ESV: Book of Common Prayer Daily Office Lectionary

May 9 (7 Easter): Ps. 102; Ps. 107:1-32; Jer. 31:27-34; Eph. 5:1-20; Matt. 9:9-17 (ESV)

Fri, 09 May 2008 00:01:00 -0400

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.

Jeremiah 31:27-34 (Listen)

“Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the seed of man and the seed of beast. And it shall come to pass that as I have watched over them to pluck up and break down, to overthrow, destroy, and bring harm, so I will watch over them to build and to plant, declares the LORD. In those days they shall no longer say:

“‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes,
and the children's teeth are set on edge.’

But everyone shall die for his own sin. Each man who eats sour grapes, his teeth shall be set on edge.

The New Covenant

“Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the LORD. But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”

Ephesians 5:1-20 (Listen)

Walk in Love

5:1 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving. For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not become partners with them; for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says,

“Awake, O sleeper,
and arise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.”

Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,

Matthew 9:9-17 (Listen)

Jesus Calls Matthew

As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him.

And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples. And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” But when he heard it, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”

A Question About Fasting

Then the disciples of John came to him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?” And Jesus said to them, “Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast. No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch tears away from the garment, and a worse tear is made. Neither is new wine put into old wineskins. If it is, the skins burst and the wine is spilled and the skins are destroyed. But new wine is put into fresh wineskins, and so both are preserved.”

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] 9:10 Greek he
[6] 9:14 Some manuscripts add much, or often

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

May 8 (7 Easter): Ps. 105:1-22; Ps. 105:23-45; Zech. 4:1-14; Eph. 4:17-32; Matt. 9:1-8 (ESV)

Thu, 08 May 2008 00:01:00 -0400

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!

Zechariah 4 (Listen)

A Vision of a Golden Lampstand

4:1 And the angel who talked with me came again and woke me, like a man who is awakened out of his sleep. And he said to me, “What do you see?” I said, “I see, and behold, a lampstand all of gold, with a bowl on the top of it, and seven lamps on it, with seven lips on each of the lamps that are on the top of it. And there are two olive trees by it, one on the right of the bowl and the other on its left.” And I said to the angel who talked with me, “What are these, my lord?” Then the angel who talked with me answered and said to me, “Do you not know what these are?” I said, “No, my lord.” Then he said to me, “This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the LORD of hosts. Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain. And he shall bring forward the top stone amid shouts of ‘Grace, grace to it!’”

Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, “The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also complete it. Then you will know that the LORD of hosts has sent me to you. For whoever has despised the day of small things shall rejoice, and shall see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel.

“These seven are the eyes of the LORD, which range through the whole earth.” Then I said to him, “What are these two olive trees on the right and the left of the lampstand?” And a second time I answered and said to him, “What are these two branches of the olive trees, which are beside the two golden pipes from which the golden oil is poured out?” He said to me, “Do you not know what these are?” I said, “No, my lord.” Then he said, “These are the two anointed ones who stand by the Lord of the whole earth.”

Ephesians 4:17-32 (Listen)

The New Life

Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. But that is not the way you learned Christ!— assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil. Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need. Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

Matthew 9:1-8 (Listen)

Jesus Heals a Paralytic

9:1 And getting into a boat he crossed over and came to his own city. And behold, some people brought to him a paralytic, lying on a bed. And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Take heart, my son; your sins are forgiven.” And behold, some of the scribes said to themselves, “This man is blaspheming.” But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts? For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he then said to the paralytic—“Rise, pick up your bed and go home.” And he rose and went home. When the crowds saw it, they were afraid, and they glorified God, who had given such authority to men.

Footnotes

[1] 105:16 Hebrew staff
[2] 105:22 Septuagint, Syriac, Jerome instruct
[3] 105:28 Septuagint, Syriac omit not
[4] 4:12 Hebrew lacks oil
[5] 4:14 Hebrew two sons of new oil
[6] 4:22 Greek man; also verse 24
[7] 9:4 Some manuscripts perceiving

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

May 7 (7 Easter): Ps. 101, 109:1-4(5-19)20-30; Ps. 119:121-144; Isa. 4:2-6; Eph. 4:1-16; Matt. 8:28-34 (ESV)

Wed, 07 May 2008 00:01:00 -0400

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.

Isaiah 4:2-6 (Listen)

The Branch of the LORD Glorified

In that day the branch of the LORD shall be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land shall be the pride and honor of the survivors of Israel. And he who is left in Zion and remains in Jerusalem will be called holy, everyone who has been recorded for life in Jerusalem, when the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion and cleansed the bloodstains of Jerusalem from its midst by a spirit of judgment and by a spirit of burning. Then the LORD will create over the whole site of Mount Zion and over her assemblies a cloud by day, and smoke and the shining of a flaming fire by night; for over all the glory there will be a canopy. There will be a booth for shade by day from the heat, and for a refuge and a shelter from the storm and rain.

Ephesians 4:1-16 (Listen)

Unity in the Body of Christ

4:1 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ's gift. Therefore it says,

“When he ascended on high he led a host of captives,
and he gave gifts to men.”

(In saying, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth? He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.) And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

Matthew 8:28-34 (Listen)

Jesus Heals Two Men with Demons

And when he came to the other side, to the country of the Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men met him, coming out of the tombs, so fierce that no one could pass that way. And behold, they cried out, “What have you to do with us, O Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?” Now a herd of many pigs was feeding at some distance from them. And the demons begged him, saying, “If you cast us out, send us away into the herd of pigs.” And he said to them, “Go.” So they came out and went into the pigs, and behold, the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned in the waters. The herdsmen fled, and going into the city they told everything, especially what had happened to the demon-possessed men. And behold, all the city came out to meet Jesus, and when they saw him, they begged him to leave their region.

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] 4:4 Or purging
[6] 4:9 Or the lower parts of the earth?
[7] 4:11 Or pastors
[8] 4:11 Or the shepherd-teachers
[9] 4:13 Greek to a full-grown man
[10] 8:28 Some manuscripts Gergesenes; some Gerasenes
[11] 8:28 Greek daimonizomai; also verse 33; elsewhere rendered oppressed by demons

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

May 6 (7 Easter): Ps. 97, 99, [100]; Ps. 94, [95]; 1 Samuel 16:1-13a; Eph. 3:14-21; Matt. 8:18-27 (ESV)

Tue, 06 May 2008 00:01:00 -0400

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.”

1 Samuel 16:1-13 (Listen)

David Anointed King

16:1 The LORD said to Samuel, “How long will you grieve over Saul, since I have rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go. I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided for myself a king among his sons.” And Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears it, he will kill me.” And the LORD said, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.’ And invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do. And you shall anoint for me him whom I declare to you.” Samuel did what the LORD commanded and came to Bethlehem. The elders of the city came to meet him trembling and said, “Do you come peaceably?” And he said, “Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to the LORD. Consecrate yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice.” And he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.

When they came, he looked on Eliab and thought, “Surely the LORD's anointed is before him.” But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.” Then Jesse called Abinadab and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, “Neither has the LORD chosen this one.” Then Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, “Neither has the LORD chosen this one.” And Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. And Samuel said to Jesse, “The LORD has not chosen these.” Then Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all your sons here?” And he said, “There remains yet the youngest, but behold, he is keeping the sheep.” And Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and get him, for we will not sit down till he comes here.” And he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy and had beautiful eyes and was handsome. And the LORD said, “Arise, anoint him, for this is he.” Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers. And the Spirit of the LORD rushed upon David from that day forward. And Samuel rose up and went to Ramah.

Ephesians 3:14-21 (Listen)

Prayer for Spiritual Strength

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Matthew 8:18-27 (Listen)

The Cost of Following Jesus

Now when Jesus saw a crowd around him, he gave orders to go over to the other side. And a scribe came up and said to him, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” Another of the disciples said to him, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” And Jesus said to him, “Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead.”

Jesus Calms a Storm

And when he got into the boat, his disciples followed him. And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep. And they went and woke him, saying, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing.” And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. And the men marveled, saying, “What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?”

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] 16:11 Or smallest
[7] 3:15 Or fatherhood; the Greek word patria is closely related to the word for Father in verse 14

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

May 5 (7 Easter): Ps. 89:1-18; Ps. 89:19-52; Joshua 1:1-9; Eph. 3:1-13; Matt. 8:5-17 (ESV)

Mon, 05 May 2008 00:01:00 -0400

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.

Joshua 1:1-9 (Listen)

God Commissions Joshua

1:1 After the death of Moses the servant of the LORD, the LORD said to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' assistant, “Moses my servant is dead. Now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, into the land that I am giving to them, to the people of Israel. Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given to you, just as I promised to Moses. From the wilderness and this Lebanon as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites to the Great Sea toward the going down of the sun shall be your territory. No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you. Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them. Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go. This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”

Ephesians 3:1-13 (Listen)

The Mystery of the Gospel Revealed

3:1 For this reason I, Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles— assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God's grace that was given to me for you, how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly. When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.

Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God's grace, which was given me by the working of his power. To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things, so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him. So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory.

Matthew 8:5-17 (Listen)

The Faith of a Centurion

When he entered Capernaum, a centurion came forward to him, appealing to him, “Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, suffering terribly.” And he said to him, “I will come and heal him.” But the centurion replied, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I too am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes, and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” When Jesus heard this, he marveled and said to those who followed him, “Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith. I tell you, many will come from east and west and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” And to the centurion Jesus said, “Go; let it be done for you as you have believed.” And the servant was healed at that very moment.

Jesus Heals Many

And when Jesus entered Peter's house, he saw his mother-in-law lying sick with a fever. He touched her hand, and the fever left her, and she rose and began to serve him. That evening they brought to him many who were oppressed by demons, and he cast out the spirits with a word and healed all who were sick. This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah: “He took our illnesses and bore our diseases.”

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] 1:7 Or may act wisely
[8] 3:6 The words This mystery is are inferred from verse 4
[9] 3:9 Or by
[10] 8:9 Greek bondservant
[11] 8:10 Some manuscripts not even in Israel

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

May 4 (7 Easter): Ps. 66, 67; Ps. 19, 46; Exod. 3:1-12; Heb. 12:18-29; Luke 10:17-24 (ESV)

Sun, 04 May 2008 00:01:00 -0400

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

Exodus 3:1-12 (Listen)

The Burning Bush

3:1 Now Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian, and he led his flock to the west side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. And the angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed. And Moses said, “I will turn aside to see this great sight, why the bush is not burned.” When the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” Then he said, “Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” And he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.

Then the LORD said, “I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters. I know their sufferings, and I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. And now, behold, the cry of the people of Israel has come to me, and I have also seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them. Come, I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.” But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” He said, “But I will be with you, and this shall be the sign for you, that I have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.”

Hebrews 12:18-29 (Listen)

A Kingdom That Cannot Be Shaken

For you have not come to what may be touched, a blazing fire and darkness and gloom and a tempest and the sound of a trumpet and a voice whose words made the hearers beg that no further messages be spoken to them. For they could not endure the order that was given, “If even a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned.” Indeed, so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, “I tremble with fear.” But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.

See that you do not refuse him who is speaking. For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject him who warns from heaven. At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” This phrase, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of things that are shaken—that is, things that have been made—in order that the things that cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.

Luke 10:17-24 (Listen)

The Return of the Seventy-Two

The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!” And he said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

Jesus Rejoices in the Father's Will

In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”

Then turning to the disciples he said privately, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see! For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.”

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] 12:23 Or church
[10] 10:21 Or for so it pleased you well

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