Book of Common Prayer
137 1 The people of God in their banishment seeing God’s true Religion decay, lived in great anguish and sorrow of heart: the which grief the Chaldeans did so little pity, 3 That they rather increased the same daily with taunts, reproaches and blasphemies against God. 7 Wherefore the Israelites desire God, first to punish the Edomites, who provoked the Babylonians against them, 8 And moved by the Spirit of God, prophesy the destruction of Babylon, where they were handled so tyrannously.
1 By the rivers of Babel we [a]sat, and there we wept, when we remembered Zion.
2 We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst [b]thereof.
3 Then they that led us captive, [c]required of us songs and mirth, when we had hanged up our harps, saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion.
4 How shall we sing, said we, a song of the Lord in a strange land?
5 [d]If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget to play.
6 If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth: yea, if I prefer not Jerusalem to my [e]chief joy.
7 Remember the children of [f]Edom, O Lord, in the [g]day of Jerusalem, which said, Raze it, raze it to the foundation thereof.
8 O daughter of Babel, worthy to be destroyed, blessed shall he be that rewardeth thee, as thou hast served us.
9 [h]Blessed shall he be that taketh and dasheth thy children against the stones.
144 He praiseth the Lord with great affection and humility for his kingdom restored, and for his victories obtained. 5 Demanding help, and the destruction of the wicked, 9 Promising to acknowledge the same with songs of praises, 15 And declareth wherein the felicity of any people consisteth.
A Psalm of David.
1 Blessed be the Lord my strength, which [a]teacheth mine hands to fight, and my fingers to battle.
2 He is my goodness and my fortress, my tower and [b]my deliverer, my shield and in him I trust, [c]which subdueth my people under me.
3 Lord, what is man that thou [d]regardest him! or the son of man that thou thinkest upon him?
4 Man is like to vanity; his days are like a shadow that vanisheth.
5 [e]Bow thine heavens, O Lord, and come down; touch the mountains, and they shall smoke.
6 [f]Cast forth the lightning and scatter them; shoot out thine arrows and consume them.
7 Send thine hand from above: deliver me, and take me out of the great [g]waters, and from the hand of strangers,
8 Whose mouth talketh vanity, and their right hand is a right hand [h]of falsehood.
9 I will sing a [i]new song unto thee, O God, and sing unto thee upon a viol, and an instrument of ten strings.
10 It is he that giveth deliverance unto kings, and rescueth David his [j]servant from the hurtful sword.
11 Rescue me, and deliver me from the hand of strangers, whose mouth talketh vanity, and their right hand is a right hand of falsehood:
12 [k]That our sons may be as the plants growing up in their youth, and our daughters as the corner stones, graven after the similitude of a palace:
13 That our [l]corners may be full and abounding with divers sorts, and that our sheep may bring forth thousands and ten thousand in our streets.
14 That our [m]oxen may be strong to labor; that there be none invasion, nor going out, nor no crying in our streets.
15 Blessed are the people, that be [n]so, yea blessed are the people whose God is the Lord.
104 1 An excellent Psalm to praise God for the creation of the world, and the governance of the same by his marvelous providence. 35 Wherein the Prophet prayeth against the wicked, who are occasions that God diminisheth his blessings.
1 My soul, praise thou the Lord: O Lord my God, thou art exceeding great, thou art [a]clothed with glory and honor.
2 Which covereth himself with light, as with a garment, and spreadeth the heavens like a curtain.
3 Which layeth the beams of his chambers in the waters, and maketh the clouds his chariot, and walketh upon the wings of the wind.
4 Which [b]maketh the spirits his messengers, and a flaming fire his ministers.
5 He set the earth upon her foundations, so that it shall never move.
6 Thou coverest it with the [c]deep as with a garment: the [d]waters would stand above the mountains.
7 But at thy rebuke they flee: at the voice of thy thunder they haste away.
8 And the mountains ascend, and the valleys descend to the place which thou hast established for them.
9 But thou hast set them a bound which they shall not pass: they shall not return to cover the earth.
10 He sendeth the springs into the valleys, which run between the mountains.
11 They shall give drink to all the [e]beasts of the field, and the wild asses shall quench their thirst.
12 By these [f]springs shall the fowls of the heaven dwell, and sing among the branches.
13 He watereth the mountains from his [g]chambers, and the earth is filled with the fruit of thy works.
14 He causeth grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the use of [h]man, that he may bring forth bread out of the earth,
15 And wine that maketh glad the heart of man, and oil to make his face to shine, and bread that strengtheneth man’s heart.
16 The high trees are satisfied, even the cedars of Lebanon, which he hath planted,
17 That the birds may make their nests there: the stork dwelleth in the fir trees.
18 The high mountains are for the [i]goats: the rocks are a refuge for the conies.
19 He appointed [j]the moon for certain seasons: [k]the sun knoweth his going down.
20 Thou makest darkness, and it is night, wherein all the beasts of the forest creep forth.
21 The lions roar after their prey, and seek their meat [l]at God.
22 When the sun riseth, they retire, and couch in their dens.
23 [m]Then goeth man forth to his work, and to his labor until the evening.
24 O Lord, how [n]manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches.
25 So is the sea great and wide: for therein are things creeping innumerable, both small beasts and great.
26 There go the ships, yea that [o]Leviathan, whom thou hast made to play therein.
27 [p]All these wait upon thee, that thou mayest give them food in due season.
28 Thou givest it to them, and they gather it, thou openest thy hand, and they are filled with good things.
29 But if thou [q]hide thy face, they are troubled: if thou take away their breath, they die and return to their dust:
30 Again if thou [r]send forth thy spirit, they are created, and thou renewest the face of the earth.
31 Glory be to the Lord forever: let the Lord rejoice in his works.
32 He looketh on the earth and it trembleth: he toucheth the mountains, and they [s]smoke.
33 I will sing unto the Lord all my life: I will praise my God, while I live.
34 Let my words be acceptable unto him: I will rejoice in the Lord.
35 Let the sinners be [t]consumed out of the earth, and the wicked till there be no more: O my soul, praise thou the Lord. Praise ye the Lord.
16 ¶ Then the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin saw: and behold, the multitude was discomfited, and smitten as they went.
17 Therefore said Saul unto the people that were with him, Search now, and see, who is gone from us. And when they had numbered, behold, Jonathan and his armor bearer were not there.
18 And Saul said unto Ahijah, Bring hither the Ark of God (for the Ark of God was at that time with the children of Israel)
19 ¶ And while Saul talked unto the Priest, the noise that was in the host of the Philistines, spread farther abroad, and increased: therefore Saul said unto the Priest, [a]Withdraw thine hand.
20 And Saul was assembled with all the people that were with him, and they came to the battle: and behold, (A)every man’s sword was against his fellow, and there was a very great discomfiture.
21 Moreover, the Hebrews that were with the Philistines beforetime, and were come with them into all parts of the host, even they also turned to be with the [b]Israelites that were with Saul and Jonathan.
22 Also all the men of Israel which had hid themselves in mount Ephraim, when they heard that the Philistines were fled, they followed after them in the battle.
23 And so the Lord saved Israel that day: and the battle continued unto Beth Aven.
24 And at that time the men of Israel were pressed with hunger: for Saul charged the people with an oath, saying, [c]Cursed be the man that eateth [d]food till night, that I may be avenged of mine enemies: so none of the people tasted any sustenance.
25 And all they of the land came to a wood, where honey lay upon the ground.
26 And the people came into the wood, and behold, the honey dropped, and no man moved his hand to his mouth: for the people feared the [e]oath.
27 But Jonathan heard not when his father charged the people with the oath: wherefore he put forth the end of the rod that was in his hand, and dipped it in an honey comb, and put his hand to his mouth, and his [f]eyes received sight.
28 Then answered one of the people, and said, Thy father made the people to swear, saying, Cursed be the man that eateth sustenance this day: and the people were [g]faint.
29 Then said Jonathan, My father hath [h]troubled the land: see now how mine eyes are made clear, because I have tasted a little of this honey:
30 How much more, if the people had eaten today of the spoil of their enemies which they found? for had there not been now a greater slaughter among the Philistines?
10 And there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias, and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, I am here Lord.
11 Then the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and seek in the house of Judas after one called Saul of [a]Tarsus: for behold, he prayeth.
12 (And he saw in a vision a man named Ananias coming in to him, and putting his hands on him, that he might receive his sight.)
13 Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem.
14 Moreover here he hath authority of the high Priests, to bind all that call on thy Name.
15 Then the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a [b]chosen vessel unto me, to bear my Name before the Gentiles, and Kings, and the children of Israel.
16 For I will [c]show him, how many things he must suffer for my Name’s sake.
17 Then Ananias went his way, and entered into [d]that house, and put his hands on him, and saith, Brother Saul, the Lord hath sent me (even Jesus that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest) that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the holy Ghost.
18 And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales, and suddenly he received sight, and arose, and was baptized,
19 And received meat, and was strengthened. So was Saul certain days with the disciples which were at Damascus.
32 (A)And there were two others, which were evildoers, led with him to be slain.
33 [a]And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the evildoers: one at the right hand, and the other at the left.
34 [b]Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them: for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.
35 And the people stood, and beheld: and the rulers mocked him with them, saying, He saved others: let him save himself, if he be that Christ the [c]Chosen of God.
36 The soldiers also mocked him, and came and offered him vinegar,
37 And said, If thou be the King of the Jews, save thyself.
38 [d]And a superscription was also written over him, in Greek letters, and in Latin, and in Hebrew, THIS IS THAT KING OF THE JEWS.
39 ¶ [e]And [f]one of the evildoers, which were hanged, railed on him, saying, If thou be that Christ, save thyself and us.
40 But the other answered, and rebuked him, saying, Fearest thou not God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?
41 We are indeed righteously here: for we receive things worthy of that we have done: but this man hath done nothing [g]amiss.
42 And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me, when thou comest into thy kingdom.
43 Then Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, today shalt thou be with me in [h]Paradise.
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