Book of Common Prayer
140 Deliver me, O Lord, from the evil man; preserve me from the violent man,
2 who imagine mischiefs in their heart; continually are they gathered together for war.
3 They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent; adders’ poison is under their lips. Selah
4 Keep me, O Lord, from the hands of the wicked; preserve me from the violent man, who has purposed to overthrow my goings.
5 The proud have hid a snare for me, and with cords they have spread a net by the wayside; they have set traps for me. Selah
6 I said unto the Lord, “Thou art my God; hear the voice of my supplications, O Lord.
7 O God the Lord, the strength of my salvation, Thou hast covered my head in the day of battle.
8 Grant not, O Lord, the desires of the wicked; further not his wicked device, lest they exalt themselves. Selah
9 “As for the head of those that compass me about, let the mischief of their own lips cover them.
10 Let burning coals fall upon them; let them be cast into the fire, into deep pits, that they rise not up again.
11 Let not an evil speaker be established on the earth; evil shall hunt the violent man to overthrow him.”
12 I know that the Lord will maintain the cause of the afflicted and the right of the poor.
13 Surely the righteous shall give thanks unto Thy name; the upright shall dwell in Thy presence.
142 I cried unto the Lord with my voice; with my voice unto the Lord did I make my supplication.
2 I poured out my complaint before Him; I laid before Him my trouble.
3 When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then Thou knewest my path. In the way wherein I walked have they privily laid a snare for me.
4 I looked on my right hand and beheld, but there was no man that would know me. Refuge failed me; no man cared for my soul.
5 I cried unto Thee, O Lord; I said, “Thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living.
6 Attend unto my cry, for I am brought very low; deliver me from my persecutors, for they are stronger than I.
7 Bring my soul out of prison, that I may praise Thy name; the righteous shall compass me about, for Thou shalt deal bountifully with me.”
141 Lord, I cry unto Thee! Make haste unto me! Give ear unto my voice when I cry unto Thee.
2 Let my prayer be set before Thee as incense, and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.
3 Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips.
4 Incline not my heart to any evil thing, to practice wicked works with men that work iniquity; and let me not eat of their dainties.
5 Let the righteous smite me: it shall be a kindness. And let him reprove me: it shall be as an excellent oil, which shall not break my head; for yet my prayer shall be with them in their calamities.
6 When their judges are overthrown onto stony places, they shall hear my words, for they are sweet.
7 Our bones are scattered at the grave’s mouth, as when one cutteth and cleaveth wood upon the earth.
8 But mine eyes are unto Thee, O God the Lord; in Thee is my trust; leave not my soul destitute.
9 Keep me from the snares which they have laid for me, and the traps of the workers of iniquity.
10 Let the wicked fall into their own nets, whilst I thereupon escape.
143 Hear my prayer, O Lord, give ear to my supplications; in Thy faithfulness answer me, and in Thy righteousness.
2 And enter not into judgment with Thy servant, for in Thy sight shall no man living be justified.
3 For the enemy hath persecuted my soul; he hath smitten my life down to the ground. He hath made me to dwell in darkness, as those that have been long dead.
4 Therefore is my spirit overwhelmed within me; my heart within me is desolate.
5 I remember the days of old; I meditate on all Thy works; I muse on the work of Thy hands.
6 I stretch forth my hands unto Thee; my soul thirsteth after Thee, as a thirsty land. Selah
7 Hear me speedily, O Lord; my spirit faileth. Hide not Thy face from me, lest I be like them that go down into the pit.
8 Cause me to hear Thy lovingkindness in the morning, for in Thee do I trust. Cause me to know the way wherein I should walk, for I lift up my soul unto Thee.
9 Deliver me, O Lord, from mine enemies; I flee unto Thee to hide me.
10 Teach me to do Thy will, for Thou art my God. Thy Spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness.
11 Quicken me, O Lord, for Thy name’s sake; for Thy righteousness’ sake bring my soul out of trouble.
12 And in Thy mercy cut off mine enemies, and destroy all them that afflict my soul; for I am Thy servant.
2 Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the Lord.
2 And the Lord said unto Satan, “From whence comest thou?” And Satan answered the Lord and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down upon it.”
3 And the Lord said unto Satan, “Hast thou considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one who feareth God and escheweth evil? And still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst Me against him to destroy him without cause.”
4 And Satan answered the Lord and said, “Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life.
5 But put forth Thine hand now and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse Thee to Thy face!”
6 And the Lord said unto Satan, “Behold, he is in thine hand; only spare his life.”
7 So went Satan forth from the presence of the Lord, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown.
8 And he took him a potsherd with which to scrape himself, and he sat down among the ashes.
9 Then said his wife unto him, “Dost thou still retain thine integrity? Curse God, and die!”
10 But he said unto her, “Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?” In all this did not Job sin with his lips.
11 Now when Job’s three friends heard of all this evil that had come upon him, they came every one from his own place: Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite.For they had made an appointment together to come to mourn with him and to comfort him.
12 And when they lifted up their eyes afar off and knew him not, they lifted up their voice and wept; and they rent every one his mantle, and sprinkled dust upon their heads toward heaven.
13 So they sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights, and none spoke a word unto him; for they saw that his grief was very great.
9 And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest,
2 and asked of him letters to the synagogues at Damascus, that if he found any who were of this Way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.
3 And as he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly there shone round about him a light from heaven.
4 And he fell to the earth and heard a voice saying unto him, “Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me?”
5 And he said, “Who art Thou, Lord?” And the Lord said, “I am Jesus whom thou persecutest; it is hard for thee to kick against the goads.”
6 And he, trembling and astonished, said, “Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?” And the Lord said unto him, “Arise and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.”
7 And the men who journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice but seeing no man.
8 And Saul arose from the earth, and when his eyes were opened, he could see no man; but they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus.
9 And he was three days without sight, and neither did he eat nor drink.
27 Labor not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of Man shall give unto you; for on Him hath God the Father set His seal.”
28 Then said they unto Him, “What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?”
29 Jesus answered and said unto them, “This is the work of God: that ye believe in Him whom He hath sent.”
30 They said therefore unto Him, “What sign showest thou then, that we may see and believe thee? What works dost thou do?
31 Our fathers ate manna in the desert; as it is written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’”
32 Then Jesus said unto them, “Verily, verily I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from Heaven, but My Father giveth you the true bread from Heaven.
33 For the bread of God is He that cometh down from Heaven, and giveth life unto the world.”
34 Then they said unto Him, “Lord, evermore give us this bread.”
35 And Jesus said unto them, “I am the Bread of Life. He that cometh to Me shall never hunger, and he that believeth in Me shall never thirst.
36 But I said unto you that ye also have seen Me, and believe not.
37 All that the Father giveth Me shall come to Me, and him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out.
38 For I came down from Heaven, not to do Mine own will, but the will of Him that sent Me.
39 And this is the Father’s will who hath sent Me, that of all which He hath given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the Last Day.
40 And this is the will of Him that sent Me: that every one who seeth the Son and believeth in Him may have everlasting life, and I will raise him up at the Last Day.”
Copyright © 1994 by Deuel Enterprises, Inc.