DAILY OFFICE

Daily scripture readings from the 1979 Book of Common Prayer

Sunday, November 26

Today's readings include passages from Psalms, Isaiah, Romans and Luke.

Psalm 118

1 Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;     for his steadfast love endures forever! 2 Let Israel say,     “His steadfast love endures forever.” 3 Let the house of Aaron say,     “His steadfast love endures forever.” 4 Let those who fear the Lord say,     “His steadfast love endures forever.” 5 Out of my distress I called on the Lord;     the Lord answered me and set me free. 6 The Lord is on my side; I will not fear.     What can man do to me? 7 The Lord is on my side as my helper;     I shall look in triumph on those who hate me. 8 It is better to take refuge in the Lord     than to trust in man. 9 It is better to take refuge in the Lord     than to trust in princes. 10 All nations surrounded me;     in the name of the Lord I cut them off! 11 They surrounded me, surrounded me on every side;     in the name of the Lord I cut them off! 12 They surrounded me like bees;     they went out like a fire among thorns;     in the name of the Lord I cut them off! 13 I was pushed hard, so that I was falling,     but the Lord helped me. 14 The Lord is my strength and my song;     he has become my salvation. 15 Glad songs of salvation     are in the tents of the righteous:     “The right hand of the Lord does valiantly, 16 the right hand of the Lord exalts,     the right hand of the Lord does valiantly!” 17 I shall not die, but I shall live,     and recount the deeds of the Lord. 18 The Lord has disciplined me severely,     but he has not given me over to death. 19 Open to me the gates of righteousness,     that I may enter through them     and give thanks to the Lord. 20 This is the gate of the Lord;     the righteous shall enter through it. 21 I thank you that you have answered me     and have become my salvation. 22 The stone that the builders rejected     has become the cornerstone. 23 This is the Lord's doing;     it is marvelous in our eyes. 24 This is the day that the Lord has made;     let us rejoice and be glad in it. 25 Save us, we pray, O Lord!     Lord, we pray, give us success! 26 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!     We bless you from the house of the Lord. 27 The Lord is God,     and he has made his light to shine upon us.     Bind the festal sacrifice with cords,     up to the horns of the altar! 28 You are my God, and I will give thanks to you;     you are my God; I will extol you. 29 Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;     for his steadfast love endures forever!

 

Psalm 145

1 I will extol you, my God and King,     and bless your name forever and ever. 2 Every day I will bless you     and praise your name forever and ever. 3 Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised,     and his greatness is unsearchable. 4 One generation shall commend your works to another,     and shall declare your mighty acts. 5 On the glorious splendor of your majesty,     and on your wondrous works, I will meditate. 6 They shall speak of the might of your awesome deeds,     and I will declare your greatness. 7 They shall pour forth the fame of your abundant goodness     and shall sing aloud of your righteousness. 8 The Lord is gracious and merciful,     slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. 9 The Lord is good to all,     and his mercy is over all that he has made. 10 All your works shall give thanks to you, O Lord,     and all your saints shall bless you! 11 They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom     and tell of your power, 12 to make known to the children of man your mighty deeds,     and the glorious splendor of your kingdom. 13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,     and your dominion endures throughout all generations.     The Lord is faithful in all his words     and kind in all his works. 14 The Lord upholds all who are falling     and raises up all who are bowed down. 15 The eyes of all look to you,     and you give them their food in due season. 16 You open your hand;     you satisfy the desire of every living thing. 17 The Lord is righteous in all his ways     and kind in all his works. 18 The Lord is near to all who call on him,     to all who call on him in truth. 19 He fulfills the desire of those who fear him;     he also hears their cry and saves them. 20 The Lord preserves all who love him,     but all the wicked he will destroy. 21 My mouth will speak the praise of the Lord,     and let all flesh bless his holy name forever and ever.

 

Isaiah 19:19-25

19 In that day there will be an altar to the Lord in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar to the Lord at its border. 20 It will be a sign and a witness to the Lord of hosts in the land of Egypt. When they cry to the Lord because of oppressors, he will send them a savior and defender, and deliver them. 21 And the Lord will make himself known to the Egyptians, and the Egyptians will know the Lord in that day and worship with sacrifice and offering, and they will make vows to the Lord and perform them. 22 And the Lord will strike Egypt, striking and healing, and they will return to the Lord, and he will listen to their pleas for mercy and heal them. 23 In that day there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria, and Assyria will come into Egypt, and Egypt into Assyria, and the Egyptians will worship with the Assyrians. 24 In that day Israel will be the third with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing in the midst of the earth, 25 whom the Lord of hosts has blessed, saying, “Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel my inheritance.”

 

Romans 15:5-13

5 May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, 6 that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 7 Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God. 8 For I tell you that Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God's truthfulness, in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, 9 and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written, “Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles, and sing to your name.” 10 And again it is said, “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people.” 11 And again, “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and let all the peoples extol him.” 12 And again Isaiah says, “The root of Jesse will come, even he who arises to rule the Gentiles; in him will the Gentiles hope.” 13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

 

Luke 19:11-27

11 As they heard these things, he proceeded to tell a parable, because he was near to Jerusalem, and because they supposed that the kingdom of God was to appear immediately. 12 He said therefore, “A nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and then return. 13 Calling ten of his servants, he gave them ten minas, and said to them, ‘Engage in business until I come.’ 14 But his citizens hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We do not want this man to reign over us.’ 15 When he returned, having received the kingdom, he ordered these servants to whom he had given the money to be called to him, that he might know what they had gained by doing business. 16 The first came before him, saying, ‘Lord, your mina has made ten minas more.’ 17 And he said to him, ‘Well done, good servant! Because you have been faithful in a very little, you shall have authority over ten cities.’ 18 And the second came, saying, ‘Lord, your mina has made five minas.’ 19 And he said to him, ‘And you are to be over five cities.’ 20 Then another came, saying, ‘Lord, here is your mina, which I kept laid away in a handkerchief; 21 for I was afraid of you, because you are a severe man. You take what you did not deposit, and reap what you did not sow.’ 22 He said to him, ‘I will condemn you with your own words, you wicked servant! You knew that I was a severe man, taking what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow? 23 Why then did you not put my money in the bank, and at my coming I might have collected it with interest?’ 24 And he said to those who stood by, ‘Take the mina from him, and give it to the one who has the ten minas.’ 25 And they said to him, ‘Lord, he has ten minas!’ 26 ‘I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 27 But as for these enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slaughter them before me.’”

 

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