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.
11 And Nahash the Ammonite came up and encamped against Jabesh-Gilead. And all the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, Make a covenant with us, and we will serve thee.
2 And Nahash the Ammonite said to them, On this [condition] will I treat with you, that I thrust out all your right eyes, and lay it for a reproach upon all Israel.
3 And the elders of Jabesh said to him, Allow us seven days, and we will send messengers into all the districts of Israel; and if there be no man to deliver us, we will come out to thee.
4 And the messengers came to Gibeah of Saul and told these words in the ears of the people. And all the people lifted up their voice and wept.
5 And behold, Saul came after the oxen from the field; and Saul said, What [aileth] the people that they weep? And they related to him the words of the men of Jabesh.
6 And the Spirit of God came upon Saul when he heard those words, and his anger was kindled greatly.
7 And he took a yoke of oxen and cut them in pieces, and sent throughout the territory of Israel by the hand of messengers, saying, Whoever comes not forth after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done to his oxen! And the fear of Jehovah fell on the people, and they came out as one man.
8 And he numbered them in Bezek, and the children of Israel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand.
9 And they said to the messengers that had come, Thus shall ye say to the men of Jabesh-Gilead: To-morrow ye shall have deliverance when the sun is hot. And the messengers came and informed the men of Jabesh-Gilead; and they were glad.
10 And the men of Jabesh said, To-morrow we will come out to you, and ye may do with us according to all that is good in your sight.
11 And it came to pass the next day that Saul set the people in three companies; and they came into the midst of the camp in the morning watch, and smote Ammon until the heat of the day: and it came to pass that they who remained were scattered, and not two of them were left together.
12 And the people said to Samuel, Who is he that said, Shall Saul reign over us? bring the men, that we may put them to death.
13 But Saul said, There shall not a man be put to death this day; for to-day Jehovah has wrought deliverance in Israel.
14 And Samuel said to the people, Come and let us go to Gilgal, and renew the kingdom there.
15 And all the people went to Gilgal; and there they made Saul king before Jehovah in Gilgal; and there they sacrificed peace-offerings before Jehovah. And there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced exceedingly.
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.
63 And the men who held him mocked him, beating [him];
64 and covering him up, asked him saying, Prophesy, who is it that struck thee?
65 And they said many other injurious things to him.
66 And when it was day, the elderhood of the people, both [the] chief priests and scribes, were gathered together, and led him into their council, saying,
67 If *thou* art the Christ, tell us. And he said to them, If I tell you, ye will not at all believe;
68 and if I should ask [you], ye would not answer me at all, nor let me go;
69 but henceforth shall the Son of man be sitting on the right hand of the power of God.
70 And they all said, *Thou* then art the Son of God? And he said to them, *Ye* say that I am.
71 And they said, What need have we any more of witness, for we have heard ourselves out of his mouth?
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