Book of Common Prayer
131 1 David charged with ambition and greedy desire to reign, protesteth his humility and modesty before God, and teacheth all men what they should do.
A song of degrees, or Psalm of David.
1 Lord, [a]mine heart is not haughty, neither are mine eyes lofty, neither have I walked in great [b]matters and hid from me.
2 Surely I have behaved myself, like one weaned from his mother, and kept silence: I am in myself as one that is [c]weaned.
3 Let Israel wait on the Lord from henceforth and forever.
132 1 The faithful grounding on God’s promise made unto David, desire that he would establish the same, both as touching his posterity, and the building of the Temple, to pray there as was forspoken, Deut. 12:5.
A song of degrees.
1 Lord, remember David with all his [d]affliction,
2 Who sware unto the Lord, and vowed unto the mighty God, of Jacob, saying,
3 I [e]will not enter into the Tabernacle of mine house, nor come upon my pallet or bed,
4 Nor suffer mine eyes to sleep, nor mine eyelids to slumber,
5 Until I find out a place for the [f]Lord, an habitation for the mighty God of Jacob.
6 Lo, we heard of it in [g]Ephrathah, and found it in the fields of the forest.
7 We will enter into his Tabernacles, and worship before his footstool.
8 Arise, O Lord, to come into thy [h]rest, thou, and the Ark of thy strength.
9 Let thy Priests be clothed with [i]righteousness, and let thy Saints rejoice.
10 For thy [j]servant David’s sake refuse not the face of thine Anointed.
11 The Lord hath sworn in truth unto David, and he will not shrink from it, saying, Of the fruit of thy body will I set upon thy throne.
12 If thy sons keep my Covenant, and my testimonies, that I shall teach them, their sons also shall sit upon thy throne [k]forever.
13 For the Lord hath chosen Zion, and loved to dwell in it, saying,
14 This is my rest forever: here will I dwell, for I have a [l]delight therein.
15 I will surely bless her vittles, and will satisfy her poor with bread,
16 And will clothe her Priests with [m]salvation, and her Saints shall shout for joy.
17 There will I make the [n]horn of David to bud: for I have ordained a light for mine Anointed.
18 His enemies will I clothe with shame, but on him his crown shall flourish.
133 1 This Psalm containeth the commendation of brotherly amity among the servants of God.
A song of degrees, or Psalm of David.
1 Behold, how good and how comely a thing it is, brethren to dwell even [o]together.
2 It is like to the precious [p]ointment upon the head, that runneth down upon the beard, even unto Aaron’s beard, which went down on the border of his garments,
3 And as the dew of [q]Hermon which falleth upon the mountains of Zion: for [r]there the Lord appointed the blessing and life forever.
134 1 He exhorteth the Levites watching in the Temple, to praise the Lord.
A song of degrees.
1 Behold, praise ye the Lord, all ye [s]servants of the Lord, ye that by night stand in the house of the Lord.
2 Lift up your [t]hands to the Sanctuary, and praise the Lord.
3 The Lord that [u]hath made heaven and earth, bless thee out of Zion.
135 1 He exhorteth all the faithful, of what estate soever they be, to praise God for his marvelous works. 12 And specially for his graces toward his people, wherein he hath declared his Majesty, 15 To the confusion of all idolaters and their idols.
Praise ye the Lord.
1 Praise, the Name of the Lord; ye servants of the Lord, praise him.
2 Ye that [v]stand in the House of the Lord, and in the [w]courts of the House of our God,
3 Praise ye the Lord: for the Lord is good: sing praises unto his Name: for it is a comely thing.
4 For the Lord hath [x]chosen Jacob to himself, and Israel for his chief treasure.
5 For I know that the Lord is great, and that our Lord is above all gods.
6 Whatsoever pleased the Lord, that [y]did he in heaven and in earth, in the sea, and in all the depths.
7 He bringeth up the clouds from the ends of the earth, and maketh the (A)lightnings with the rain: he draweth forth the wind out of his treasures.
8 (B)He smote the firstborn of Egypt both of man and beast.
9 He hath sent tokens and wonders into the midst of thee, O Egypt, upon Pharaoh, and upon all his servants.
10 (C)He smote many nations, and slew mighty Kings:
11 As Sihon King of the Amorites, and Og king of Bashan, and all the kingdoms of Canaan:
12 And [z]gave their land for an inheritance, even an inheritance unto Israel his people.
13 Thy Name, O Lord, endureth forever: O Lord, thy remembrance is from generation to generation.
14 For the Lord will [aa]judge his people, and be pacified toward his servants.
15 The [ab]idols of the heathen are silver and gold, even the work of men’s hands.
16 They have a mouth, and speak not: they have eyes and see not.
17 They have ears and hear not, neither is there any breath in their mouth.
18 They that make them, are like unto them: so are all that trust in them.
19 Praise the Lord, ye house of Israel: praise the Lord, ye house of Aaron.
20 Praise the Lord, ye house of Levi; ye that fear the Lord, praise the Lord.
21 Praised be the Lord out of Zion, which dwelleth in Jerusalem. Praise ye the Lord.
19 7 Joab encourageth the king. 8 David is restored. 23 Shimei is pardoned. 24 Mephibosheth meeteth the king. 39 Barzillai departeth. 41 Israel striveth with Judah.
1 And it was told Joab, Behold, the King weepeth and mourneth for Absalom.
2 Therefore the [a]victory of that day was turned into mourning to all the people: for the people heard say that day, The King sorroweth for his son.
3 And the people went that day into the city [b]secretly, as people confounded hide themselves when they flee in battle.
4 So the King [c]hid his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, My son Absalom, Absalom my son, my son.
5 ¶ Then Joab came into the [d]house to the King, and said, Thou hast shamed this day the faces of all thy servants, which this day have saved thy life, and the lives of thy sons, and of thy daughters, and the lives of thy wives, and the lives of thy concubines,
6 In that thou lovest thine enemies, and hatest thy friends: for thou hast declared this day, that thou regardest neither thy [e]princes, nor servants: therefore this day I perceive, that if Absalom had lived, and we all had died this day, that then it would have [f]pleased thee well.
7 Now therefore up, come out, and speak [g]comfortably unto thy servants: for I swear by the Lord, except thou come out, there will not tarry one man with thee this night: and that will be worse unto thee, than all the evil that fell on thee from thy youth hitherto.
8 Then the king arose, and sat in the [h]gate: and they told unto all the people, saying, Behold, the king doth sit in the gate: and all the people came before the king: for Israel had fled every man to his tent.
9 ¶ Then all the people were at [i]strife throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, The King saved us out of the hand of our enemies, and he delivered us out of the hand of the Philistines, and now he is fled out of the land for Absalom.
10 And Absalom, whom we anointed over us, is dead in battle: therefore why are ye so slow to bring the king again?
11 But King David sent to Zadok and to Abiathar the [j]Priests, saying, Speak unto the Elders of Judah, and say, Why are ye behind to bring the King again to his house (for the saying of all Israel is come unto the King, even to his house.)
12 Ye are my brethren: my bones and my flesh are ye: Wherefore then are ye the last that bring the King again?
13 Also say ye to Amasa, Art thou not my bone and my flesh? God do so to me, and more also, if thou be not captain of the host to me forever in the [k]room of Joab.
14 So he bowed the hearts of all the men of Judah, as of one man: therefore they sent to the King, saying, Return thou with all thy servants.
15 ¶ So the king returned, and came to Jordan. And Judah came to Gilgal, for to go to meet the king, and to conduct him over Jordan.
16 ¶ And [l]Shimei the son of Gera, the son of Benjamin, which was of Bahurim, hasted and came down with the men of Judah to meet king David,
17 And a thousand men of Benjamin with him, and (A)Ziba the servant of the house of Saul, and his fifteen sons and twenty servants with him: and they went over Jordan before the king.
18 And there went over a boat to carry over the king’s household, and to do him pleasure. Then Shimei the son of Gera fell before the king, when he was come over Jordan,
19 And said unto the king, Let not my lord impute (B)wickedness unto me, nor remember the thing that thy servant did [m]wickedly when my lord the King departed out of Jerusalem, that the king should take it to his heart.
20 For thy servant doth know, that I have done amiss: therefore behold, I am the first this day of all the house of [n]Joseph, that am come to go down to meet my lord the king.
21 But Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered, and said, Shall not Shimei die for this, because he cursed the Lord’s anointed?
22 And David said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah, that this day ye should be adversaries unto me? shall there any man die this day in Israel? for do not I know that I am this day king over Israel?
23 Therefore the king said unto Shimei, Thou shalt not [o]die, and the king swore unto him.
24 2 Tertullus accuseth Paul: 10 He answereth for himself: 21 He preacheth Christ to the governor and his wife. 26 Felix hopeth, but in vain, to receive a bribe, 27 who going from his office, leaveth Paul in prison.
1 Now [a]after five days, Ananias the high Priest came down with the Elders, and with Tertullus a certain orator, which appeared before the governor against Paul.
2 And when he was called forth, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying, Seeing that we have obtained great quietness [b]through thee, and that many [c]worthy things are done unto this nation through thy providence,
3 We acknowledge it wholly, and in all places, most noble Felix, with all thanks.
4 But that I be not tedious unto thee, I pray thee, that thou wouldest hear us of thy courtesy a few words.
5 Certainly we have found this man a [d]pestilent fellow, and a mover of sedition among all the Jews throughout the world, and a [e]chief maintainer of the sect of the [f]Nazarenes:
6 And hath gone about to pollute the Temple: therefore we took him, and would have judged him according to our Law:
7 But the chief captain Lysias came upon us, and with great violence took him out of our hands,
8 Commanding his accusers to come to thee: of whom thou mayest (if thou wilt inquire) know all these things whereof we accuse him.
9 And the Jews likewise [g]affirmed, saying that it was so.
10 [h]Then Paul, after that the governor had beckoned unto him that he should speak, answered, I do the more gladly answer for myself, forasmuch as I know that [i]thou hast been oft many years a judge unto this nation,
11 Seeing that thou mayest know, that there are but twelve days since I came up to worship in Jerusalem.
12 And they neither found me in the Temple, disputing with any man, neither making uproar among the people, neither in the Synagogues, nor in the city.
13 Neither can they [j]prove the things, whereof they now accuse me.
14 [k]But this I confess unto thee, that after the way (which they call [l]heresy) so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the Law and the Prophets,
15 And have hope towards God, that the resurrection of the dead, which they themselves look for also, shall be both of just and unjust.
16 And herein I endeavor myself to have always a clear conscience toward God and toward men.
17 [m]Now after many years, I came and brought alms to my nation and offerings,
18 At [n]what time, certain Jews of [o]Asia found me purified in the Temple, neither with multitude, nor with tumult.
19 Who ought to have been present before thee, and accuse me, if they had ought against me.
20 Or let these themselves say, if they have found any unjust thing in me, while I stood in the [p]Council,
21 Except it be for this one voice, that I cried standing among them, Of the resurrection of the dead am I accused of you this day.
22 [q]Now when Felix heard these things, he deferred them, and said, When I shall more [r]perfectly know the things which concern this way, by the coming of Lysias the chief Captain, I will decide your matter.
23 [s]Then he commanded a Centurion to keep Paul, and that he should have ease, and that he should forbid none of his acquaintance to minister unto him, or to come unto him.
28 ¶ (A)[a]Then came one of the Scribes that had heard them disputing together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, he asked him, Which is the first commandment of all?
29 Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, (B)Hear, Israel, The Lord our God is the only Lord.
30 Thou shalt therefore love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.
31 And the second is like, that is, (C)Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.
32 Then that Scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth, that there is one God, and that there is none but he,
33 And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbor as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.
34 Then when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. And no man after that durst ask him any question.
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