DAILY OFFICE

Daily scripture readings from the 1979 Book of Common Prayer

Saturday, May 28

Today's readings include passages from Psalms, Numbers, Ephesians and Matthew.

Psalm 87

1 On the holy mount stands the city he founded; 2 the Lord loves the gates of Zion     more than all the dwelling places of Jacob. 3 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. 6 The Lord records as he registers the peoples,     “This one was born there.” Selah 7 Singers and dancers alike say,     “All my springs are in you.”

 

Psalm 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. 3 You return man to dust     and say, “Return, O children of man!” 4 For a thousand years in your sight     are but as yesterday when it is past,     or as a watch in the night. 5 You sweep them away as with a flood; they are like a dream,     like grass that is renewed in the morning: 6 in the morning it flourishes and is renewed;     in the evening it fades and withers. 7 For we are brought to an end by your anger;     by your wrath we are dismayed. 8 You have set our iniquities before you,     our secret sins in the light of your presence. 9 For all our days pass away under your wrath;     we bring our years to an end like a sigh. 10 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. 11 Who considers the power of your anger,     and your wrath according to the fear of you? 12 So teach us to number our days     that we may get a heart of wisdom. 13 Return, O Lord! How long?     Have pity on your servants! 14 Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love,     that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. 15 Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us,     and for as many years as we have seen evil. 16 Let your work be shown to your servants,     and your glorious power to their children. 17 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

1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,     for his steadfast love endures forever. 2 Give thanks to the God of gods,     for his steadfast love endures forever. 3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords,     for his steadfast love endures forever; 4 to him who alone does great wonders,     for his steadfast love endures forever; 5 to him who by understanding made the heavens,     for his steadfast love endures forever; 6 to him who spread out the earth above the waters,     for his steadfast love endures forever; 7 to him who made the great lights,     for his steadfast love endures forever; 8 the sun to rule over the day,     for his steadfast love endures forever; 9 the moon and stars to rule over the night,     for his steadfast love endures forever; 10 to him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt,     for his steadfast love endures forever; 11 and brought Israel out from among them,     for his steadfast love endures forever; 12 with a strong hand and an outstretched arm,     for his steadfast love endures forever; 13 to him who divided the Red Sea in two,     for his steadfast love endures forever; 14 and made Israel pass through the midst of it,     for his steadfast love endures forever; 15 but overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red Sea,     for his steadfast love endures forever; 16 to him who led his people through the wilderness,     for his steadfast love endures forever; 17 to him who struck down great kings,     for his steadfast love endures forever; 18 and killed mighty kings,     for his steadfast love endures forever; 19 Sihon, king of the Amorites,     for his steadfast love endures forever; 20 and Og, king of Bashan,     for his steadfast love endures forever; 21 and gave their land as a heritage,     for his steadfast love endures forever; 22 a heritage to Israel his servant,     for his steadfast love endures forever. 23 It is he who remembered us in our low estate,     for his steadfast love endures forever; 24 and rescued us from our foes,     for his steadfast love endures forever; 25 he who gives food to all flesh,     for his steadfast love endures forever. 26 Give thanks to the God of heaven,     for his steadfast love endures forever.

 

Numbers 11:16-17, 24-29

16 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Gather for me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and officers over them, and bring them to the tent of meeting, and let them take their stand there with you. 17 And I will come down and talk with you there. And I will take some of the Spirit that is on you and put it on them, and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, so that you may not bear it yourself alone. ...  24 So Moses went out and told the people the words of the Lord. And he gathered seventy men of the elders of the people and placed them around the tent. 25 Then the Lord came down in the cloud and spoke to him, and took some of the Spirit that was on him and put it on the seventy elders. And as soon as the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied. But they did not continue doing it. 26 Now two men remained in the camp, one named Eldad, and the other named Medad, and the Spirit rested on them. They were among those registered, but they had not gone out to the tent, and so they prophesied in the camp. 27 And a young man ran and told Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.” 28 And Joshua the son of Nun, the assistant of Moses from his youth, said, “My lord Moses, stop them.” 29 But Moses said to him, “Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the Lord's people were prophets, that the Lord would put his Spirit on them!” 30 And Moses and the elders of Israel returned to the camp. 31 Then a wind from the Lord sprang up, and it brought quail from the sea and let them fall beside the camp, about a day's journey on this side and a day's journey on the other side, around the camp, and about two cubits above the ground. 32 And the people rose all that day and all night and all the next day, and gathered the quail. Those who gathered least gathered ten homers. And they spread them out for themselves all around the camp. 33 While the meat was yet between their teeth, before it was consumed, the anger of the Lord was kindled against the people, and the Lord struck down the people with a very great plague. 34 Therefore the name of that place was called Kibroth-hattaavah, because there they buried the people who had the craving. 35 From Kibroth-hattaavah the people journeyed to Hazeroth, and they remained at Hazeroth.

 

Ephesians 2:11-22

11 Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands— 12 remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility 15 by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, 16 and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. 17 And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. 19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 22 In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

 

Matthew 7:28-8:4

28 And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, 29 for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes. 8:1 When he came down from the mountain, great crowds followed him. 2 And behold, a lepercame to him and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.” 3 And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I will; be clean.” And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. 4 And Jesus said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a proof to them.”

  English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.