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BOOK III.
Evening Prayer.
Psalm 73. Quam bonus
Israel!
TRULY
God is loving unto Israel: * even unto such as are of a clean
heart.
2 Nevertheless, my feet were almost gone, * my treadings had
well-nigh slipt.
3 And why? I was grieved at the wicked: * I do
also see the ungodly in such prosperity.
4 For they are in no peril
of death; * but are lusty and strong.
5 They come in no misfortune
like other folk; * neither are they plagued like other men.
6 And
this is the cause that they are so holden with pride, * and cruelty
covereth them as a garment.
7 Their eyes swell with fatness, * and
they do even what they lust.
8 They corrupt other, and speak of
wicked blasphemy; * their talking is against the Most High.
9 For
they stretch forth their mouth unto the heaven, * and their tongue
goeth through the world.
10 Therefore fall the people unto them, *
and there-out suck they no small advantage.
11 Tush, say they, how
should God perceive it? * is there knowledge in the Most High?
12
Lo, these are the ungodly, * these prosper in the world, and these
have riches in possession:
13 And I said, Then have I cleansed my
heart in vain, * and washed my hands in innocency.
14 All the day
long have I been punished, * and chastened every morning.
15 Yea,
and I had almost said even as they; * but lo, then I should have
condemned the generation of thy children.
16 Then thought I to
understand this; * but it was too hard for me,
17 Until I went into
the sanctuary of God: * then understood I the end of these men;
18
Namely, how thou dost set them in slippery places, * and castest them
down, and destroyest them.
19 O how suddenly do they consume, *
perish, and come to a fearful end!
20 Yea, even like as a dream
when one awaketh; * so shalt thou make their image to vanish out of
the city.
21 Thus my heart was grieved, * and it went even through
my reins.
22 So foolish was I, and ignorant, * even as it were a
beast before thee.
23 Nevertheless, I am alway by thee; * for thou
hast holden me by my right hand.
24 Thou shalt guide me with thy
counsel, * and after that receive me with glory.
25 Whom have I in
heaven but thee? * and there is none upon earth that I desire in
comparison of thee.
26 My flesh and my heart faileth; * but God is
the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.
27 For lo, they
that forsake thee shall perish; * thou hast destroyed all them that
are unfaithful unto thee.
28 But it is good for me to hold me fast
by God, to put my trust in the Lord GOD, * and to speak of all thy
works in the gates of the daughter of Sion.
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Evening Prayer.
Psalm 89:1-19. Misericordias
Domini.
MY song shall be alway of the
loving-kindness of the LORD;
* with my mouth will I ever be
showing thy truth from one generation to another.
2 For I have
said, Mercy shall be set up for ever; * thy truth shalt thou stablish
in the heavens.
3 I have made a covenant with my chosen; * I have
sworn unto David my servant:
4 Thy seed will I stablish for ever, *
and set up thy throne from one generation to another.
5 O LORD, the
very heavens shall praise thy wondrous works; * and thy truth in the
congregation of the saints.
6 For who is he among the clouds, *
that shall be compared unto the LORD?
7 And what is he among the
gods, * that shall be like unto the LORD?
8 God is very greatly to
be feared in the council of the saints, * and to be had in reverence
of all them that are round about him.
9 O Lord God of hosts, who is
like unto thee? * thy truth, most mighty LORD, is on every side.
10
Thou rulest the raging of the sea; * thou stillest the waves thereof
when they arise.
11 Thou hast subdued Egypt, and destroyed it; *
thou hast scattered thine enemies abroad with thy mighty arm.
12
The heavens are thine, the earth also is thine; * thou hast laid the
foundation of the round world, and all that therein is.
13 Thou
hast made the north and the south; * Tabor and Hermon shall rejoice in
thy Name.
14 Thou hast a mighty arm; * strong is thy hand, and high
is thy right hand.
15 Righteousness and equity are the habitation
of thy seat; * mercy and truth shall go before thy face.
16 Blessed
is the people, O LORD, that can rejoice in thee; * they shall walk in
the light of thy countenance.
17 Their delight shall be daily in
thy Name; * and in thy righteousness shall they make their
boast.
18 For thou art the glory of their strength, * and in thy
loving-kindness thou shalt lift up our horns.
19 For the LORD is
our defence; * the Holy One of Israel is our King.
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BOOK IV.
The Eighteenth Day.
Morning Prayer.
Psalm 90. Domine,
refugium.
LORD, thou hast been our refuge,
* from one generation to another.
2 Before the mountains were
brought forth, or ever the earth and the world were made, * thou art
God from everlasting, and world without end.
3 Thou turnest man to
destruction; * again thou sayest, Come again, ye children of men.
4
For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is
past, * and as a watch in the night.
5 As soon as thou scatterest
them they are even as a sleep; * and fade away suddenly like the
grass.
6 In the morning it is green, and groweth up; * but in the
evening it is cut down, dried up, and withered.
7 For we consume
away in thy displeasure, * and are afraid at thy wrathful
indignation.
8 Thou hast set our misdeeds before thee; * and our
secret sins in the light of thy countenance.
9 For when thou art
angry all our days are gone: * we bring our years to an end, as it
were a tale that is told.
10 The days of our age are threescore
years and ten; and though men be so strong that they come to fourscore
years, * yet is their strength then but labour and sorrow; so soon
passeth it away, and we are gone.
11 But who regardeth the power of
thy wrath? * or feareth aright thy indignation?
12 So teach us to
number our days, * that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.
13
Turn thee again, O LORD, at the last, * and be gracious unto thy
servants.
14 O satisfy us with thy mercy, and that soon: * so shall
we rejoice and be glad all the days of our life.
15 Comfort us
again now after the time that thou hast plagued us; * and for the
years wherein we have suffered adversity.
16 Show thy servants thy
work, * and their children thy glory.
17 And the glorious majesty
of the LORD our God be upon us: * prosper thou the work of our hands
upon us; O prosper thou our handy-work.
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Psalm 28. Ad te,
Domine.
UNTO thee will I cry, O LORD, my
strength:
* think no scorn of me; lest, if thou make as though
thou hearest not, I become like them that go down into the pit.
2
Hear the voice of my humble petitions, when I cry unto thee; * when I
hold up my hands towards the mercy-seat of thy holy temple.
3 O
pluck me not away, neither destroy me with the ungodly and wicked
doers, * which speak friendly to their neighbours, but imagine
mischief in their hearts.
4 Reward them according to their deeds, *
and according to the wickedness of their own inventions.
5
Recompense them after the work of their hands; * pay them that they
have deserved.
6 For they regard not in their mind the works of the
LORD, nor the operation of his hands; * therefore shall he break them
down, and not build them up.
7 Praised be the LORD; * for he hath
heard the voice of my humble petitions.
8 The LORD is my strength,
and my shield; my heart hath trusted in him, and I am helped; *
therefore my heart danceth for joy, and in my song will I praise
him.
9 The LORD is my strength, * and he is the wholesome defence
of his anointed.
10 O save thy people, and give thy blessing unto
thine inheritance: * feed them, and set them up for ever.
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Evening Prayer.
Psalm 32. Beati
quorum.
BLESSED is he whose
unrighteousness is forgiven, * and whose sin is covered.
2 Blessed
is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth no sin, * and in whose spirit
there is no guile.
3 For whilst I held my tongue, * my bones
consumed away through my daily complaining.
4 For thy hand was
heavy upon me day and night, * and my moisture was like the drought in
summer.
5 I acknowledged my sin unto thee; * and mine
unrighteousness have I not hid.
6 I said, I will confess my sins
unto the LORD; * and SO thou forgavest the wickedness of my sin.
7
For this shall every one that is godly make his prayer unto thee, in a
time when thou mayest be found; * surely the great water-floods shall
not come nigh him.
8 Thou art a place to hide me in; thou shalt
preserve me from trouble; * thou shalt compass me about with songs of
deliverance.
9 I will inform thee, and teach thee in the way
wherein thou shalt go; * and I will guide thee with mine eye.
10 Be
ye not like to horse and mule, which have no understanding; * whose
mouths must be held with bit and bridle, else they will not obey
thee.
11 Great plagues remain for the ungodly; * but whoso putteth
his trust in the LORD, mercy embraceth him on every side.
12 Be
glad, O ye righteous, and rejoice in the LORD; * and be joyful, all ye
that are true of heart.
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Evening Prayer.
Psalm 37:1-24. Noli aemulari.
FRET not thyself because of the
ungodly; * neither be thou envious against the evil doers.
2 For
they shall soon be cut down like the grass, * and be withered even as
the green herb.
3 Put thou thy trust in the LORD, and be doing
good; * dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.
4 Delight
thou in the LORD, * and he shall give thee thy heart's desire.
5
Commit thy way unto the LORD, and put thy trust in him, * and he shall
bring it to pass.
6 He shall make thy righteousness as clear as the
light, * and thy just dealing as the noon-day.
7 Hold thee still in
the LORD, and abide patiently upon him: * but grieve not thyself at
him whose way doth prosper, against the man that doeth after evil
counsels.
8 Leave off from wrath, and let go displeasure: * fret
not thyself, else shalt thou be moved to do evil.
9 Wicked doers
shall be rooted out; * and they that patiently abide the LORD, those
shall inherit the land.
10 Yet a little while, and the ungodly
shall be clean gone: * thou shalt look after his place, and he shall
be away.
11 But the meek-spirited shall possess the earth, * and
shall be refreshed in the multitude of peace.
12 The ungodly
seeketh counsel against the just, * and gnasheth upon him with his
teeth.
13 The Lord shall laugh him to scorn; * for he hath seen
that his day is coming.
14 The ungodly have drawn out the sword,
and have bent their bow, * to cast down the poor and needy, and to
slay such as be upright in their ways.
15 Their sword shall go
through their own heart, * and their bow shall be broken.
16 A
small thing that the righteous hath, * is better than great riches of
the ungodly.
17 For the arms of the ungodly shall be broken, * and
the LORD upholdeth the righteous.
18 The LORD knoweth the days of
the godly; * and their inheritance shall endure for ever.
19 They
shall not be confounded in the perilous time; * and in the days of
dearth they shall have enough.
20 As for the ungodly, they shall
perish, and the enemies
of the LORD shall consume as the fat of
lambs: * yea, even as the smoke shall they consume away.
21 The
ungodly borroweth, and payeth not again; * but the righteous is
merciful and liberal.
22 Such as are blessed of God, shall possess
the land; * and they that are cursed of him, shall be rooted
out.
23 The LORD ordereth a good man's going, * and maketh his way
acceptable to himself.
24 Though he fall, he shall not be cast
away; * for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand.
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Psalm 37:26. Noli aemulari.
I have been young, and now am
old; *
and yet saw I never the righteous forsaken, nor his seed
begging their bread.
26 The righteous is ever merciful, and
lendeth; * and his seed is blessed.
27 Flee from evil, and do the
thing that is good; * and dwell for evermore.
28 For the LORD
loveth the thing that is right; * he forsaketh not his that be godly,
but they are preserved for ever.
29 The unrighteous shall be
punished; * as for the seed of the ungodly, it shall be rooted
out.
30 The righteous shall inherit the land, * and dwell therein
for ever.
31 The mouth of the righteous is exercised in wisdom, *
and his tongue will be talking of judgment.
32 The law of his God
is in his heart, * and his goings shall not slide.
33 The ungodly
watcheth the righteous, * and seeketh occasion to slay him.
34 The
LORD will not leave him in his hand, * nor condemn him when he is
judged.
35 Hope thou in the LORD, and keep his way, and he
shall
promote thee, that thou shalt possess the land: * when the ungodly
shall perish, thou shalt see it.
36 I myself have seen the ungodly
in great power, * and flourishing like a green bay-tree.
37 I went
by, and lo, he was gone: * I sought him, but his place could no where
be found.
38 Keep innocency, and take heed unto the thing that is
right; * for that shall bring a man peace at the last.
39 As for
the transgressors, they shall perish together; * and the end of the
ungodly is, they shall be rooted out at the last.
40 But the
salvation of the righteous cometh of the LORD; * who is also their
strength in the time of trouble.
41 And the LORD shall stand by
them, and save them: * he shall deliver them from the ungodly, and
shall save them, because they put their trust in him.
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Psalm 40:1-16. Expectans expectavi.
I WAITED patiently for the LORD,
* and he inclined unto me, and heard my calling.
2 He brought me
also out of the horrible pit, out of the mire and clay, * and set my
feet upon the rock, and ordered my goings.
3 And he hath put a new
song in my mouth, * even a thanksgiving unto our God.
4 Many shall
see it, and fear, * and shall put their trust in the LORD.
5
Blessed is the man that hath set his hope in the LORD, * and turned
not unto the proud, and to such as go about with lies.
6 O LORD my
God, great are the wondrous works which thou hast done, like as be
also thy thoughts, which are to usward; * and yet there is no man that
ordereth them unto thee.
7 If I should declare them, and speak of
them, * they should be more than I am able to express.
8 Sacrifice
and offering thou wouldest not, * but mine ears hast thou opened.
9
Burnt-offering and sacrifice for sin hast thou not required: * then
said I, LO, I come;
10 In the volume of the book it is written of
me, that I should fulfil thy will, O my God: * I am content to do it;
yea, thy law is within my heart.
11 I have declared thy
righteousness in the great congregation: * lo, I will not refrain my
lips, O LORD, and that thou knowest.
12 I have not hid thy
righteousness within my heart; * my talk hath been of thy truth, and
of thy salvation.
13 I have not kept back thy loving mercy and
truth * from the great congregation.
14 Withdraw not thou thy mercy
from me, O LORD; * let thy loving-kindness and thy truth alway
preserve me.
15 For innumerable troubles are come about me; my sins
have taken such hold upon me, that I am not able to look up; * yea,
they are more in number than the hairs of my head, and my heart hath
failed me.
16 O LORD, let it be thy pleasure to deliver me; * make
haste, O LORD, to help me.
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The Ninth Day.
Morning Prayer.
Psalm 44. Deus, auribus.
WE have heard with our ears, O
God, our fathers have told us * what thou hast done in their time of
old:
2 How thou hast driven out the heathen with thy hand, and
planted our fathers in; * how thou hast destroyed the nations, and
made thy people to flourish.
3 For they gat not the land in
possession through their own sword, * neither was it their own arm
that helped them;
4 But thy right hand, and thine arm, and the
light of thy countenance; * because thou hadst a favour unto
them.
5 Thou art my King, O God; * send help unto Jacob.
6
Through thee will we overthrow our enemies, * and in thy Name will we
tread them under that rise up against us.
7 For I will not trust in
my bow, * it is not my sword that shall help me;
8 But it is thou
that savest us from our enemies, * and puttest them to confusion that
hate us.
9 We make our boast of God all day long, * and will praise
thy Name for ever.
10 But now thou art far off, and puttest us to
confusion, * and goest not forth with our armies.
11 Thou makest us
to turn our backs upon our enemies, * so that they which hate us spoil
our goods.
12 Thou lettest us be eaten up like sheep, * and hast
scattered us among the heathen.
13 Thou sellest thy people for
nought, * and takest no money for them.
14 Thou makest us to be
rebuked of our neighbours, * to be laughed to scorn, and had in
derision of them that are round about us.
15 Thou makest us to be a
by-word among the nations, * and that the peoples shake their heads at
us.
16 My confusion is daily before me, * and the shame of my face
hath covered me;
17 For the voice of the slanderer and blasphemer,
* for the enemy and avenger.
18 And though all this be come upon
us, yet do we not forget thee, * nor behave ourselves frowardly in thy
covenant.
19 Our heart is not turned back, * neither our steps gone
out of thy way;
20 No, not when thou hast smitten us into the place
of dragons, * and covered us with the shadow of death.
21 If we
have forgotten the Name of our God, and
holden up our hands to any
strange god, * shall not God search it out? for he knoweth the very
secrets of the heart.
22 For thy sake also are we killed all the
day long, * and are counted as sheep appointed to be slain.
23 Up,
Lord, why sleepest thou? * awake, and be not absent from us for
ever.
24 Wherefore hidest thou thy face, * and forgettest our
misery and trouble?
25 For our soul is brought low, even unto the
dust; * our belly cleaveth unto the ground.
26 Arise, and help us,
* and deliver us, for thy mercy's sake.
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Evening Prayer.
Psalm 119:33-48. V. Legem
pone.
TEACH me, O
LORD, the way of thy statutes, * and I shall keep it unto the
end.
34 Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; * yea, I
shall keep it with my whole heart.
35 Make me to go in the path of
thy commandments; * for therein is my desire.
36 Incline my heart
unto thy testimonies, * and not to covetousness.
37 O turn away
mine eyes, lest they behold vanity; * and quicken thou me in thy
way.
38 O stablish thy word in thy servant, * that I may fear
thee.
39 Take away the rebuke that I am afraid of; * for thy
judgments are good.
40 Behold, my delight is in thy commandments; *
O quicken me in thy righteousness.
VI. Et veniat super me.
LET thy loving mercy
come also unto me, O LORD, * even thy salvation, according unto thy
word.
42 So shall I make answer unto my blasphemers; * for my trust
is in thy word.
43 O take not the word of thy truth utterly out of
my mouth; * for my hope is in thy judgments.
44 So shall I alway
keep thy law; * yea, for ever and ever.
45 And I will walk at
liberty; * for I seek thy commandments.
46 I will speak of thy
testimonies also, even before kings, * and will not be ashamed.
47
And my delight shall be in thy commandments, * which I have
loved.
48 My hands also will I lift up unto thy commandments, which
I have loved; * and my study shall be in thy statutes.
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Psalm 49. Audite haec, omnes.
O HEAR ye this, all ye people; *
ponder it with your ears, all ye that dwell in the world;
2 High
and low, rich and poor, * one with another.
3 My mouth shall speak
of wisdom, * and my heart shall muse of understanding.
4 I will
incline mine ear to the parable, * and show my dark speech upon the
harp.
5 Wherefore should I fear in the days of evil, * when
wickedness at my heels compasseth me round about?
6 There be some
that put their trust in their goods, * and boast themselves in the
multitude of their riches.
7 But no man may deliver his brother, *
nor give a ransom unto God for him,
8 (For it cost more to redeem
their souls, * so that he must let that alone for ever;)
9 That he
shall live alway, * and not see the grave.
10 For he seeth that
wise men also die and perish together, * as well as the ignorant and
foolish, and leave their riches for other.
11 And yet they think
that their houses shall continue for ever, and that their
dwelling-places shall endure from one generation to another; * and
call the lands after their own names.
12 Nevertheless, man being in
honour abideth not, * seeing he may be compared unto the beasts that
perish;
13 This their way is very foolishness; * yet their
posterity praise their saying.
14 They lie in the grave like sheep;
death is their shepherd; and the righteous shall have dominion over
them in the morning: * their beauty shall consume in the sepulchre,
and have no abiding.
15 But God hath delivered my soul from the
power of the grave; * for he shall receive me.
16 Be not thou
afraid, though one be made rich, * or if the glory of his house be
increased;
17 For he shall carry nothing away with him when he
dieth, * neither shall his pomp follow him.
18 For while he lived,
he counted himself an happy man; * and so long as thou doest well unto
thyself, men will speak good of thee.
19 He shall follow the
generation of his fathers, * and shall never see light.
20 Man that
is in honour but hath no understanding * is compared unto the beasts
that perish.
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Psalm 85. Benedixisti, Domine.
LORD, thou art become gracious
unto thy land; * thou hast turned away the captivity of Jacob.
2
Thou hast forgiven the offence of thy people, * and covered all their
sins.
3 Thou hast taken away all thy displeasure, * and turned
thyself from thy wrathful indignation.
4 Turn us then, O God our
Saviour, * and let thine anger cease from us.
5 Wilt thou be
displeased at us for ever? * and wilt thou stretch out thy wrath from
one generation to another?
6 Wilt thou not turn again, and quicken
us, * that thy people may rejoice in thee?
7 Show us thy mercy, O
LORD, * and grant us thy salvation.
8 I will hearken what the LORD
God will say; * for he shall speak peace unto his people, and to his
saints, that they turn not again unto foolishness.
9 For his
salvation is nigh them that fear him; * that glory may dwell in our
land.
10 Mercy and truth are met together: * righteousness and
peace have kissed each other.
11 Truth shall flourish out of the
earth, * and righteousness hath looked down from heaven.
12 Yea,
the LORD shall show loving-kindness; * and our land shall give her
increase.
13 Righteousness shall go before him, * and shall direct
his going in the way.
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Psalm 31. In te, Domine, speravi.
IN thee, O LORD, have I put my
trust; let me never be put to confusion; * deliver me in thy
righteousness.
2 Bow down thine ear to me; * make haste to deliver
me.
3 And be thou my strong rock, and house of defence, * that thou
mayest save me.
4 For thou art my strong rock, and my castle: * be
thou also my guide, and lead me for thy Name's sake.
5 Draw me out
of the net that they have laid privily for me; * for thou art my
strength.
6 Into thy hands I commend my spirit; * for thou hast
redeemed me, O
7 I have hated them that hold of lying vanities, *
and my trust hath been in the LORD.
8 I will be glad and rejoice in
thy mercy; * for thou hast considered my trouble, and hast known my
soul in adversities.
9 Thou hast not shut me up into the hand of
the enemy; * but hast set my feet in a large room.
10 Have mercy
upon me, O LORD, for I am in trouble, * and mine eye is consumed for
very heaviness; yea, my soul and my body.
11 For my life is waxen
old with heaviness, * and my years with mourning.
12 My strength
faileth me, because of mine iniquity, * and my bones are
consumed.
13 I became a reproach among all mine enemies, but
especially among my neighbours; * and they of mine acquaintance were
afraid of me; and they that did see me without, conveyed themselves
from me.
14 I am clean forgotten as a dead man out of mind; * I am
become like a broken vessel.
15 For I have heard the blasphemy of
the multitude, and fear is on every side; * while they conspire
together against me, and take their counsel to take away my
life.
16 But my hope hath been in thee, O LORD; * I have said, Thou
art my God.
17 My times are in thy hand; deliver me from the hand
of mine enemies, * and from them that persecute me.
18 Show thy
servant the light of thy countenance, * and save me for thy mercy's
sake.
19 Let me not be confounded, O LORD, for I have called upon
thee; * let the ungodly be put to confusion, and be put to silence in
the grave.
20 Let the lying lips be put to silence, * which
cruelly, disdainfully, and despitefully speak against the
righteous.
21 O how plentiful is thy goodness, which thou hast laid
up for them that fear thee, * and that thou hast prepared for them
that put their trust in thee, even before the sons of men!
22 Thou
shalt hide them in the covert of thine own presence from the plottings
of men: * thou shalt keep them secretly in thy tabernacle from the
strife of tongues.
23 Thanks be to the LORD; * for he hath showed
me marvellous great kindness in a strong city.
24 But in my haste I
said, * I am cast out of the sight of thine eyes.
25 Nevertheless,
thou heardest the voice of my prayer, * when I cried unto thee.
26
O love the LORD, all ye his saints; * for the LORD preserveth them
that are faithful, and plenteously rewardeth the proud doer.
27 Be
strong, and he shall establish your heart, * all ye that put your
trust in the LORD.
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Psalm 33. Exultate, justi.
REJOICE in the LORD, O ye
righteous; * for it becometh well the just to be thankful.
2 Praise
the LORD with harp; * sing praises unto him with the lute, and
instrument of ten strings.
3 Sing unto the Lord a new song; * sing
praises lustily unto him with a good courage.
4 For the word of the
LORD is true; * and all his works are faithful.
5 He loveth
righteousness and judgment; * the earth is full of the goodness of the
LORD.
6 By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; * and all
the host of them by the breath of his mouth.
7 He gathereth the
waters of the sea together, as it were upon an heap; * and layeth up
the deep, as in a treasure-house.
8 Let all the earth fear the
LORD: * stand in awe of him, all ye that dwell in the world.
9 For
he spake, and it was done; * he commanded, and it stood fast.
10
The LORD bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought, * and maketh
the devices of the people to be of none effect, and casteth out the
counsels of princes.
11 The counsel of the LORD shall endure for
ever, * and the thoughts of his heart from generation to
generation.
12 Blessed are the people whose God is the Lord
JEHOVAH; * and blessed are the folk that he hath chosen to him, to be
his inheritance.
13 The LORD looketh down from heaven, and
beholdeth all the children of men; * from the habitation of his
dwelling, he considereth all them that dwell on the earth.
14 He
fashioneth all the hearts of them, * and understandeth all their
works.
15 There is no king that can be saved by the multitude of an
host; * neither is any mighty man delivered by much strength.
16 A
horse is counted but a vain thing to save a man; * neither shall he
deliver any man by his great strength.
17 Behold, the eye of the
LORD is upon them that fear him, * and upon them that put their trust
in his mercy;
18 To deliver their soul from death, * and to feed
them in the time of dearth.
19 Our soul hath patiently tarried for
the LORD; * for he is our help and our shield.
20 For our heart
shall rejoice in him; * because we have hoped in his holy Name.
21
Let thy merciful kindness, O LORD, be upon us, * like as we do put our
trust in thee.
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Psalm 34. Benedicam Dominum.
I WILL alway give thanks unto
the LORD; * his praise shall ever be in my mouth.
2 My soul shall
make her boast in the LORD; * the humble shall hear thereof, and be
glad.
3 O praise the LORD with me, * and let us magnify his Name
together.
4 I sought the LORD, and he heard me; * yea, he delivered
me out of all my fear.
5 They had an eye unto him, and were
lightened; * and their faces were not ashamed.
6 Lo, the poor
crieth, and the LORD heareth him; * yea, and saveth him out of all his
troubles.
7 The angel of the LORD tarrieth round about them that
fear him, * and delivereth them.
8 O taste, and see, how gracious
the LORD is: * blessed is the man that trusteth in him.
9 O fear
the LORD, ye that are his saints; * for they that fear him lack
nothing.
10 The lions do lack, and suffer hunger; * but they who
seek the LORD shall want no manner of thing that is good.
11 Come,
ye children, and hearken unto me; * I will teach you the fear of the
LORD.
12 What man is he that lusteth to live, * and would fain see
good days?
13 Keep thy tongue from evil, * and thy lips, that they
speak no guile.
14 Eschew evil, and do good; * seek peace, and
ensue it.
15 The eyes of the LORD are over the righteous, * and his
ears are open unto their prayers.
16 The countenance of the LORD is
against them that do evil, * to root out the remembrance of them from
the earth.
17 The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth them, * and
delivereth them out of all their troubles.
18 The LORD is nigh unto
them that are of a contrite heart, * and will save such as be of an
humble spirit.
19 Great are the troubles of the righteous; * but
the LORD delivereth him out of all.
20 He keepeth all his bones, *
so that not one of them is broken.
21 But misfortune shall slay the
ungodly; * and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate.
22
The LORD delivereth the souls of his servants; * and all they that put
their trust in him shall not be destitute.
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Psalm 39. Dixi, Custodiam.
I SAID, I will take heed to my
ways, * that I offend not in my tongue
2 I will keep my mouth as it
were with a bridle, * while the ungodly is in my sight.
3 I held my
tongue, and spake nothing: * I kept silence, yea, even from good
words; but it was pain and grief to me.
4 My heart was hot within
me: and while I was thus musing the fire kindled, * and at the last I
spake with my tongue:
5 LORD, let me know mine end, and the number
of my days; * that I may be certified how long I have to live.
6
Behold, thou hast made my days as it were a span long, and mine age is
even as nothing in respect of thee; * and verily every man living is
altogether vanity.
7 For man walketh in a vain shadow, and
disquieteth himself in vain; * he heapeth up riches, and cannot tell
who shall gather them.
8 And now, Lord, what is my hope? * truly my
hope is even in thee.
9 Deliver me from all mine offences; * and
make me not a rebuke unto the foolish.
10 I became dumb, and opened
not my mouth; * for it was thy doing.
11 Take thy plague away from
me: * I am even consumed by the means of thy heavy hand.
12 When
thou with rebukes dost chasten man for sin, thou makest his beauty to
consume away, like as it were a moth fretting a garment: * every man
therefore is but vanity.
13 Hear my prayer, O LORD, and with thine
ears consider my calling; * hold not thy peace at my tears;
14 For
I am a stranger with thee, and a sojourner, * as all my fathers
were.
15 O spare me a little, that I may recover my strength, *
before I go hence, and be no more seen.
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Evening Prayer.
Psalm 41. Beatus qui intelligit.
BLESSED is he that considereth
the poor and needy; * the LORD shall deliver him in the time of
trouble.
2 The LORD preserve him, and keep him alive, that
he
may be blessed upon earth; * and deliver not thou him into the
will of his enemies.
3 The LORD comfort him when he lieth sick upon
his bed; * make thou all his bed in his sickness.
4 I said, LORD,
be merciful unto me; * heal my soul, for I have sinned against
thee.
5 Mine enemies speak evil of me, * When shall he die, and his
name perish?
6 And if he come to see me, he speaketh vanity, * and
his heart conceiveth falsehood within himself; and when he cometh
forth, he telleth it.
7 All mine enemies whisper together against
me; * even against me do they imagine this evil.
8 An evil disease,
say they, cleaveth fast unto him; * and now that he lieth, he shall
rise up no more.
9 Yea, even mine own familiar friend whom I
trusted, * who did also eat of my bread, hath laid great wait for
me.
10 But be thou merciful unto me, O LORD; * raise thou me up
again, and I shall reward them.
11 By this I know thou favourest
me, * that mine enemy doth not triumph against me.
12 And in my
innocency thou upholdest me, * and shalt set me before thy face for
ever.
13 Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, * world without end.
Amen.
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Psalm 54. Deus, in Nomine.
SAVE me, O God, for thy Name's
sake, * and avenge me in thy strength.
2 Hear my prayer, O God, *
and hearken unto the words of my mouth.
3 For strangers are risen
up against me; * and tyrants, which have not God before their eyes,
seek after my soul.
4 Behold, God is my helper; * the Lord is with
them that uphold my soul.
5 He shall reward evil unto mine enemies:
* destroy thou them in thy truth.
6 An offering of a free heart
will I give thee, and praise thy Name, O LORD; * because it is so
comfortable.
7 For he hath delivered me out of all my trouble; *
and mine eye hath seen his desire upon mine enemies.
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Psalm 46. Deus noster refugium.
GOD is our hope and strength, *
a very present help in trouble.
2 Therefore will we not fear,
though the earth be moved, * and though the hills be carried into the
midst of the sea;
3 Though the waters thereof rage and swell, * and
though the mountains shake at the tempest of the same.
4 There is a
river, the streams whereof make glad the city of God; * the holy place
of the tabernacle of the Most Highest.
5 God is in the midst of
her, therefore shall she not be removed; * God shall help her, and
that right early.
6 The nations make much ado, and the kingdoms are
moved; * but God hath showed his voice, and the earth shall melt
away.
7 The LORD of hosts is with us; * the God of Jacob is our
refuge.
8 O come hither, and behold the works of the LORD, * what
destruction he hath brought upon the earth.
9 He maketh wars to
cease in all the world; * he breaketh the bow, and knappeth the spear
in sunder, and burneth the chariots in the fire.
10 Be still then,
and know that I am God: * I will be exalted among the nations, and I
will be exalted in the earth.
11 The LORD of hosts is with us; *
the God of Jacob is our refuge.
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Evening Prayer.
Psalm 47. Omnes gentes, plaudite.
CLAP your hands together, all ye
peoples: * O sing unto God with the voice of melody.
2 For the LORD
is high, and to be feared; * he is the great King upon all the
earth.
3 He shall subdue the peoples under us, * and the nations
under our feet.
4 He shall choose out an heritage for us, * even
the excellency of Jacob, whom he loved.
5 God is gone up with a
merry noise, * and the LORD with the sound of the trump.
6 O sing
praises, sing praises unto our God; * O sing praises, sing praises
unto our King.
7 For God is the King of all the earth: * sing ye
praises with understanding.
8 God reigneth over the nations; * God
sitteth upon his holy seat.
9 The princes of the peoples are joined
unto the people of the God of Abraham; * for God, which is very high
exalted, doth defend the earth, as it were with a shield.
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