Book of Common Prayer
146 Alleluia. My soul, praise thou the Lord;
2 I shall praise the Lord in my life (I shall praise the Lord all my life); I shall sing to my God as long as I shall be.
3 Do not ye trust in princes; neither in the sons of men, in whom is no health. (Do not ye trust in princes, or in your leaders; nor in other people, in whom there is no help, or deliverance.)
4 The spirit of him shall go out, and he shall turn again into his earth; in that day all the thoughts of them shall perish. (The breath of your prince, or of your leader, shall go out of him, and he shall return to the dust; and on that day all his thoughts shall perish.)
5 He is blessed, of whom the God of Jacob is his helper; his hope is in his Lord God, (He is blessed, whom the God of Jacob is his helper; his hope is in the Lord his God,)
6 that made heaven, and earth; the sea, and all things that be in those. Which keepeth truth into the world, (who made heaven, and earth; and the sea, and all the creatures that be in them. Who keepeth the truth safe forever,)
7 he maketh doom to them that suffer wrong; he giveth meat to them that be hungry. The Lord unbindeth fettered men; (he maketh justice for those who suffer wrong; he giveth food to those who be hungry. The Lord unbindeth the fettered;)
8 the Lord lighteneth blind men. The Lord raiseth men hurtled down; the Lord loveth just men. (the Lord giveth light to the blind/the Lord giveth sight to the blind. The Lord raiseth up those who be hurtled down; the Lord loveth the righteous.)
9 The Lord keepeth comelings; he shall take up a motherless child, and a widow; and he shall destroy the ways of sinners. (The Lord keepeth newcomers, or strangers, safe/The Lord keepeth watch over newcomers, or strangers; he taketh up the causes of a motherless child, and of a widow; but he destroyeth the ways of the sinners.)
10 The Lord shall reign into the worlds; Zion, thy God shall reign in generation and into generation. (The Lord shall reign forever; Zion, thy God shall reign for all generations/thy God shall reign in all generations.)
147 Alleluia. Praise ye the Lord, for the psalm is good; (let our) praising be merry, and fair to our God. (Alleluia. Praise ye the Lord, for it is good to sing to him; let our praises be joyful, and pleasing to our God.)
2 The Lord shall build [up] Jerusalem; and he shall gather together the scatterings of Israel. (The Lord shall rebuild Jerusalem; and he shall gather together the scattered people of Israel.)
3 The which Lord maketh whole men contrite in heart; and bindeth together the sorrows of them. (The Lord who maketh whole those who be contrite in heart, or who be broken-hearted; and who bindeth up their wounds.)
4 Which numbereth the multitude of stars; and calleth names to all those. (Who numbereth the multitude of the stars; and calleth all of them by their names.)
5 Our Lord is great, and his virtue is great; and of his wisdom there is no number. (Our Lord is great, and his power is great; and there is no measure of his wisdom.)
6 The Lord taketh up mild men; forsooth he maketh low sinners till to the earth. (The Lord raiseth up the meek, or the humble; but he bringeth the sinners down to the ground.)
7 Before sing ye to the Lord in acknowledging; say ye psalm to our God in an harp. (Sing ye to the Lord with thanksgiving; sing ye songs to our God on a harp.)
8 Which covereth heaven with clouds; and maketh ready rain to the earth. Which bringeth forth hay in hills; and herb to the service of men. (Who covereth the heavens with clouds; and prepareth rain for the earth. Who bringeth forth hay, or grass, on the hills; and plants for the service of all.)
9 Which giveth meat to their work beasts; and to the birds of crows calling him. (Who giveth food to their work beasts; and to the younglings of crows calling to him.)
10 He shall not have will in the strength of an horse; neither it shall be well pleasant to him in the legs of a man. (He shall not take delight in the strength of a horse; nor shall a man’s fast legs be well pleasing to him.)
11 It is well pleasant to the Lord on men that dread him; and in them that hope in his mercy. (But the Lord is well pleased with those who fear him/with those who revere him; and with those who trust in his love.)
12 Jerusalem, praise thou the Lord; Zion, praise thou thy God.
13 For he hath comforted the locks of thy gates; he hath blessed thy sons in thee. (For he hath strengthened the locks of thy gates; he hath blessed thy children within them.)
14 Which hath set thy coasts peace (He who hath put thy land at peace); and filleth thee with the fatness of wheat.
15 Which sendeth out his speech to the earth; his word runneth swiftly. (Who sendeth out his word, or his command, to the earth; yea, his word runneth swiftly about.)
16 Which giveth snow as wool; he spreadeth abroad a cloud as ashes. (Who giveth the snow like wool; and he spreadeth abroad the hoarfrost like ashes.)
17 He sendeth his crystal as morsels; who shall be able to suffer before the face of his coldness? (He sendeth out his ice like morsels; yea, who can survive the cold that he sendeth?)
18 He shall send out his word, and shall melt those; his spirit shall blow, and waters shall flow. (And then he sendeth out his word, and the ice melteth; and his wind bloweth, and the waters flow.)
19 Which telleth his word to Jacob; and his rightfulnesses and dooms to Israel. (Who telleth his word to Jacob; yea, his statutes and his laws, or his decrees, to Israel.)
20 He did not so to each nation; and he showed not his dooms to them. (He hath not done this for any other nation; he hath not shown his laws, or his decrees, to them.)
111 Alleluia. Lord, I shall acknowledge to thee in all mine heart; in the council, and congregation of just men. (Alleluia. Lord, I shall praise thee with all my heart, in the gathering together of the upright; yea, in the congregation.)
2 The works of the Lord be great; sought out into all his wills. (The works of the Lord be great; sought out by all who take delight in them.)
3 His work is acknowledging and great doing; and his rightfulness dwelleth into the world of world. (His works be full of honour and majesty; and his righteousness remaineth forever and ever.)
4 The Lord, merciful in will, and a merciful doer, hath made a mind of his marvels; (The Lord, merciful in will, and a giver of mercy, is remembered for his marvellous deeds;)
5 he hath given meat to men dreading him. He shall be mindful of his testament into the world; (he hath given food to those who fear him/to those who revere him. He shall always be mindful, or shall always remember, his covenant;)
6 he shall tell to his people the strength of his works. That he give to them the heritage of folks; (he hath shown his people his strength in his works. Yea, he hath given them the inheritance of the nations;)
7 the works of his hands be truth and doom (the works of his hands be truth and justice). All his commandments be faithful,
8 confirmed into the world of world; made in truth and equity. (confirmed forever, and made in truth and goodness.)
9 The Lord sent redemption to his people; he commanded his testament [into] without end. His name is holy and dreadful; (The Lord sent and redeemed his people; he commanded that his covenant should endure forever. His name is holy and fearful/His name is holy and worthy to be praised;)
10 the beginning of wisdom is the dread of the Lord. Good understanding is to all that do it; his praising dwelleth into the world of world. (the beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord/the beginning of wisdom is to revere the Lord. All who obey his commandments grow in wisdom; praise shall be his forever.)
112 Alleluia. Blessed is the man that dreadeth the Lord; he shall delight full much in his commandments. (Alleluia. Happy is the person who feareth the Lord/who hath reverence for the Lord; he shall take great delight, or joy, in his commandments.)
2 His seed shall be mighty in [the] earth; the generation of rightful men shall be blessed. (His children shall be mighty in the earth; the descendants of good people shall be blessed/the generations of the upright shall be blessed.)
3 Glory and riches be in his house; and his rightfulness dwelleth into the world of world. (There shall be glory and riches in his house; and his righteousness remaineth forever and ever.)
4 Light is risen up in darknesses to rightful men; the Lord is merciful in will, and a merciful doer, and rightful. (Light riseth up in the darkness for the upright; the Lord is merciful in will, a giver of mercy, and fair to all.)
5 The man is merry, that doeth mercy, and lendeth; he disposeth his words in doom; (Happy is the person who giveth favour when he lendeth; he disposeth his deeds with justice, or with good judgement;)
6 for he shall not be moved [into] without end. A just man shall be in everlasting mind; (and nothing shall shake him. A good person’s deeds shall always be remembered;)
7 he shall not dread of an evil hearing. His heart is ready for to hope in the Lord; (he shall not fear to hear bad news. His heart is always ready to trust in the Lord;)
8 his heart is confirmed, he shall not be moved, till he despise his enemies. (his heart is firm, he shall not be moved, and he shall gloat over his enemies./his heart is steadfast, he shall not be shaken, and he shall see his enemies defeated.)
9 He spreaded abroad, he gave to poor men; his rightwiseness dwelleth into the world of world; his horn shall be raised in glory. (He spreadeth abroad much money, yea, he giveth to the poor; his righteousness remaineth forever and ever, his horn shall be raised up in glory.)
10 A sinner shall see (it), and shall be wroth; he shall gnash with his teeth, and shall fail, either shall wax rotten; the desire of sinners shall perish.
113 Alleluia. Servants, praise ye the Lord; praise ye the name of the Lord.
2 The name of the Lord be blessed; from this time now, and till into the world (and forever).
3 From the rising of the sun till to the going down (From the rising of the sun until the going down of the same); the name of the Lord is worthy to be praised.
4 The Lord is high above all folks (The Lord is high above all the nations); and his glory is above (the) heavens.
5 Who is as our Lord God, that dwelleth in high things; (Who is like the Lord our God, who liveth in high places/who liveth on high;)
6 and beholdeth meek things in heaven and in earth? (and yet who deigneth himself to look upon the things in the heavens, and the things on earth!)
7 Raising a needy man from the earth; and enhancing a poor man from drit. (Raising up the needy from the dust; and lifting up the poor out of the dirt.)
8 That he set him with princes; with the princes of his people. (So that they may sit with princes; yea, with the leaders of the people.)
9 Which maketh a barren woman dwell in the house; a glad mother of sons. (Who maketh a barren woman, who liveth in her home, into a happy mother of sons.)
40 My people, be ye comforted, be ye comforted, saith your Lord God. (My people, be ye comforted, yea, be ye comforted, saith the Lord your God.)
2 Speak ye to the heart of Jerusalem, and call ye [to] it, for the malice thereof is [ful]filled, the wickedness thereof is forgiven; it hath received of the hand of the Lord double things for all his sins (it hath received from the hand of the Lord double for all of its sins).
3 The voice of a crier in desert [The voice of the (one) crying in (the) desert], Make ye ready the way of the Lord, make ye rightful the paths of our God in wilderness. (The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make ye right the paths in the desert for our God.)
4 Each valley shall be enhanced, and each mountain and little hill shall be made low; and shrewd things shall be into straight things, and sharp things shall be into plane ways. (Each valley shall be lifted up, and each mountain and little hill shall be made low; and depraved, or crooked, ways shall be made into straight ways, and sharp places shall be made into smooth places.)
5 And the glory of the Lord shall be showed, and each man shall see together, that the mouth of the Lord hath spoken. (And the glory of the Lord shall be shown, and all the people shall see it together, that the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.)
6 The voice of God, saying, Cry thou. And I said, What shall I cry? Each flesh is hay, and all the glory thereof is as the flower of the field. (The voice of God, saying, Cry thou. And I said, What shall I cry? And he saith, Each person is but a blade of grass, and all their life lasteth no longer than a flower in the field.)
7 The hay is dried up, and the flower fell down, for the spirit of the Lord blew therein. Verily the people is hay; (And the grass drieth up, and the flower falleth down, because the wind of the Lord bloweth there. Truly the people be but grass;)
8 the hay is dried up, and the flower fell down; but the word of the Lord dwelleth, either shall stand, without end. (and the grass drieth up, and the flower falleth down; but the word of the Lord shall stand forever.)
9 Thou that preachest to Zion, go upon an high hill; thou that preachest to Jerusalem, enhance thy voice in strength; enhance thou, do not thou dread; say thou to the cities of Judah, Lo! your God. (Thou who preachest to Zion, go up on a high mountain; thou who preachest to Jerusalem, lift up thy voice with strength; yea, lift thou it up, do not thou fear; say thou to the cities of Judah, Lo! your God.)
10 Lo! the Lord God shall come in strength, and his arm shall hold lordship; lo! his meed is with him, and his work is before him (lo! his reward is with him, and his work is in front of him).
11 As a shepherd he shall feed his flock, he shall gather [the] lambs in(to) his arm(s), and he shall raise (them up) in(to) his bosom; he shall bear [the] sheep with lamb. (Like a shepherd he shall feed his flock, he shall gather the lambs into his arms, and he shall raise them up into his bosom; he shall gently lead the sheep that be with their young.)
1 God, that spake sometime by prophets in many manners to our fathers,[a]
2 at the last in these days he hath spoken to us by the Son; whom he hath ordained heir of all things, and by whom he made the worlds.
3 Which when also he is the brightness of glory, and [the] figure of his substance, and beareth all things [and bearing all things] by word of his virtue, he maketh purgation of sins, and sitteth on the right half of the majesty in heavens [sitteth on the right half of majesty in high things];
4 and so much is made better than angels, by how much he hath inherited a more diverse name [a more different, or excellent, name] before them.
5 For to which of the angels said God any time, Thou art my Son, I have engendered thee to day [I have to day gendered thee]? And again, I shall be to him into a Father, and he shall be to me into a Son?
6 And when again he bringeth in the first begotten Son into the world [And when again he bringeth in the first begotten into the roundness of the earth], he saith, And all the angels of God worship him.
7 But he saith to angels [And soothly to angels he saith], He that maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers flame of fire.
8 But to the Son he saith, God, thy throne is into the world of world [into the world of worlds]; a rod of equity is the rod of thy realm;
9 thou hast loved rightwiseness, and hatedest wickedness; therefore the God, thy God, anointed thee with oil of joy [therefore God, thy God, anointed thee with oil of gladness, or joy], more than thy fellows.
10 And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning foundedest the earth, and heavens be works of thine hands;
11 they shall perish, but thou shalt perfectly dwell; and all shall wax old as a cloak [as a cloth],
12 and thou shalt change them as a cloak [as a cloth], and they shall be changed. But thou art the same thyself, and thy years shall not fail.
1 In the beginning was the word, and the word was at God, and God was the word. [In the beginning was the word, that is, God's Son, and the word was at God, and God was the word.]
2 This was in the beginning at God.
3 All things were made by him, and without him was made nothing [nought], that thing that was made.
4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men;
5 and the light shineth in darknesses, and [the] darknesses comprehended not it.
6 A man was sent from God, to whom the name was John.
7 This man came into witnessing, that he should bear witnessing of the light, that all men should believe by him.
19 And this is the witnessing of John, when Jews sent from Jerusalem priests and deacons to him, that they should ask him, Who art thou?
20 [And] He acknowledged, and denied not, and he acknowledged, For I am not Christ.
29 Another day John saw Jesus coming to him, and he said, Lo! the lamb of God; lo! he that doeth away the sins of the world.[a]
30 This is he, that I said of, After me is come a man [This is he, of whom I said, After me cometh a man], which was made before me; for he was rather than I.
31 And I knew him not, but that he be showed in Israel, therefore I came baptizing in water.
32 And John bare witnessing, and said, I saw the Spirit coming down as a culver from heaven, and dwelled on him. [And John bare witnessing, saying, For I saw the Spirit coming down, as a culver from heaven, and dwelling upon him.]
33 And I knew him not; but he that sent me to baptize in water, said to me, On whom thou seest the Spirit coming down [Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit coming down], and dwelling on him, this is he, that baptizeth in the Holy Ghost.
34 And I saw, and bare witnessing, that this is the Son of God.
2001 by Terence P. Noble