O God, you inspire the hearts of the faithful with a single longing. Grant that your people may love what you command and desire what you promise, so that, amid the uncertain things of this world, our hearts may be fixed where true joys are found. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever. Amen.

1 Do you rulers indeed speak justly?

    Do you judge people with equity?

2 No, in your heart you devise injustice,

    and your hands mete out violence on the earth.

3 Even from birth the wicked go astray;

    from the womb they are wayward, spreading lies.

4 Their venom is like the venom of a snake,

    like that of a cobra that has stopped its ears,

5 that will not heed the tune of the charmer,

    however skillful the enchanter may be.

6 Break the teeth in their mouths, O God;

    Lord, tear out the fangs of those lions!

7 Let them vanish like water that flows away;

    when they draw the bow, let their arrows fall short

Psalm 58 – New International Version

Readings for today from the Daily Lectionary

(click on underlined link to go directly to the reading)

Ecclesiastes 3:16-4:3 - Galatians 3:1-14 - Matthew 14:1-12

Keep, O Lord, your household the Church in your steadfast faith and love, that through your grace we may proclaim your truth with boldness, and minister your justice with compassion; for the sake of our Savior Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

7 Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the peoples,

     ascribe to the Lord glory and strength!

8 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;

    bring an offering, and come into his courts!

9 Worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness;

     tremble before him, all the earth!

10 Say among the nations, “The Lord reigns!

    Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved;

    he will judge the peoples with equity.”

11 Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice;

    let the sea roar, and all that fills it;

12 let the field exult, and everything in it!

   Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy

13 before the Lord, for he comes, for he comes to judge the earth.

   He will judge the world in righteousness,

    and the peoples in his faithfulness.

Psalm 96 – English Standard Version

Readings for today from the Daily Lectionary

(click on underlined link to go directly to the reading)

Ecclesiastes 3:1-15 - Galatians 2:11-21 - Matthew 14:1-12

O God, you show the light of your truth to those who stray, that they may return to the right path. Grant that all who profess the Christian faith may reject whatever is contrary to the gospel and follow the way that leads to you. We make our prayer through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever. Amen.

1 Save, O Lord, for the godly one is gone;

    for the faithful have vanished from among the children of man.

2 Everyone utters lies to his neighbor;

    with flattering lips and a double heart they speak.

3 May the Lord cut off all flattering lips,

    the tongue that makes great boasts,

4 those who say, “With our tongue we will prevail,

    our lips are with us; who is master over us?”

5 “Because the poor are plundered, because the needy groan,

     I will now arise,” says the Lord;

    “I will place him in the safety for which he longs.”

6  The words of the Lord are pure words,

    like silver refined in a furnace on the ground,

    purified seven times.

7 You, O Lord, will keep them;

    you will guard us from this generation forever.

Psalm 12 – English Standard Version

Readings for today from the Daily Lectionary

(click on underlined link to go directly to the reading)

Ecclesiastes 2:16-26 - Galatians 1:18-2:10 - Matthew 13:53-58

Eternal God, you draw near to us in Christ and make yourself our guest. Amid the cares of our daily lives, make us attentive to your voice and alert to your presence, that we may treasure your word above all else. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever. Amen.

1 For God alone my soul waits in silence;

    from him comes my salvation.

2 He alone is my rock and my salvation,

    my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken.

3 How long will all of you attack a man to batter him,

    like a leaning wall, a tottering fence?

4 They only plan to thrust him down from his high position.

    They take pleasure in falsehood.

    They bless with their mouths, but inwardly they curse.

5 For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence,

    for my hope is from him.

6 He only is my rock and my salvation,

    my fortress; I shall not be shaken.

7 On God rests my salvation and my glory;

    my mighty rock, my refuge is God.

Psalm 62 – English Standard Version

Readings for today from the Daily Lectionary

(click on underlined link to go directly to the reading)

Ecclesiastes 2:1-15 - Galatians 1:1-17 - Matthew 13:44-52

Evelyn Underhill

O God, Origin, Sustainer, and End of all your creatures: Grant that your Church, taught by your servant Evelyn Underhill, guarded evermore by your power, and guided by your Spirit into the light of truth, may continually offer to you all glory and thanksgiving, and attain with your saints to the blessed hope of everlasting life, which you have promised us by our Savior Jesus Christ; who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, now and for ever. 

Amen.

3  Trust in the Lord, and do good;

     dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.

4  Delight yourself in the Lord,

    and he will give you the desires of your heart.

5  Commit your way to the Lord;

     trust in him, and he will act.

6  He will bring forth your righteousness as the light,

    and your justice as the noonday.

32 The wicked watches for the righteous

    and seeks to put him to death.

33 The Lord will not abandon him to his power

    or let him be condemned when he is brought to trial.

Psalm 37 – English Standard Version

Readings for today from the Commemoration for the Day

(click on underlined link to go directly to the reading)

Wisdom 7:24-8:1 - 1 Corinthians 4:1-5 - John 4:19-24

Basil the Great

Almighty God, who has revealed to your Church your eternal Being of glorious majesty and perfect love as one God in Trinity of Persons: Give us grace that, like your bishop Basil of Caesarea, we may continue steadfast in the confession of this faith, and constant in our worship of you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; who live and reign for ever and ever.

 Amen.

97 Oh how I love your law!

    It is my meditation all the day.

98 Your commandment makes me wiser than my enemies,

    for it is ever with me.

99 I have more understanding than all my teachers,

    for your testimonies are my meditation.

100 I understand more than the aged,[a]

    for I keep your precepts.

101 I hold back my feet from every evil way,

    in order to keep your word.

102 I do not turn aside from your rules,

    for you have taught me.

Psalm 119 – English Standard Version

Readings for today from the Commemoration for the Day

(click on underlined link to go directly to the reading)

Ezekiel 22:23-30 - 1 Corinthians 2:6-13 - Matthew 13:31-35

Grant us, O Lord, to pass this day in gladness and peace without stumbling and without stain: that, reaching the evening victorious over all temptation, we may praise You, the eternal God, who is blessed and governs all things, world without end. Amen.

2 O you who hear prayer,

    to you shall all flesh come.
3 When iniquities prevail against me,
    you atone for our transgressions.
4  Blessed is the one you choose and bring near,
    to dwell in your courts!
We shall be satisfied with the goodness of your house,
    the holiness of your temple!
 5 By awesome deeds you answer us with righteousness,
    O God of our salvation,
   the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas;
6 the one who by his strength established the mountains,
    being girded with might;
7 who stills the roaring of the seas,
    the roaring of their waves, the tumult of the peoples,
8 so that those who dwell at the ends of the earth are in awe at your signs.
   You make the going out of the morning and the evening to shout for joy.

Psalm 65 – English Standard Version

Readings for today from the Daily Lectionary
 (click on underlined link to go directly to the reading)
Proverbs 17:1-20 - 1 Timothy 3:1-16 - Matthew 12:43-50