DAILY OFFICE

Daily scripture readings from the 1979 Book of Common Prayer

Friday, November 17

Today's readings include excerpts from Psalms, Revelation and Matthew.

Psalm 88

1 Lord, God of my salvation;     I cry out day and night before you. 2 Let my prayer come before you;     incline your ear to my cry! 3 For my soul is full of troubles,     and my life draws near to Sheol. 4 I am counted among those who go down to the pit;     I am a man who has no strength, 5 like one set loose among the dead,     like the slain that lie in the grave,     like those whom you remember no more,     for they are cut off from your hand. 6 You have put me in the depths of the pit,     in the regions dark and deep. 7 Your wrath lies heavy upon me,     and you overwhelm me with all your waves. Selah 8 You have caused my companions to shun me;     you have made me a horror to them.     I am shut in so that I cannot escape; 9 my eye grows dim through sorrow.     Every day I call upon you, O Lord;     I spread out my hands to you. 10 Do you work wonders for the dead?     Do the departed rise up to praise you? Selah 11 Is your steadfast love declared in the grave,     or your faithfulness in Abaddon? 12 Are your wonders known in the darkness,     or your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness? 13 But I, O Lord, cry to you;     in the morning my prayer comes before you. 14 Lord, why do you cast my soul away?     Why do you hide your face from me? 15 Afflicted and close to death from my youth up,     I suffer your terrors; I am helpless. 16 Your wrath has swept over me;     your dreadful assaults destroy me. 17 They surround me like a flood all day long;     they close in on me together. 18 You have caused my beloved and my friend to shun me;     my companions have become darkness.

 

Psalm 91

1 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High     will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. 2 I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress,     my God, in whom I trust.” 3 For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler     and from the deadly pestilence. 4 He will cover you with his pinions,     and under his wings you will find refuge;     his faithfulness is a shield and buckler. 5 You will not fear the terror of the night,     nor the arrow that flies by day, 6 nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness,     nor the destruction that wastes at noonday. 7 A thousand may fall at your side,     ten thousand at your right hand,     but it will not come near you. 8 You will only look with your eyes     and see the recompense of the wicked. 9 Because you have made the Lord your dwelling place—     the Most High, who is my refuge— 10 no evil shall be allowed to befall you,     no plague come near your tent. 11 For he will command his angels concerning you     to guard you in all your ways. 12 On their hands they will bear you up,     lest you strike your foot against a stone. 13 You will tread on the lion and the adder;     the young lion and the serpent you will trample underfoot. 14 “Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him;     I will protect him, because he knows my name. 15 When he calls to me, I will answer him;     I will be with him in trouble;     I will rescue him and honor him. 16 With long life I will satisfy him     and show him my salvation.”

 

Psalm 92

1 It is good to give thanks to the Lord,     to sing praises to your name, O Most High; 2 to declare your steadfast love in the morning,     and your faithfulness by night, 3 to the music of the lute and the harp,     to the melody of the lyre. 4 For you, O Lord, have made me glad by your work;     at the works of your hands I sing for joy. 5 How great are your works, O Lord!     Your thoughts are very deep! 6 The stupid man cannot know;     the fool cannot understand this: 7 that though the wicked sprout like grass     and all evildoers flourish,     they are doomed to destruction forever; 8 but you, O Lord, are on high forever. 9 For behold, your enemies, O Lord,     for behold, your enemies shall perish;     all evildoers shall be scattered. 10 But you have exalted my horn like that of the wild ox;     you have poured over me fresh oil. 11 My eyes have seen the downfall of my enemies;     my ears have heard the doom of my evil assailants. 12 The righteous flourish like the palm tree     and grow like a cedar in Lebanon. 13 They are planted in the house of the Lord;     they flourish in the courts of our God. 14 They still bear fruit in old age;     they are ever full of sap and green, 15 to declare that the Lord is upright;     he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.

 

Revelation 19:11-16

11 Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. 12 His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. 13 He is clothed in a robe dipped inblood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. 14 And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. 15 From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. 16 On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.

 

Matthew 16:13-20

13 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14 And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. 18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” 20 Then he strictly charged the disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ.

 

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