Thy Kingdom Come, the Diocese of Southwark

Transcription

1 Thy Kingdom Come, the Diocese of Southwark Scripture readings for 16 May 2018 Morning Prayer Psalm 2 1 Why are the nations in tumult, and why do the peoples devise a vain plot? 2 The kings of the earth rise up, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against his anointed: 3 Let us break their bonds asunder and cast away their cords from us. 4 He who dwells in heaven shall laugh them to scorn; the Lord shall have them in derision. 5 Then shall he speak to them in his wrath and terrify them in his fury: 6 Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. 7 I will proclaim the decree of the Lord; he said to me: You are my Son; this day have I begotten you. 8 Ask of me and I will give you the nations for your inheritance and the ends of the earth for your possession. 9 You shall break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potter s vessel. 10 Now therefore be wise, O kings; be prudent, you judges of the earth. 11 Serve the Lord with fear, and with trembling kiss his feet, lest he be angry and you perish from the way, for his wrath is quickly kindled. 12 Happy are all they 1

2 All: who take refuge in him. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now and shall be for ever. Amen. Psalm 29 1 Ascribe to the Lord, you powers of heaven, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. 2 Ascribe to the Lord the honour due to his name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness. 3 The voice of the Lord is upon the waters; the God of glory thunders; the Lord is upon the mighty waters. 4 The voice of the Lord is mighty in operation; the voice of the Lord is a glorious voice. 5 The voice of the Lord breaks the cedar trees; the Lord breaks the cedars of Lebanon; 6 He makes Lebanon skip like a calf and Sirion like a young wild ox. 7 The voice of the Lord splits the flash of lightning; the voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness; the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh. 8 The voice of the Lord makes the oak trees writhe and strips the forests bare; in his temple all cry, Glory! 9 The Lord sits enthroned above the water flood; the Lord sits enthroned as king for evermore. 10 The Lord shall give strength to his people; the Lord shall give his people the blessing of peace. All: Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now and shall be for ever. Amen. 1 Kings Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. 2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, So may the gods do to me, and more also, if I do not make your life like the life of one of them by this time tomorrow. 3 Then he 2

3 was afraid; he got up and fled for his life, and came to Beer-sheba, which belongs to Judah; he left his servant there. 4 But he himself went a day s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a solitary broom tree. He asked that he might die: It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life, for I am no better than my ancestors. 5 Then he lay down under the broom tree and fell asleep. Suddenly an angel touched him and said to him, Get up and eat. 6 He looked, and there at his head was a cake baked on hot stones, and a jar of water. He ate and drank, and lay down again. 7 The angel of the Lord came a second time, touched him, and said, Get up and eat, otherwise the journey will be too much for you. 8 He got up, and ate and drank; then he went in the strength of that food for forty days and forty nights to Horeb the mount of God. 9 At that place he came to a cave, and spent the night there. Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying, What are you doing here, Elijah? 10 He answered, I have been very zealous for the Lord, the God of hosts; for the Israelites have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left, and they are seeking my life, to take it away. 11 He said, Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by. Now there was a great wind, so strong that it was splitting mountains and breaking rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; 12 and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of sheer silence. 13 When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. Then there came a voice to him that said, What are you doing here, Elijah? 14 He answered, I have been very zealous for the Lord, the God of hosts; for the Israelites have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left, and they are seeking my life, to take it away. 15 Then the Lord said to him, Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus; when you arrive, you shall anoint Hazael as king over Aram. 16 Also you shall anoint Jehu son of Nimshi as king over Israel; and you shall anoint Elisha son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah as prophet in your place. 17 Whoever escapes 3

4 from the sword of Hazael, Jehu shall kill; and whoever escapes from the sword of Jehu, Elisha shall kill. 18 Yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him. 4

5 Evening Prayer Psalm 36 1 Sin whispers to the wicked, in the depths of their heart; there is no fear of God before their eyes. 2 They flatter themselves in their own eyes that their abominable sin will not be found out. 3 The words of their mouth are unrighteous and full of deceit; they have ceased to act wisely and to do good. 4 They think out mischief upon their beds and have set themselves in no good way; nor do they abhor that which is evil. 5 Your love, O Lord, reaches to the heavens and your faithfulness to the clouds. 6 Your righteousness stands like the strong mountains, your justice like the great deep; you, Lord, shall save both man and beast. 7 How precious is your loving mercy, O God! All mortal flesh shall take refuge under the shadow of your wings. 8 They shall be satisfied with the abundance of your house; they shall drink from the river of your delights. 9 For with you is the well of life and in your light shall we see light. 10 O continue your loving-kindness to those who know you and your righteousness to those who are true of heart. 11 Let not the foot of pride come against me, nor the hand of the ungodly thrust me away. 12 There are they fallen, all who work wickedness. They are cast down and shall not be able to stand. All: Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now and shall be for ever. Amen. 5

6 Psalm 46 1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble; 2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth be moved, and though the mountains tremble in the heart of the sea; 3 Though the waters rage and swell, and though the mountains quake at the towering seas. 4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place of the dwelling of the Most High. 5 God is in the midst of her; therefore shall she not be removed; God shall help her at the break of day. 6 The nations are in uproar and the kingdoms are shaken, but God utters his voice and the earth shall melt away. 7 The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold. 8 Come and behold the works of the Lord, what destruction he has wrought upon the earth. 9 He makes wars to cease in all the world; he shatters the bow and snaps the spear and burns the chariots in the fire. 10 Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations; I will be exalted in the earth. 11 The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold. All: Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now and shall be for ever. Amen. Matthew 3.13-end 13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan, to be baptised by him. 14 John would have prevented him, saying, I need to be baptised by you, and do you come to me? 15 But Jesus answered him, Let it be so now; for it is proper for us in this way to fulfil all righteousness. Then he consented. 16 And when Jesus had been baptised, just as he came up from the water, suddenly the heavens were opened to him and he saw the 6

7 7 Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. 17 And a voice from heaven said, This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.

8 All Bible references (except to the Psalms) are to the New Revised Standard Version 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches in the USA. Used by permission. All rights reserved. References to the Psalms are to the Common Worship psalter, published in Common Worship: Services and Prayers for the Church of England (2000) and Common Worship: Daily Prayer (2005) The Archbishops Council of the Church of England 8