Book of Common Prayer
A Psalm of David.
1 ¶ Unto thee will I cry, O LORD my rock; be not silent unto me lest, if thou be silent unto me, I become like those that go down into the grave.
2 Hear the voice of my supplications when I cry unto thee, when I lift up my hands toward the oracle of thy holiness.
3 Do not catch me away with the wicked, and with the workers of iniquity, who speak peace to their neighbours, but evil is in their hearts.
4 Give them according to their deeds and according to the wickedness of their endeavours: give them after the work of their hands; render unto them their desert.
5 Because they do not regard the works of the LORD nor the operation of his hands, he shall destroy them and not build them up.
6 ¶ Blessed be the LORD because he has heard the voice of my supplications.
7 The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped; therefore my heart greatly rejoices; and with my song I will praise him.
8 The LORD is the strength of his people, and he is the saving strength of his anointed.
9 Save thy people and bless thine inheritance; feed them also and lift them up for ever.
A Psalm and Song at the dedication of the house of David.
1 ¶ I will extol thee, O LORD; for thou hast lifted me up and hast not made my foes to rejoice over me.
2 O LORD my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me.
3 O LORD, thou hast brought up my soul from Sheol; thou gavest me life from my descent into the grave.
4 Let his merciful ones sing unto the LORD, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.
5 For his anger endures but a moment; in his will is life; weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.
6 ¶ And in my prosperity I said, I shall never be moved.
7 LORD, by thy favour thou hast made my mountain to stand strong; thou didst hide thy face, and I was troubled.
8 I will cry unto thee, O GOD; and unto the Lord will I make supplication.
9 What profit is there in my blood when I go down to the pit? Shall the dust praise thee? Shall it declare thy truth?
10 Hear, O LORD and have mercy upon me: LORD, be thou my helper.
11 Thou hast turned my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth and girded me with gladness;
12 to the end that I may sing glory unto thee and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever.
17 Now after the death of Jehoiada, the princes of Judah came and worshipped the king. Then the king hearkened unto them.
18 And they left the house of the LORD God of their fathers and served groves and idols, and wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for their guilt.
19 Yet he sent prophets to them to bring them again unto the LORD, and they testified against them, but they would not give ear.
20 And the Spirit of God clothed himself in Zechariah, the son of Jehoiada, the priest, who being over the people, said unto them, Thus hath God said, Why do ye transgress the commandments of the LORD? Ye shall not prosper in this; for because ye have forsaken the LORD, he shall also forsake you.
21 And they conspired against him and stoned him with stones at the commandment of the king in the court of the house of the LORD.
22 Thus Joash, the king, did not remember the mercy which Jehoiada, his father, had done to him but slew his son; who said when he died, The LORD look upon it and require it.
6 ¶ And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, that their widows were neglected in the daily ministry.
2 Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them and said, It is not right that we should leave the word of God and serve tables;
3 therefore, brethren, seek out among you seven men of whom you bear witness, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.
4 And we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word.
5 And the saying pleased the whole multitude, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip and Prochorus and Nicanor and Timon and Parmenas and Nicolas, a proselyte of Antioch:
6 these they set before the apostles, and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them.
7 And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly, and also a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.
1 ¶ O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good because his mercy endures for ever.
2 Let Israel now say that his mercy endures for ever.
3 Let the house of Aaron now say, that his mercy endures for ever.
4 Let those that fear the LORD say now, that his mercy is eternal.
5 From a tight place I called upon JAH; and JAH answered me and set me in a wide place.
6 The LORD is for me; I will not fear what man can do unto me.
7 The LORD takes my part with those that help me; therefore I shall see my desire upon those that hate me.
8 It is better to wait upon the LORD than to wait upon man.
9 It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in princes.
10 All the nations compassed me about; but in the name of the LORD I will cut them off.
11 They compassed me about; yea, they laid hold of me; but in the name of the LORD I will cut them off.
12 They compassed me about like bees; they were quenched as the fire of thorns; for in the name of the LORD I will cut them off.
13 Thou hast thrust at me with violence that I might fall, but the LORD helped me.
14 JAH is my strength and song and is become my saving health.
15 The voice of singing and saving health is in the tents of the righteous; the right hand of the LORD does valiantly.
16 The right hand of the LORD is exalted; the right hand of the LORD does valiantly.
17 I shall not die, but live and declare the works of JAH.
18 JAH has chastened me sore, but he has not given me over unto death.
19 ¶ Open unto me the gates of righteousness; I will go in through them; I will praise JAH.
20 This gate is of the LORD; the righteous shall enter in.
21 I will praise thee; for thou hast heard me and art become my saving health.
22 The stone which the builders rejected is become the head of the corner.
23 This is the LORD’s doing; it is marvellous in our eyes.
24 This is the day which the LORD has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.
25 Save now, I beseech thee, O LORD; O LORD, I beseech thee, cause us now to prosper.
26 Blessed be he that comes in the name of the LORD; from the house of the LORD we bless you.
27 God is the LORD, who has shined on us; bind the sacrifice with cords, even unto the horns of the altar.
28 Thou art my God, and I will praise thee; thou art my God, I will exalt thee.
29 O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good, for his mercy endures for ever.
59 And they stoned Stephen calling upon God and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.
60 And he kneeled down and cried with a loud voice, Lord, impute not this sin to their charge. And having said this, he fell asleep in the Lord.
8 ¶ And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the congregation {Gr. ekklesia – called out ones} which was at Jerusalem, and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles.
2 And devout men carried Stephen to his burial and made great lamentation over him.
3 As for Saul, he made havoc of the congregation; {Gr. ekklesia – called out ones} entering into the houses and dragging out men and women, he committed them to prison.
4 ¶ But those that were scattered abroad went everywhere preaching the word of the gospel.
5 Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached the Christ unto them.
6 And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spoke, hearing and seeing the signs which he did.
7 For many unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of those who were possessed with them, and many paralytics and that were lame were healed.
8 And there was great joy in that city.
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