Book of Common Prayer
56 1 David being brought to Achish the king of Gath, 1 Sam. 21:12, complaineth of his enemies, demandeth succor, 3 Putteth his trust in God and in his promises, 12 And promiseth to perform his vows which he had taken upon him, whereof this was the effect, to praise God in his Church.
To him that excelleth. A Psalm of David on Michtam, concerning the [a]dumb dove in a far country, when the Philistines took him in Gath.
1 Be merciful unto me, O God, for [b]man would swallow me up: he fighteth continually and vexeth me.
2 Mine enemies would daily swallow me up: for many fight against me, O thou most High.
3 When I was afraid, I trusted in thee.
4 I will rejoice in God, because of his [c]word, I trust in God, and will not fear what flesh can do unto me.
5 Mine own [d]words grieve me daily: all their thoughts are against me to do me hurt.
6 [e]They gather together, and keep themselves close: they mark my steps, because they wait for my soul.
7 [f]They think they shall escape by iniquity: O God, cast these people down in thine anger.
8 Thou hast counted my wanderings; put my [g]tears into thy bottle; are they not in thy register?
9 When I cry, then mine enemies shall turn back; this I know, for God is with me.
10 I will rejoice in God because of his word; in the Lord will I rejoice because of his word.
11 In God do I trust; I will not be afraid what man can do unto me.
12 [h]Thy vows are upon me, O God, I will render praises unto thee.
13 For thou hast delivered my soul from death, and also my feet from falling, that I may [i]walk before God in the [j]light of the living.
57 1 David being in the desert of Ziph, where the inhabitants did betray him, and at length in the same cave with Saul, 2 Calleth most earnestly unto God, with full confidence that he will perform his promise, and take his cause in hand. 5 Also that he will show his glory in the heavens and the earth against his cruel enemies. 9 Therefore doth he render laud and praise.
To him that excelleth. [k]Destroy not. A Psalm of David on Michtam. (A)When he fled from Saul in the cave.
1 Have mercy upon me, O God, have mercy upon me; for my soul trusteth in thee, and in the shadow of thy wings will I [l]trust, till these [m]afflictions overpass.
2 I will call unto the most high God, even the God, that [n]performeth his promise toward me.
3 He will send from [o]heaven, and save me from the reproof of him that would swallow me. Selah. God will send his mercy, and his truth.
4 My soul is among lions; I lie among the children of men, that are set on fire; whose teeth are [p]spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword.
5 [q]Exalt thyself, O God, above the heaven, and let thy glory be upon all the earth.
6 They have laid a net for my steps; [r]my soul is pressed down, they have dug a pit before me, and are fallen into the midst of it. Selah.
7 Mine heart is [s]prepared, O God, mine heart is prepared; I will sing and give praise.
8 [t]Awake my tongue, awake viol and harp: I will awake early.
9 I will praise thee, O Lord, among the people, and I will sing unto thee among the nations.
10 For thy mercy is great unto the heavens, and thy truth unto the [u]clouds.
11 Exalt thyself, O God, above the heavens, and let thy glory be upon all the earth.
58 1 He describeth the malice of his enemies, the flatterers of Saul, who both secretly and openly sought his destruction, from whom he appealeth to God’s judgment, 10 Showing that the just shall rejoice, when they see the punishment of the wicked to the glory of God.
To him that excelleth. Destroy not. A Psalm of David on Michtam.
1 Is it true? O [v]congregation, speak ye justly? O sons of men judge ye uprightly?
2 Yea, rather ye imagine mischief in your heart: [w]your hands execute cruelty upon the earth.
3 The wicked [x]are strangers from the womb: even from the belly have they erred, and speak lies.
4 Their poison is even like the poison of a serpent; like the deaf [y]adder that stoppeth his ear.
5 Which heareth not the voice of the enchanter, though he be most expert in charming.
6 Break their [z]teeth, O God, in their mouths: break the jaws of the young lions, O Lord.
7 Let them [aa]melt like the waters, let them pass away; when he shooteth his arrows, let them be as broken.
8 Let them consume like a snail that melteth, and like the untimely fruit of a woman, that hath not seen the sun.
9 [ab]As raw flesh before your pots feel the fire of thorns: so let them carry them away as with a whirlwind in his wrath.
10 The righteous shall [ac]rejoice when he seeth the vengeance; he shall wash his feet in the [ad]blood of the wicked.
11 And men shall say, [ae]Verily there is fruit for the righteous; doubtless there is a God that judgeth in the earth.
64 1 David prayeth against the fury and false reports of his enemies. 7 He declareth their punishment and destruction. 10 To the comfort of the just and the glory of God.
To him that excelleth. A Psalm of David.
1 Hear my [a]voice, O God, in my prayer: preserve my life from fear of the enemy.
2 Hide me from the [b]conspiracy of the wicked, and from the [c]rage of the works of iniquity.
3 Which have whet their tongue like a sword, and shot for their arrows [d]bitter words:
4 To shoot at the upright in secret: they shoot at him suddenly and [e]fear not.
5 They [f]encourage themselves in a wicked purpose: they commune together to lay snares privily, and say, Who shall see them?
6 They have sought out iniquities, and have accomplished that which they sought out, even everyone [g]his secret thoughts, and the depth of his heart.
7 But God will shoot an arrow at them suddenly: their strokes shall be at once.
8 They shall cause their own tongue to fall upon them: and whosoever shall see them, shall [h]flee away.
9 And all men shall see it, and declare the work of God, and they shall understand, what he hath wrought.
10 But the righteous [i]shall be glad in the Lord, and trust in him: and all that are upright of heart, shall rejoice.
65 1 A praise and thanksgiving unto God by the faithful, who are signified by Zion, 4 For the choosing, preservation, and governance of them, 9 And for the plentiful blessings poured forth upon all the earth, but especially toward his Church.
To him that excelleth. A Psalm or song of David.
1 O God, [j]praise waiteth for thee in Zion, and unto thee shall the vow be performed.
2 Because thou hearest the prayer, unto thee shall all [k]flesh come.
3 Wicked deeds [l]have prevailed against me: but thou wilt be merciful unto our transgressions.
4 Blessed is he, whom thou choosest and causest to come to thee: he shall dwell in thy courts, and we shall be satisfied with the pleasures of thine House, even of thine holy Temple.
5 O God of our salvation, thou wilt [m]answer us with fearful signs in thy righteousness, O thou the hope of all the ends of the earth, and of them that are far off in the [n]Sea.
6 He establisheth the mountains by his power: and is girded about with strength.
7 He appeaseth the [o]noise of the seas, and the noise of the waves thereof, and the tumults of the people.
8 They also that dwell in the uttermost parts of the earth, shall be afraid of thy signs; thou shalt make [p]the East and the West to rejoice.
9 Thou [q]visitest the earth, and waterest it; thou makest it very rich: the [r]river of God is full of water, thou preparest them corn; for so thou appointest [s]it.
10 Thou [t]waterest abundantly the furrows thereof; thou causest the rain to descend into the valleys thereof; thou makest it soft with showers, and blessest the bud thereof.
11 Thou crownest the year with thy goodness, and thy steps drop fatness.
12 They drop upon the pastures of the wilderness: and the hills shall be compassed with gladness.
13 The pastures are clad with sheep; the valleys also shall be covered with corn; therefore they shout for joy, [u]and sing.
2 1 David is anointed King in Hebron. 9 Abner maketh Ishbosheth King over Israel. 15 The battle of the servants of David and Ishbosheth. 32 The burial of Asahel.
1 After this, David [a]asked counsel of the Lord, saying, Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah? And the Lord said unto him, Go up. And David said, Whither shall I go? He then answered, Unto [b]Hebron.
2 So David went up thither, and his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail Nabal’s wife the Carmelite.
3 And David brought up the men that were with [c]him, every man with his household, and they dwelt in the cities of Hebron.
4 ¶ Then the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David King over the house of Judah. And they told David, saying, (A)that the men of Jabesh Gilead buried Saul.
5 And David sent messengers unto the men of Jabesh Gilead, and said unto them, Blessed are ye of the Lord, that ye have showed such kindness unto your lord Saul, that you have buried him.
6 Therefore now the Lord show mercy and [d]truth unto you: and I will recompense you this benefit, because ye have done this thing.
7 Therefore now let your hands be strong, and be you valiant: albeit your master Saul be dead, yet nevertheless the house of Judah hath anointed me [e]King over them.
8 ¶ But Abner the son of Ner that was captain of Saul’s host, took Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and brought him to Mahanaim,
9 And made him King over Gilead, and over the Ashurites, and over Jezreel, and over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, and over [f]all Israel.
10 Ishbosheth Saul’s son was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and reigned two years: but the house of Judah followed David.
11 (And the time which David reigned in Hebron over the house of Judah, was seven years and six [g]months.)
36 ¶ [a]But after certain days, Paul said unto Barnabas, Let us return and visit our brethren in every city, where we have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they do.
37 [b]And Barnabas counseled to take with them John, called Mark.
38 But Paul thought it not meet to take him unto their company, which departed from them from Pamphylia, and went not with them to the work.
39 [c]Then were they so [d]stirred, that they departed asunder one from the other, so that Barnabas took Mark, and sailed unto Cyprus.
40 And Paul chose Silas and departed, being commended of the brethren unto the grace of God.
41 And he went through Syria and Cilicia, establishing the Churches.
16 1 Paul having circumcised Timothy, 12 being at Philippi, 14 instructed Lydia in the faith. 16 The spirit of divination, 18 is by him cast out: 20 and for that cause 22 they are whipped, 24 and imprisoned. 26 Through an earthquake, 27 the prison doors are opened. 31, 32 The Gaoler receiveth the faith.
1 Then [e]came he to Derbe and to Lystra: and behold, a certain disciple was there, named (A)Timothy, a woman’s son, which was a [f]Jewess and believed, but his father was a Grecian,
2 Of whom the brethren which were at Lystra and Iconium, [g]reported well.
3 [h]Therefore Paul would that he should go forth with him, and took and circumcised him, because of the Jews, which were in those quarters: for they knew all that his father was a Grecian.
4 [i]And as they went through the cities, they delivered them [j]the decrees to keep, ordained of the Apostles and Elders which were at Jerusalem.
5 And so were the Churches established in the faith, [and] increased in number daily.
14 ¶ (A)[a]Then King Herod heard of him (for his Name was made manifest) and said, John Baptist is risen again from the dead, and therefore great [b]works are wrought by him.
15 Others said, It is Elijah, and some said, It is a Prophet, or as one of [c]those Prophets.
16 (B)So when Herod heard it, he said, It is John whom [d]I beheaded: he is risen from the dead.
17 For Herod himself had sent forth, and had taken John, and bound him in prison for Herodias’ sake, which was his brother Philip’s wife, because he had married her.
18 For John said unto Herod, (C)It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother’s wife.
19 Therefore Herodias [e]laid wait against him: and would have killed him, but she could not:
20 For Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just man, and an holy, and reverenced him, and when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him [f]gladly.
21 But the time being convenient, when Herod on his birthday made a banquet to his princes and captains, and chief estates of Galilee:
22 And the daughter [g]of the same Herodias came in, and danced, and pleased Herod, and them that sat at table together, the King said unto the maid, Ask of me what thou wilt, and I will give it thee.
23 And he swore unto her, Whatsoever thou shalt ask of me, I will give it thee, even unto the half of my kingdom.
24 (D)So [h]she went forth, and said to her mother, What shall I ask? And she said, John Baptist’s head.
25 Then she came in straightway with haste unto the King, and asked, saying, I would that thou shouldest give me even now in a charger the head of John Baptist.
26 Then the King was very sorry: yet for his oath’s sake, and for their sakes which sat at table with him, he would not refuse her.
27 And immediately the King sent the [i]hangman, and gave charge that his head should be brought in. So he went and beheaded him in the prison,
28 And brought his head in a charger, and gave it to the maid, and the maid gave it to her mother.
29 And when his disciples heard it, they came and took up his body, and put it in a tomb.
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