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Book of Common Prayer

Daily Old and New Testament readings based on the Book of Common Prayer.
Duration: 861 days
New International Version (NIV)
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Psalm 30

Psalm 30[a]

A psalm. A song. For the dedication of the temple.[b] Of David.

I will exalt(A) you, Lord,
    for you lifted me out of the depths(B)
    and did not let my enemies gloat over me.(C)
Lord my God, I called to you for help,(D)
    and you healed me.(E)
You, Lord, brought me up from the realm of the dead;(F)
    you spared me from going down to the pit.(G)

Sing(H) the praises of the Lord, you his faithful people;(I)
    praise his holy name.(J)
For his anger(K) lasts only a moment,(L)
    but his favor lasts a lifetime;(M)
weeping(N) may stay for the night,
    but rejoicing comes in the morning.(O)

When I felt secure, I said,
    “I will never be shaken.”(P)
Lord, when you favored me,
    you made my royal mountain[c] stand firm;
but when you hid your face,(Q)
    I was dismayed.

To you, Lord, I called;
    to the Lord I cried for mercy:
“What is gained if I am silenced,
    if I go down to the pit?(R)
Will the dust praise you?
    Will it proclaim your faithfulness?(S)
10 Hear,(T) Lord, and be merciful to me;(U)
    Lord, be my help.(V)

11 You turned my wailing(W) into dancing;(X)
    you removed my sackcloth(Y) and clothed me with joy,(Z)
12 that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent.
    Lord my God, I will praise(AA) you forever.(AB)

Psalm 32

Psalm 32

Of David. A maskil.[a]

Blessed is the one
    whose transgressions are forgiven,
    whose sins are covered.(A)
Blessed is the one
    whose sin the Lord does not count against them(B)
    and in whose spirit is no deceit.(C)

When I kept silent,(D)
    my bones wasted away(E)
    through my groaning(F) all day long.
For day and night
    your hand was heavy(G) on me;
my strength was sapped(H)
    as in the heat of summer.[b]

Then I acknowledged my sin to you
    and did not cover up my iniquity.(I)
I said, “I will confess(J)
    my transgressions(K) to the Lord.”
And you forgave
    the guilt of my sin.(L)

Therefore let all the faithful pray to you
    while you may be found;(M)
surely the rising(N) of the mighty waters(O)
    will not reach them.(P)
You are my hiding place;(Q)
    you will protect me from trouble(R)
    and surround me with songs of deliverance.(S)

I will instruct(T) you and teach you(U) in the way you should go;
    I will counsel you with my loving eye on(V) you.
Do not be like the horse or the mule,
    which have no understanding
but must be controlled by bit and bridle(W)
    or they will not come to you.
10 Many are the woes of the wicked,(X)
    but the Lord’s unfailing love
    surrounds the one who trusts(Y) in him.

11 Rejoice in the Lord(Z) and be glad, you righteous;
    sing, all you who are upright in heart!

Psalm 42-43

BOOK II

Psalms 42–72

Psalm 42[a][b]

For the director of music. A maskil[c] of the Sons of Korah.

As the deer(A) pants for streams of water,(B)
    so my soul pants(C) for you, my God.
My soul thirsts(D) for God, for the living God.(E)
    When can I go(F) and meet with God?
My tears(G) have been my food
    day and night,
while people say to me all day long,
    “Where is your God?”(H)
These things I remember
    as I pour out my soul:(I)
how I used to go to the house of God(J)
    under the protection of the Mighty One[d]
with shouts of joy(K) and praise(L)
    among the festive throng.(M)

Why, my soul, are you downcast?(N)
    Why so disturbed(O) within me?
Put your hope in God,(P)
    for I will yet praise(Q) him,
    my Savior(R) and my God.(S)

My soul is downcast within me;
    therefore I will remember(T) you
from the land of the Jordan,(U)
    the heights of Hermon(V)—from Mount Mizar.
Deep calls to deep(W)
    in the roar of your waterfalls;
all your waves and breakers
    have swept over me.(X)

By day the Lord directs his love,(Y)
    at night(Z) his song(AA) is with me—
    a prayer to the God of my life.(AB)

I say to God my Rock,(AC)
    “Why have you forgotten(AD) me?
Why must I go about mourning,(AE)
    oppressed(AF) by the enemy?”(AG)
10 My bones suffer mortal agony(AH)
    as my foes taunt(AI) me,
saying to me all day long,
    “Where is your God?”(AJ)

11 Why, my soul, are you downcast?
    Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
    for I will yet praise him,
    my Savior and my God.(AK)

Psalm 43[e]

Vindicate me, my God,
    and plead my cause(AL)
    against an unfaithful nation.
Rescue me(AM) from those who are
    deceitful and wicked.(AN)
You are God my stronghold.
    Why have you rejected(AO) me?
Why must I go about mourning,(AP)
    oppressed by the enemy?(AQ)
Send me your light(AR) and your faithful care,(AS)
    let them lead me;(AT)
let them bring me to your holy mountain,(AU)
    to the place where you dwell.(AV)
Then I will go(AW) to the altar(AX) of God,
    to God, my joy(AY) and my delight.(AZ)
I will praise you with the lyre,(BA)
    O God, my God.

Why, my soul, are you downcast?
    Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
    for I will yet praise him,
    my Savior and my God.(BB)

1 Kings 12:1-20

Israel Rebels Against Rehoboam(A)

12 Rehoboam went to Shechem,(B) for all Israel had gone there to make him king. When Jeroboam son of Nebat heard this (he was still in Egypt, where he had fled(C) from King Solomon), he returned from[a] Egypt. So they sent for Jeroboam, and he and the whole assembly of Israel went to Rehoboam and said to him: “Your father put a heavy yoke(D) on us, but now lighten the harsh labor and the heavy yoke he put on us, and we will serve you.”

Rehoboam answered, “Go away for three days and then come back to me.” So the people went away.

Then King Rehoboam consulted the elders(E) who had served his father Solomon during his lifetime. “How would you advise me to answer these people?” he asked.

They replied, “If today you will be a servant to these people and serve them and give them a favorable answer,(F) they will always be your servants.”

But Rehoboam rejected(G) the advice the elders gave him and consulted the young men who had grown up with him and were serving him. He asked them, “What is your advice? How should we answer these people who say to me, ‘Lighten the yoke your father put on us’?”

10 The young men who had grown up with him replied, “These people have said to you, ‘Your father put a heavy yoke on us, but make our yoke lighter.’ Now tell them, ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s waist. 11 My father laid on you a heavy yoke; I will make it even heavier. My father scourged you with whips; I will scourge you with scorpions.’”

12 Three days later Jeroboam and all the people returned to Rehoboam, as the king had said, “Come back to me in three days.” 13 The king answered the people harshly. Rejecting the advice given him by the elders, 14 he followed the advice of the young men and said, “My father made your yoke heavy; I will make it even heavier. My father scourged(H) you with whips; I will scourge you with scorpions.” 15 So the king did not listen to the people, for this turn of events was from the Lord,(I) to fulfill the word the Lord had spoken to Jeroboam son of Nebat through Ahijah(J) the Shilonite.

16 When all Israel saw that the king refused to listen to them, they answered the king:

“What share(K) do we have in David,
    what part in Jesse’s son?
To your tents, Israel!(L)
    Look after your own house, David!”

So the Israelites went home.(M) 17 But as for the Israelites who were living in the towns of Judah,(N) Rehoboam still ruled over them.

18 King Rehoboam sent out Adoniram,[b](O) who was in charge of forced labor, but all Israel stoned him to death.(P) King Rehoboam, however, managed to get into his chariot and escape to Jerusalem. 19 So Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David(Q) to this day.

20 When all the Israelites heard that Jeroboam had returned, they sent and called him to the assembly and made him king over all Israel. Only the tribe of Judah remained loyal to the house of David.(R)

James 5:7-12

Patience in Suffering

Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming.(A) See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting(B) for the autumn and spring rains.(C) You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming(D) is near.(E) Don’t grumble against one another, brothers and sisters,(F) or you will be judged. The Judge(G) is standing at the door!(H)

10 Brothers and sisters, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets(I) who spoke in the name of the Lord. 11 As you know, we count as blessed(J) those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance(K) and have seen what the Lord finally brought about.(L) The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.(M)

12 Above all, my brothers and sisters, do not swear—not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. All you need to say is a simple “Yes” or “No.” Otherwise you will be condemned.(N)

James 5:19-20

19 My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth(A) and someone should bring that person back,(B) 20 remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save(C) them from death and cover over a multitude of sins.(D)

Mark 15:33-39

The Death of Jesus(A)

33 At noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon.(B) 34 And at three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”).[a](C)

35 When some of those standing near heard this, they said, “Listen, he’s calling Elijah.”

36 Someone ran, filled a sponge with wine vinegar,(D) put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink. “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to take him down,” he said.

37 With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last.(E)

38 The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.(F) 39 And when the centurion,(G) who stood there in front of Jesus, saw how he died,[b] he said, “Surely this man was the Son of God!”(H)

New International Version (NIV)

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