you
  and sings praises to you;
  they sing praises to your name.”     Selah

Come and see what God has done:
  he is awesome in his deeds toward the children of man.
He turned the sea into dry land;
  they passed through the river on foot.
There did we rejoice in him,
  who rules by his might forever,
whose eyes keep watch on the nations—
  let not the rebellious exalt themselves.     Selah

Bless our God, O peoples;
  let the sound of his praise be heard,
who has kept our soul among the living
  and has not let our feet slip.
For you, O God, have tested us;
  you have tried us as silver is tried.
You brought us into the net;
  you laid a crushing burden on our backs;
you let men ride over our heads;
  we went through fire and through water;
yet you have brought us out to a place of abundance.

I will come into your house with burnt offerings;
  I will perform my vows to you,
that which my lips uttered
  and my mouth promised when I was in trouble.
I will offer to you burnt offerings of fattened animals,
  with the smoke of the sacrifice of rams;
I will make an offering of bulls and goats.     Selah

Come and hear, all you who fear God,
  and I will tell what he has done for my soul.
I cried to him with my mouth,
  and high praise was on my tongue.
If I had cherished iniquity in my heart,
  the Lord would not have listened.
But truly God has listened;
  he has attended to the voice of my prayer.

Blessed be God,
because he has not rejected my prayer
or removed his steadfast love from me!

Psalm 67 (Listen)

Make Your Face Shine upon Us

To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments. A Psalm. A Song.

67:1 May God be gracious to us and bless us
  and make his face to shine upon us,     Selah
that your way may be known on earth,
  your saving power among all nations.
Let the peoples praise you, O God;
  let all the peoples praise you!

Let the nations be glad and sing for joy,
  for you judge the peoples with equity
  and guide the nations upon earth.     Selah
Let the peoples praise you, O God;
  let all the peoples praise you!

The earth has yielded its increase;
God, our God, shall bless us.
God shall bless us;
let all the ends of the earth fear him!

Psalm 19 (Listen)

The Law of the LORD Is Perfect

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

19:1 The heavens declare the glory of God,
  and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.
Day to day pours out speech,
  and night to night reveals knowledge.
There is no speech, nor are there words,
  whose voice is not heard.
Their voice goes out through all the earth,
  and their words to the end of the world.
In them he has set a tent for the sun,
  which comes out like a bridegroom leaving his chamber,
  and, like a strong man, runs its course with joy.
Its rising is from the end of the heavens,
  and its circuit to the end of them,
  and there is nothing hidden from its heat.

The law of the LORD is perfect,
  reviving the soul;
the testimony of the LORD is sure,
  making wise the simple;
the precepts of the LORD are right,
  rejoicing the heart;
the commandment of the LORD is pure,
  enlightening the eyes;
the fear of the LORD is clean,
  enduring forever;
the rules of the LORD are true,
  and righteous altogether.
More to be desired are they than gold,
  even much fine gold;
sweeter also than honey
  and drippings of the honeycomb.
Moreover, by them is your servant warned;
  in keeping them there is great reward.

Who can discern his errors?
  Declare me innocent from hidden faults.
Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins;
  let them not have dominion over me!
Then I shall be blameless,
  and innocent of great transgression.

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
be acceptable in your sight,
O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.

Psalm 46 (Listen)

God Is Our Fortress

To the choirmaster. Of the Sons of Korah. According to Alamoth. A Song.

46:1 God is our refuge and strength,
  a very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,
  though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,
though its waters roar and foam,
  though the mountains tremble at its swelling.     Selah

There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
  the holy habitation of the Most High.
God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved;
  God will help her when morning dawns.
The nations rage, the kingdoms totter;
  he utters his voice, the earth melts.
The LORD of hosts is with us;
  the God of Jacob is our fortress.     Selah

Come, behold the works of the LORD,
  how he has brought desolations on the earth.
He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;
  he breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
  he burns the chariots with fire.
“Be still, and know that I am God.
  I will be exalted among the nations,
  I will be exalted in the earth!”
The LORD of hosts is with us;
  the God of Jacob is our fortress.     Selah

Acts 28:14-23 (Listen)

There we found brothers and were invited to stay with them for seven days. And so we came to Rome. And the brothers there, when they heard about us, came as far as the Forum of Appius and Three Taverns to meet us. On seeing them, Paul thanked God and took courage. And when we came into Rome, Paul was allowed to stay by himself, with the soldier that guarded him.

Paul in Rome

After three days he called together the local leaders of the Jews, and when they had gathered, he said to them, “Brothers, though I had done nothing against our people or the customs of our fathers, yet I was delivered as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans. When they had examined me, they wished to set me at liberty, because there was no reason for the death penalty in my case. But because the Jews objected, I was compelled to appeal to Caesar—though I had no charge to bring against my nation. For this reason, therefore, I have asked to see you and speak with you, since it is because of the hope of Israel that I am wearing this chain.” And they said to him, “We have received no letters from Judea about you, and none of the brothers coming here has reported or spoken any evil about you. But we desire to hear from you what your views are, for with regard to this sect we know that everywhere it is spoken against.”

When they had appointed a day for him, they came to him at his lodging in greater numbers. From morning till evening he expounded to them, testifying to the kingdom of God and trying to convince them about Jesus both from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets.

Luke 16:1-13 (Listen)

The Parable of the Dishonest Manager

16:1 He also said to the disciples, “There was a rich man who had a manager, and charges were brought to him that this man was wasting his possessions. And he called him and said to him, ‘What is this that I hear about you? Turn in the account of your management, for you can no longer be manager.’ And the manager said to himself, ‘What shall I do, since my master is taking the management away from me? I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg. I have decided what to do, so that when I am removed from management, people may receive me into their houses.’ So, summoning his master's debtors one by one, he said to the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ He said, ‘A hundred measures of oil.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.’ Then he said to another, ‘And how much do you owe?’ He said, ‘A hundred measures of wheat.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill, and write eighty.’ The master commended the dishonest manager for his shrewdness. For the sons of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than the sons of light. And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous wealth, so that when it fails they may receive you into the eternal dwellings.

“One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? And if you have not been faithful in that which is another's, who will give you that which is your own? No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”

Footnotes

[1] 66:17 Hebrew under
[2] 66:17 Or and he was exalted with my tongue
[3] 19:1 Hebrew the expanse; compare Genesis 1:6-8
[4] 19:4 Or Their measuring line
[5] 19:7 Or blameless
[6] 19:9 Or just decrees
[7] 46:1 Probably a musical or liturgical term
[8] 46:1 Or well proved
[9] 28:14 Or brothers and sisters; also verses 15, 21
[10] 16:6 About 875 gallons
[11] 16:7 Between 1,000 and 1,200 bushels
[12] 16:8 Greek age
[13] 16:9 Greek mammon, a Semitic word for money or possessions; also verse 11; rendered money in verse 13

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

November 14 (Proper 27): Ps. 87, 90; Ps. 136; 1 Macc. 2:1-28; Rev. 20:1-6; Mark 16:21-28 (ESV)

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:01:00 -0800

Psalm 87 (Listen)

Glorious Things of You Are Spoken

A Psalm of the Sons of Korah. A Song.

87:1 On the holy mount stands the city he founded;
  the LORD loves the gates of Zion
  more than all the dwelling places of Jacob.
Glorious things of you are spoken,
  O city of God.     Selah

Among those who know me I mention Rahab and Babylon;
  behold, Philistia and Tyre, with Cush—
  “This one was born there,” they say.
And of Zion it shall be said,
  “This one and that one were born in her”;
  for the Most High himself will establish her.
The LORD records as he registers the peoples,
  “This one was born there.”     Selah

Singers and dancers alike say,
“All my springs are in you.”

Psalm 90 (Listen)

Book Four

From Everlasting to Everlasting

A Prayer of Moses, the man of God.

90:1 Lord, you have been our dwelling place
  in all generations.
Before the mountains were brought forth,
  or ever you had formed the earth and the world,
  from everlasting to everlasting you are God.

You return man to dust
  and say, “Return, O children of man!”
For a thousand years in your sight
  are but as yesterday when it is past,
  or as a watch in the night.

You sweep them away as with a flood; they are like a dream,
like grass that is renewed in the morning:
in the morning it flourishes and is renewed;
in the evening it fades and withers.

For we are brought to an end by your anger;
by your wrath we are dismayed.
You have set our iniquities before you,
our secret sins in the light of your presence.

For all our days pass away under your wrath;
  we bring our years to an end like a sigh.
The years of our life are seventy,
  or even by reason of strength eighty;
yet their span is but toil and trouble;
  they are soon gone, and we fly away.
Who considers the power of your anger,
  and your wrath according to the fear of you?

So teach us to number our days
  that we may get a heart of wisdom.
Return, O LORD! How long?
  Have pity on your servants!
Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love,
  that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.
Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us,
  and for as many years as we have seen evil.
Let your work be shown to your servants,
  and your glorious power to their children.
Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us,
  and establish the work of our hands upon us;
  yes, establish the work of our hands!

Psalm 136 (Listen)

His Steadfast Love Endures Forever

136:1 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,
  for his steadfast love endures forever.
Give thanks to the God of gods,
  for his steadfast love endures forever.
Give thanks to the Lord of lords,
  for his steadfast love endures forever;

to him who alone does great wonders,
  for his steadfast love endures forever;
to him who by understanding made the heavens,
  for his steadfast love endures forever;
to him who spread out the earth above the waters,
  for his steadfast love endures forever;
to him who made the great lights,
  for his steadfast love endures forever;
the sun to rule over the day,
  for his steadfast love endures forever;
the moon and stars to rule over the night,
  for his steadfast love endures forever;

to him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt,
  for his steadfast love endures forever;
and brought Israel out from among them,
  for his steadfast love endures forever;
with a strong hand and an outstretched arm,
  for his steadfast love endures forever;
to him who divided the Red Sea in two,
  for his steadfast love endures forever;
and made Israel pass through the midst of it,
  for his steadfast love endures forever;
but overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red Sea,
  for his steadfast love endures forever;
to him who led his people through the wilderness,
  for his steadfast love endures forever;

to him who struck down great kings,
  for his steadfast love endures forever;
and killed mighty kings,
  for his steadfast love endures forever;
Sihon, king of the Amorites,
  for his steadfast love endures forever;
and Og, king of Bashan,
  for his steadfast love endures forever;
and gave their land as a heritage,
  for his steadfast love endures forever;
a heritage to Israel his servant,
  for his steadfast love endures forever.

It is he who remembered us in our low estate,
  for his steadfast love endures forever;
and rescued us from our foes,
  for his steadfast love endures forever;
he who gives food to all flesh,
  for his steadfast love endures forever.

Give thanks to the God of heaven,
for his steadfast love endures forever.

Revelation 20:1-6 (Listen)

The Thousand Years

20:1 Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain. And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, and threw him into the pit, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he might not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were ended. After that he must be released for a little while.

Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.

Footnotes

[1] 87:4 Probably Nubia
[2] 90:1 Some Hebrew manuscripts (compare Septuagint) our refuge
[3] 90:3 Or of Adam
[4] 90:10 Or pride
[5] 90:17 Or beauty
[6] 136:15 Hebrew shook off
[7] 20:1 Greek the abyss; also verse 3

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