Book of Common Prayer
A Song of degrees.
120 In my trouble I called unto Jehovah, and he answered me.
2 Jehovah, deliver my soul from the lying lip, from the deceitful tongue.
3 What shall be given unto thee, what shall be added unto thee, thou deceitful tongue?
4 Sharp arrows of a mighty one, with burning coals of broom-wood.
5 Woe is me, that I sojourn in Meshech, that I dwell among the tents of Kedar!
6 My soul hath long dwelt with them that hate peace.
7 I [am for] peace; but when I speak, *they* [are] for war.
A Song of degrees.
121 I lift up mine eyes unto the mountains: whence shall my help come?
2 My help [cometh] from Jehovah, who made the heavens and the earth.
3 He will not suffer thy foot to be moved; he that keepeth thee will not slumber.
4 Behold, he that keepeth Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
5 Jehovah is thy keeper, Jehovah is thy shade upon thy right hand;
6 The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.
7 Jehovah will keep thee from all evil; he will keep thy soul.
8 Jehovah will keep thy going out and thy coming in, from henceforth and for evermore.
A Song of degrees. Of David.
122 I rejoiced when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of Jehovah.
2 Our feet shall stand within thy gates, O Jerusalem.
3 Jerusalem, which art built as a city that is compact together,
4 Whither the tribes go up, the tribes of Jah, a testimony to Israel, to give thanks unto the name of Jehovah.
5 For there are set thrones for judgment, the thrones of the house of David.
6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee.
7 Peace be within thy bulwarks, prosperity within thy palaces.
8 For my brethren and companions' sakes I will say, Peace be within thee!
9 Because of the house of Jehovah our God I will seek thy good.
A Song of degrees.
123 Unto thee do I lift up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens.
2 Behold, as the eyes of servants [look] unto the hand of their masters, as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress, so our eyes [are directed] to Jehovah our God, until he be gracious unto us.
3 Be gracious unto us, O Jehovah, be gracious unto us; for we are exceedingly filled with contempt.
4 Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scorning of those that are at ease, with the contempt of the proud.
A Song of degrees. Of David.
124 If it had not been Jehovah who was for us—oh let Israel say—
2 If it had not been Jehovah who was for us, when men rose up against us,
3 Then they had swallowed us up alive, when their anger was kindled against us;
4 Then the waters had overwhelmed us, a torrent had gone over our soul;
5 Then the proud waters had gone over our soul.
6 Blessed be Jehovah, who gave us not up a prey to their teeth!
7 Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers: the snare is broken, and we have escaped.
8 Our help is in the name of Jehovah, the maker of heavens and earth.
A Song of degrees.
125 They that confide in Jehovah are as mount Zion, which cannot be moved; it abideth for ever.
2 Jerusalem!—mountains are round about her, and Jehovah is round about his people, from henceforth and for evermore.
3 For the sceptre of wickedness shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous; lest the righteous put forth their hands unto iniquity.
4 Do good, O Jehovah, unto the good, and to them that are upright in their hearts.
5 But as for such as turn aside unto their crooked ways, Jehovah will lead them forth with the workers of iniquity. Peace be upon Israel!
A Song of degrees.
126 When Jehovah turned the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream.
2 Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with rejoicing: then said they among the nations, Jehovah hath done great things for them.
3 Jehovah hath done great things for us; [and] we are joyful.
4 Turn our captivity, O Jehovah, as the streams in the south.
5 They that sow in tears shall reap with rejoicing:
6 He goeth forth and weepeth, bearing seed for scattering; he cometh again with rejoicing, bearing his sheaves.
A Song of degrees. Of Solomon.
127 Unless Jehovah build the house, in vain do its builders labour in it; unless Jehovah keep the city, the keeper watcheth in vain:
2 It is vain for you to rise up early, to lie down late, to eat the bread of sorrows: so to his beloved one he giveth sleep.
3 Lo, children are an inheritance from Jehovah, [and] the fruit of the womb a reward.
4 As arrows in the hand of a mighty man, so are the children of youth.
5 Happy is the man that hath filled his quiver with them. They shall not be ashamed when they speak with enemies in the gate.
18 In those days there was no king in Israel, and in those days the tribe of the Danites sought for themselves an inheritance to dwell in; for to that day [their lot] had not fallen to them for inheritance among the tribes of Israel.
2 And the children of Dan sent of their family five men of their whole number, men of valour, from Zoreah and from Eshtaol, to spy out the land, and to examine it; and they said to them, Go, examine the land. And they came to the hill-country of Ephraim, to the house of Micah, and lodged there.
3 When they were by the house of Micah, they knew the voice of the young man, the Levite; and they turned in thither, and said to him, Who brought thee hither? and what doest thou in this [place]? and what hast thou here?
4 And he said to them, Thus and thus has Micah done to me; and he has hired me, and I am his priest.
5 And they said to him, Inquire, we pray thee, of God, that we may know whether our way on which we go shall be prosperous.
6 And the priest said to them, Go in peace: before Jehovah is your way on which ye go.
7 And the five men departed, and came to Laish; and they saw the people that were therein, dwelling securely, after the manner of the Zidonians, quiet and secure; and no one was in the land who possessed authority, that might put [them] to shame in anything; and they were far from the Zidonians, and had nothing to do with [any] man.
8 —And they came to their brethren at Zoreah and Eshtaol. And their brethren said to them, What [say] ye?
9 And they said, Arise, and let us go up against them; for we have seen the land, and behold, it is very good; and ye are still! Be not slothful to go, to enter to take possession of the land.
10 When ye go in, ye shall come to a people secure, and the land is spacious in every direction; for God has given it into your hands; [it is] a place where there is no want of anything that is on the earth.
11 And there went from thence of the family of the Danites, out of Zoreah and out of Eshtaol, six hundred men girded with weapons of war.
12 And they went up and encamped in Kirjath-jearim, in Judah; therefore they call that place Mahaneh-Dan to this day: behold, it is behind Kirjath-jearim.
13 And they passed thence to mount Ephraim, and came to the house of Micah.
14 Then the five men that had gone to spy out the country of Laish spoke and said to their brethren, Do ye know that there is in these houses an ephod, and teraphim, and a graven image, and a molten image? And now ye know what to do.
15 And they turned thither, and came to the house of the young man the Levite, the house of Micah, and inquired after his welfare.
8 And Saul was consenting to his being killed. And on that day there arose a great persecution against the assembly which was in Jerusalem, and all were scattered into the countries of Judaea and Samaria except the apostles.
2 And pious men buried Stephen and made great lamentation over him.
3 But Saul ravaged the assembly, entering into the houses one after another, and dragging off both men and women delivered them up to prison.
4 Those then that had been scattered went through [the countries] announcing the glad tidings of the word.
5 And Philip, going down to a city of Samaria, preached the Christ to them;
6 and the crowds with one accord gave heed to the things spoken by Philip, when they heard [him] and saw the signs which he wrought.
7 For from many who had unclean spirits they went out, crying with a loud voice; and many that were paralysed and lame were healed.
8 And there was great joy in that city.
9 But a certain man, by name Simon, had been before in the city, using magic arts, and astonishing the nation of Samaria, saying that himself was some great one.
10 To whom they had all given heed, from small to great, saying, This is the power of God which is called great.
11 And they gave heed to him, because that for a long time he had astonished them by his magic arts.
12 But when they believed Philip announcing the glad tidings concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptised, both men and women.
13 And Simon also himself believed; and, having been baptised, continued constantly with Philip; and, beholding the signs and great works of power which took place, was astonished.
30 I cannot do anything of myself; as I hear, I judge, and my judgment is righteous, because I do not seek my will, but the will of him that has sent me.
31 If I bear witness concerning myself, my witness is not true.
32 It is another who bears witness concerning me, and I know that the witness which he bears concerning me is true.
33 Ye have sent unto John, and he has borne witness to the truth.
34 But I do not receive witness from man, but I say this that *ye* might be saved.
35 *He* was the burning and shining lamp, and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light.
36 But I have the witness [that is] greater than [that] of John; for the works which the Father has given me that I should complete them, the works themselves which I do, bear witness concerning me that the Father has sent me.
37 And the Father who has sent me himself has borne witness concerning me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor have seen his shape,
38 and ye have not his word abiding in you; for whom *he* hath sent, him ye do not believe.
39 Ye search the scriptures, for ye think that in them ye have life eternal, and they it is which bear witness concerning me;
40 and ye will not come to me that ye might have life.
41 I do not receive glory from men,
42 but I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you.
43 I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not; if another come in his own name, him ye will receive.
44 How can ye believe, who receive glory one of another, and seek not the glory which [comes] from God alone?
45 Think not that I will accuse you to the Father: there is [one] who accuses you, Moses, on whom ye trust;
46 for if ye had believed Moses, ye would have believed me, for he wrote of me.
47 But if ye do not believe his writings, how shall ye believe my words?
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