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.
24 And Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king, and had neither dressed his feet, nor trimmed his beard, nor washed his clothes from the day the king departed until the day he came again in peace.
25 And it came to pass, when he had come to Jerusalem to meet the king, that the king said unto him, “Why wentest not thou with me, Mephibosheth?”
26 And he answered, “My lord, O king, my servant deceived me; for thy servant said, ‘I will saddle me an ass, that I may ride thereon and go to the king,’ because thy servant is lame.
27 And he hath slandered thy servant unto my lord the king, but my lord the king is as an angel of God. Do therefore what is good in thine eyes.
28 For all of my father’s house were but dead men before my lord the king; yet did thou set thy servant among those who ate at thine own table. What right therefore have I yet to cry any more unto the king?”
29 And the king said unto him, “Why speakest thou any more of thy matters? I have said, ‘Thou and Ziba divide the land.’”
30 And Mephibosheth said unto the king, “Yea, let him take all, forasmuch as my lord the king has come again in peace unto his own house.”
31 And Barzillai the Gileadite came down from Rogelim, and went over the Jordan with the king to conduct him over the Jordan.
32 Now Barzillai was a very aged man, even fourscore years old; and he had provided the king with sustenance while he lay at Mahanaim, for he was a very great man.
33 And the king said unto Barzillai, “Come thou over with me, and I will feed thee with me in Jerusalem.”
34 And Barzillai said unto the king, “How long have I to live, that I should go up with the king unto Jerusalem?
35 I am this day fourscore years old, and can I discern between good and evil? Can thy servant taste what I eat or what I drink? Can I hear any more the voice of singing men and singing women? Why then should thy servant be yet a burden unto my lord the king?
36 Thy servant will go a little way over the Jordan with the king. And why should the king recompense me with such a reward?
37 Let thy servant, I pray thee, turn back again, that I may die in mine own city and be buried by the grave of my father and of my mother. But behold thy servant Chimham. Let him go over with my lord the king, and do to him what shall seem good unto thee.”
38 And the king answered, “Chimham shall go over with me, and I will do to him that which shall seem good unto thee. And whatsoever thou shalt require of me, that will I do for thee.”
39 And all the people went over the Jordan. And when the king had come over, the king kissed Barzillai and blessed him, and he returned unto his own place.
40 Then the king went on to Gilgal, and Chimham went on with him; and all the people of Judah conducted the king, and also half the people of Israel.
41 And behold, all the men of Israel came to the king and said unto the king, “Why have our brethren, the men of Judah, stolen thee away, and have brought the king and his household and all David’s men with him over the Jordan?”
42 And all the men of Judah answered the men of Israel, “Because the king is near of kin to us. Why then be ye angry for this matter? Have we eaten at all at the king’s cost? Or hath he given us any gift?”
43 And the men of Israel answered the men of Judah and said, “We have ten parts in the king, and we have also more right in David than ye. Why then did ye despise us, that our advice should not be first had in bringing back our king?” And the words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the men of Israel.
24 And after some days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was a Jew, he sent for Paul and heard him concerning the faith in Christ.
25 And as Paul reasoned about righteousness, temperance, and the Judgment to come, Felix trembled and answered, “Go thy way for this time. When I have a convenient occasion I will call for thee.”
26 He hoped also that money would be given him by Paul, that he might release him. Therefore he sent for him the oftener and communed with him.
27 But after two years Porcius Festus came into Felix’s position; and Felix, wanting to show the Jews a favor, left Paul bound.
25 Now when Festus had come into the province, after three days he ascended from Caesarea to Jerusalem.
2 Then the high priest and the chief men of the Jews informed him against Paul and besought him,
3 desiring a favor against him: that he would have Paul brought to Jerusalem, so that they might lie in wait on the way to kill him.
4 But Festus answered that Paul should be kept at Caesarea, and that he himself would depart shortly thither.
5 “Let those therefore,” he said, “who among you are able, go down with me and accuse this man, if there be any wickedness in him.”
6 And when he had tarried among them more than ten days, he went down unto Caesarea. And the next day, sitting in the judgment seat, he commanded Paul to be brought.
7 And when he had come, the Jews who came down from Jerusalem stood round about and laid many and grievous complaints against Paul, which they could not prove,
8 while Paul answered for himself: “Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor yet against Caesar have I offended any thing at all.”
9 But Festus, desiring to do the Jews a favor, answered Paul and said, “Wilt thou go up to Jerusalem and there be judged of these things before me?”
10 Then said Paul, “I stand at Caesar’s judgment seat, where I ought to be judged. To the Jews have I done no wrong, as thou very well knowest.
11 For if I am an offender, or have committed anything worthy of death, I should not refuse to die; but if there is nothing to these things whereof they accuse me, no man may deliver me unto them. I appeal unto Caesar.”
12 Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, “Hast thou appealed unto Caesar? Unto Caesar shalt thou go!”
35 And Jesus answered and said, while He taught in the temple, “How say the scribes that Christ is the Son of David?
36 For David himself said by the Holy Ghost: ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit Thou at My right hand until I make Thine enemies Thy footstool.”’
37 David therefore himself calleth Him ‘Lord’; and whence is He then his son?” And the common people heard Him gladly.
38 And He said unto them in His doctrine, “Beware of the scribes, who love to go in long clothing, and love salutations in the marketplaces,
39 and the chief seats in the synagogues, and the uppermost rooms at feasts,
40 who devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers: these shall receive greater damnation.”
41 And Jesus sat opposite the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury. And many who were rich cast in much.
42 And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing.
43 And He called unto Him His disciples and said unto them, “Verily I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast more in than all they that have cast into the treasury;
44 for they all cast in of their abundance, but she of her want cast in all that she had, even all her living.”
Copyright © 1994 by Deuel Enterprises, Inc.