Book of Common Prayer
38 1 David lying sick of some grievous disease, acknowledgeth himself to be chastised of the Lord for his sins, and therefore prayeth God to turn away his wrath. 5 He uttereth the greatness of his grief by many words and circumstances, as wounded with the arrows of God’s ire, forsaken of his friends, evil intreated of his enemies. 22 But in the end with firm confidence he commendeth his cause to God, and hopeth for speedy help at his hand.
A Psalm of David for [a]remembrance.
1 O Lord, rebuke me not in thine [b]anger, neither chastise me in thy wrath.
2 For thine [c]arrows have light upon me, and thine hand lieth upon me.
3 There is nothing sound in my flesh, because of thine anger: neither is there rest in my bones, because of my [d]sin.
4 For mine [e]iniquities are gone over mine head, and as a weighty burden they are too heavy for me.
5 My wounds are putrefied, and corrupt because of [f]my foolishness.
6 I am bowed, and crooked very sore: I go [g]mourning all the day.
7 For my reins are full of burning, and there is nothing sound in my flesh.
8 I am weakened and sore broken: I [h]roar for the very grief of mine heart.
9 Lord, I pour my whole desire before thee, and my sighing is not hid from thee.
10 Mine heart [i]panteth: my strength faileth me, and the light of mine eyes, even [j]they are not mine own.
11 My lovers and my friends stand aside from my plague, and my [k]kinsmen stand afar off.
12 They also that seek after my life, lay snares, and they that go about to do me evil, talk wicked things and imagine deceit continually.
13 But I as a [l]deaf man heard not, and am as a dumb man, which openeth not his mouth.
14 Thus am I as a man, that heareth not, and in whose mouth are no reproofs.
15 For on thee, O Lord, do I wait: thou wilt hear me, my Lord, my God.
16 For I said, Hear me, lest they rejoice over me: for [m]when my foot slippeth, they extol themselves against me.
17 Surely I am ready to [n]halt, and my sorrow is ever before me.
18 When I declare my pain, and am sorry for my sin,
19 Then mine [o]enemies are alive, and are mighty, and they that hate me wrongfully are many.
20 They also, that reward evil for good, are mine adversaries, because I follow [p]goodness.
21 Forsake me not, O Lord, be not thou far from me, my God.
22 Haste thee, to help me, O my Lord, my [q]salvation.
DALETH
25 My soul cleaveth to the [a]dust: quicken me according to thy word.
26 I have [b]declared my ways, and thou heardest me: teach me thy statutes.
27 Make me to understand the way of thy precepts, and I will meditate in thy wondrous works.
28 My soul melteth for heaviness: raise me up according to thy [c]word.
29 Take from me the [d]way of lying, and grant me graciously thy Law.
30 I have chosen the way of truth, and thy judgments have I laid before me.
31 I have cleaved to thy testimonies, O Lord: confound me not.
32 I will run the way of thy commandments, when thou [e]shalt enlarge mine heart.
HE
33 Teach [f]me, O Lord, the way of thy statutes, and I will keep it unto the end.
34 Give me understanding and I will keep thy Law, yea, I will keep it with my whole [g]heart.
35 Direct me in the path of thy commandments: for therein is my delight.
36 Incline mine heart unto thy testimonies: and not to [h]covetousness.
37 Turn away mine [i]eyes from regarding vanity, and quicken me in thy way.
38 Stablish thy promise to thy servant, because he feareth thee.
39 Take away [j]my rebuke that I fear: for thy judgments are good.
40 Behold, I desire thy commandments: [k]quicken me in thy righteousness.
VAU
41 And let thy loving [l]kindness come unto me, O Lord, and thy salvation according to thy promise.
42 So shall I [m]make answer unto my blasphemers: for I trust in thy word.
43 And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth: for I wait for thy judgments.
44 So shall I always keep thy Law forever and ever.
45 And I will [n]walk at liberty: for I seek thy precepts.
46 I will speak also of thy testimonies before [o]Kings, and will not be ashamed.
47 And my delight shall be in thy Commandments, which I have loved.
48 Mine hands also will I lift up unto thy Commandments, which I have loved, and I will meditate in thy statutes.
17 1 Better is a dry morsel, if peace be with it, than an house full of [a]sacrifices with strife.
2 A discrete servant shall have rule over a lewd son, and he shall divide the [b]heritage among the brethren.
3 As is the fining pot for silver, and the furnace for gold, so the Lord trieth the hearts.
4 The wicked giveth heed to false lips, and a liar hearkeneth to the naughty tongue.
5 (A)He that mocketh the poor, reproacheth him that made him: and he that rejoiceth at destruction, shall not be unpunished.
6 Children’s children are the crown of the elders: and the glory of the children are their fathers.
7 [c]High talk becometh not a fool, much less a lying talk a prince.
8 A reward is as a stone pleasant in the eyes of them that have it: it prospereth, whithersoever it [d]turneth.
9 He that covereth a transgression, seeketh love: but he that repeateth a matter, separateth the [e]prince.
10 A reproof entereth more into him that hath understanding, than an hundred stripes into a fool.
11 A seditious person seeketh only evil, and a cruel [f]messenger shall be sent against him.
12 It is better for a man to meet a bear robbed of her whelps, than [g]a fool in his folly.
13 (B)He that rewardeth evil for good, evil shall not depart from his house.
14 The beginning of strife is as one that openeth the waters: therefore, or the contention be meddled with, leave off.
15 (C)He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are abomination to the Lord.
16 Wherefore is there a [h]price in the hand of the fool to get wisdom, and he hath none heart?
17 A friend loveth at all times; and a [i]brother is born for adversity.
18 A man destitute of understanding, [j]toucheth the hand, and becometh surety for his neighbor.
19 He loveth transgression that loveth strife: and he that exalteth his [k]gate, seeketh destruction.
20 The froward heart findeth no good: and he that hath a naughty tongue, shall fall into evil.
3 2 He setteth out Bishops, 8 and Christian deacons with their wives, 12 children and family, 15 he calleth the Church the house of God.
1 This [a]is a true saying, [b]If any man [c]desire the office of a Bishop, he desireth a worthy work.
2 (A)A Bishop therefore must be unreproveable, the husband of one [d]wife, watching, temperate, modest, harborous, apt to teach,
3 Not [e]given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre, but gentle, no fighter, not covetous.
4 One that can rule his own house honestly, having children under obedience with all honesty.
5 For if any cannot rule his own house, how shall he care for the Church of God?
6 He may not be a young scholar, lest he being puffed up fall into the [f]condemnation of the devil.
7 He must also be well reported of, even of them which are without, lest he fall into rebuke, and the snare of the devil.
8 [g]Likewise must [h]Deacons be grave, not double tongued, not given unto much wine, neither to filthy lucre,
9 (B)Having the [i]mystery of the faith in pure conscience.
10 And let them first be proved, then let them minister, if they be found blameless.
11 [j]Likewise their wives must be honest, not evil speakers, but sober, and faithful in all things.
12 [k]Let the Deacons be the husbands of one wife, and such as can rule their children well, and their own households.
13 For they that have ministered well, get themselves a good [l]decree, and [m]great liberty in the faith, which is in Christ Jesus.
14 [n]These things write I unto thee, trusting to come very shortly unto thee.
15 But if I tarry long, that thou mayest yet know, how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the [o]house of God, which is the Church of the living God, the [p]pillar and ground of truth.
16 [q]And without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness, which is, God is manifested in the flesh, [r]justified in the Spirit, seen of Angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, and received up in glory.
43 ¶ (A)Now when the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh throughout dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none.
44 Then he saith, I will return into mine house from whence I came: and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept and garnished.
45 ¶ Then he goeth, and taketh unto him seven other spirits worse than himself, and they enter in, and dwell there: (B)and the end of that man is worse than the beginning. Even so shall it be with this wicked generation.
46 ¶ [a](C)While he yet spake to the multitude, behold, his mother, and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him.
47 Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee.
48 But he answered, and said to him that told him, Who is my mother, and who are my brethren?
49 [b]And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples and said, Behold my mother, and my brethren.
50 For whosoever shall do my Father’s will which is in heaven, the same is my brother and sister and mother.
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