Book of Common Prayer
89 1 With many words doth the Prophet praise the goodness of God, 23 For his testament and covenant, that he had made between him and his elect by Jesus Christ the son of David. 38 Then doth he complain of the great ruin, and desolation of the kingdom of David, so that to the outward appearance the promise was broken. 46 Finally, he prayeth to be delivered from his afflictions, making mention of the shortness of man’s life, and confirming himself by God’s promise.
A Psalm to give instruction, of Ethan the Ezrahite.
1 I will [a]sing the mercies of the Lord forever: with my mouth will I declare thy truth from generation to generation.
2 For I [b]said, Mercy shall be set up forever: thy truth shalt thou [c]stablish in the very heavens.
3 [d]I have made a covenant with my chosen: I have sworn to David my servant,
4 Thy seed will I stablish forever, and set up thy throne from generation to generation. Selah.
5 O Lord, even the [e]heavens shall praise thy wondrous work: yea, thy truth in the [f]Congregation of the Saints.
6 For who is equal to the Lord in the heaven? and who is like the Lord among the [g]sons of the gods?
7 God is very terrible in the assembly of the [h]Saints, and to be reverenced above all that are about him.
8 O Lord God of hosts, who is like unto thee, which art a mighty Lord, and thy truth is about thee?
9 [i]Thou rulest the raging of the Sea: when the waves thereof arise, thou stillest them.
10 Thou hast beaten down Rahab as a man slain: thou hast scattered thine enemies with thy mighty arm.
11 The heavens are thine, the earth also is thine: thou hast laid the foundation of the world, and all that therein is.
12 Thou hast created the North and the South: [j]Tabor and Hermon shall rejoice in thy Name.
13 Thou hast a mighty arm: strong is thy hand, and high is thy right hand.
14 [k]Righteousness and equity are the stablishment of thy throne: mercy and truth go before thy face.
15 Blessed is the people that can [l]rejoice in thee: they shall walk in the light of thy [m]countenance, O Lord.
16 They shall rejoice continually in thy Name, and in thy righteousness shall they exalt themselves.
17 For thou art the [n]glory of their strength, and by thy favor our horns shall be exalted.
18 For our [o]shield appertaineth to the Lord, and our King to the Holy one of Israel.
19 Thou spakest then in a vision unto [p]thine Holy one, and saidest, I have laid help upon one that is [q]mighty: I have exalted one chosen out of the people.
20 I have found David my servant: with mine holy oil have I anointed him.
21 Therefore mine hand shall be established with him, and mine arm shall strengthen him.
22 The enemy shall not oppress him, neither shall the wicked hurt him.
23 But I will [r]destroy his foes before his face, and plague them that hate him.
24 My truth also and my [s]mercy shall be with him, and in my Name shall his [t]horn be exalted.
25 I will set his hand also in the sea, and his right hand in the [u]floods.
26 He shall cry unto me, Thou art my [v]Father, my God, and the rock of my salvation.
27 Also I will make him my firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth.
28 My mercy will I keep for him for evermore, and my Covenant shall stand fast with him.
29 His seed also will I make to endure [w]forever, and his throne as the days of heaven.
30 But if his children forsake my Law, and walk not in my judgments:
31 (A)If they break my statutes, and keep not my commandments:
32 Then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with strokes.
33 [x]Yet my loving kindness will I not take from him, neither will I falsify my truth.
34 My Covenant will I not break, nor [y]alter the thing that is gone out of my lips.
35 I have sworn once by mine holiness, [z]that I will not fail David, saying,
36 His seed shall endure forever, and his throne shall be as the sun before me.
37 He shall be established for evermore as the moon, and as a faithful [aa]witness in the heaven. Selah.
38 But thou hast rejected and abhorred, thou hast been angry with thine anointed.
39 Thou hast [ab]broken the Covenant of thy servant, and profaned his [ac]crown, casting it on the ground.
40 Thou hast broken down all his walls: thou hast laid his fortresses in ruin.
41 All that go by the way, spoil him: he is a rebuke unto his neighbors.
42 Thou hast set up the right hand of his enemies, and made all his adversaries to rejoice.
43 Thou hast also turned the edge of his sword, and hast not made him to stand in the battle.
44 Thou hast caused his dignity to decay, and cast his throne to the ground.
45 The days of his [ad]youth hast thou shortened, and covered him with shame. Selah.
46 [ae]Lord, how long wilt thou hide thyself, forever? shall thy wrath burn like fire?
47 Remember [af]of what time I am: wherefore shouldest thou create in vain all the children of men?
48 What man liveth, and shall not see death? shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave? Selah.
49 Lord, where are thy former mercies, which thou swarest unto David in thy truth?
50 Remember, O Lord, the rebuke of thy servants, which I bear in my [ag]bosom of all the mighty people.
51 For [ah]thine enemies have reproached thee, O Lord, because they have reproached the [ai]footsteps of thine Anointed.
52 Praised be the Lord for evermore. So be it, even so be it.
23 ¶ And after the time of two years, Absalom had sheepshearers in [a]Baal Hazor, which is beside Ephraim, and [b]Absalom called all the king’s sons.
24 And Absalom came to the King, and said, Behold now, thy servant hath sheepshearers: I pray thee, that the king with his servants would go with thy servant.
25 But the King answered Absalom, Nay my son, I pray thee, let us not go all, lest we be chargeable unto thee. Yet Absalom lay sore upon him: howbeit he would not go, but [c]thanked him.
26 Then said Absalom, But, I pray thee, shall not my brother [d]Amnon go with us? And the king answered him, Why should he go with thee?
27 But Absalom was instant upon him, and he sent Amnon with him, and all the king’s children.
28 ¶ Now had Absalom commanded his servants, saying, Mark now when Amnon’s heart is merry with wine, and when I say unto you, Smite Amnon, kill him, fear not, for have not [e]I commanded you? be bold therefore, and play the men.
29 And the servants of Absalom did unto Amnon, as Absalom had commanded: and all the king’s sons arose, and every man got him up upon his mule, and fled.
30 ¶ And while they were in the way, tidings came to David, saying, Absalom hath slain all the King’s sons, and there is not one of them left.
31 Then the king arose, and tore his garments, and lay on the [f]ground, and all his servants stood by with their clothes rent.
32 And Jonadab the son of Shimeah David’s brother answered and said, Let not my lord suppose that they have slain all the young men the King’s sons: for Amnon only is dead, [g]because Absalom had reported so, since he forced his sister Tamar.
33 Now therefore let not my lord the King [h]take the thing so grievously; to think that all the King’s sons are dead: [i]for Amnon only is dead.
34 ¶ Then Absalom fled: and the young man that kept the watch, lift up his eyes, and looked, and behold, there came much people by the way of the hill side [j]behind him.
35 And Jonadab said unto the king, Behold, the king’s sons come: as thy servant said, [k]so it is.
36 And as soon as he had left speaking, behold, the king’s sons came, and lift up their voices, and wept: and the king also and all his servants wept exceedingly sore.
37 But Absalom fled away, and went to [l]Talmai the son of Ammihud king of Geshur: and David mourned for his son every day.
38 So Absalom fled, and went to Geshur, and was there three years.
39 And king David [m]desired to go forth unto Absalom, because he was pacified concerning Amnon, seeing he was dead.
17 ¶ Wherefore from [a]Miletus, he sent to Ephesus, and called the Elders of the Church.
18 [b]Who when they were come to him, he said unto them, Ye know from the first day that I came into Asia, after what manner I have been with you at all seasons,
19 Serving the Lord with all modesty, and with many tears, and temptations, which came unto me by the layings await of the Jews,
20 And how I kept [c]back nothing that was profitable, but have showed you, and taught you openly and throughout every house.
21 Witnessing both to the Jews, and to the Grecians the repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.
22 [d]And now behold, I go [e]bound in the Spirit unto Jerusalem, and know not what things shall come unto me there,
23 Save that the holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying, that bonds and afflictions abide me.
24 But I pass not at all, neither is my life dear unto myself, so that I may fulfill my course with joy, and the ministration which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the Gospel of the grace of God.
25 And now behold, I know that henceforth ye all, through whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more.
26 Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am [f]pure from the blood of all men.
27 [g]For I have kept nothing back, but have showed you all the counsel of God.
28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, whereof the holy Ghost hath made you Overseers to [h]feed the Church of God which [i]he hath purchased with [j]that his own blood.
29 [k]For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.
30 Moreover of your own selves shall men arise speaking perverse things, to [l]draw disciples after them.
31 Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn everyone, both night and day with tears.
32 [m]And now brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build further, and to give you an [n]inheritance, among all them, which are sanctified.
33 [o]I have coveted no man’s silver, nor gold, nor apparel.
34 Yea, ye know, that these hands have ministered unto my (A)necessities, and to them that were with me.
35 I have showed you all things, how that so laboring, ye ought to [p]support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how that he said, It is a blessed thing to give, rather than to receive.
36 And when he had thus spoken, he kneeled down, and prayed with them all.
37 [q]Then they wept all abundantly, and fell on Paul’s neck, and kissed him,
38 Being chiefly sorry for the words which he spake, That they should see his face no more. And they accompanied him unto the ship.
42 (A)[a]And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones, that believe in me, it were better for him rather, that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were cast into the sea.
43 (B)Wherefore if thine hand cause thee to offend, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life, maimed, than having two hands, to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched,
44 (C)Where their [b]worm dieth not, and the fire never goeth out.
45 Likewise, if thy foot cause thee to offend, cut it off: it is better for thee to go halt into life, than having two feet, to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched,
46 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire never goeth out.
47 And if thine eye cause thee to offend, pluck it out: it is better for thee to go into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire,
48 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire never goeth out.
49 [c]For every man shall be [d]salted with fire: and (D)every sacrifice shall be salted with salt.
50 (E)Salt is good: but if the salt be unsavory, wherewith shall it be seasoned? have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another.
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