Book of Common Prayer
119 1 The Prophet exhorteth the children of God to frame their lives according to his holy word. 123 Also he showeth wherein the true service of God standeth, that is, when we serve him according to his word, and not after our own fantasies.
ALEPH
1 Blessed are [a]those that are upright in their way, and walk in the Law of the Lord.
2 Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and seek him with their whole heart.
3 Surely they work [b]none iniquity, but walk in his ways.
4 Thou hast commanded to keep thy precepts diligently.
5 [c]Oh that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes!
6 Then should I not be confounded, when I have respect unto all thy commandments.
7 I will praise thee with an upright [d]heart, when I shall learn the [e]judgments of thy righteousness.
8 I will keep thy statutes: forsake me not [f]overlong.
BETH
9 Wherewith shall a [g]young man redress his way? in taking heed thereto according to thy word.
10 With my whole heart have I sought thee: let me not wander from thy commandments.
11 I have [h]hid thy promise in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
12 Blessed art thou, O Lord: teach me thy statutes.
13 With my lips have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth.
14 I have had as great [i]delight in the way of thy testimonies, as in all riches.
15 I will meditate in thy precepts, and consider thy ways.
16 I will delight in thy statutes, and I will not forget thy word.
GIMEL
17 Be beneficial unto thy servant, that I may [j]live and keep thy word.
18 Open mine eyes, that I may see the wonders of thy Law.
19 I am a [k]stranger upon earth: hide not thy commandments from me.
20 Mine heart breaketh for the desire to thy judgments always.
21 Thou [l]hast destroyed the proud: cursed are they that do err from thy commandments.
22 Remove from me shame and contempt: for I have kept thy testimonies.
23 [m]Princes also did sit, and speak against me: but thy servant did meditate in thy statutes.
24 Also thy testimonies are my delight, and my counselors.
12 1 The Prophet lamenting the miserable estate of the people, and the decay of all good order, desireth God speedily to send succor to his children. 7 Then comforting himself, and others with the assurance of God’s help, he commendeth the constant verity that God observeth in keeping his promises.
To him that excelleth upon the eight tune. A Psalm of David.
1 Help Lord, for there is not [a]a godly man left: for the faithful are failed from among the children of men.
2 They speak deceitfully every one with his neighbor, [b]flattering with their lips, and speak with a double heart.
3 The Lord cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things:
4 Which have said, [c]With our tongue will we prevail; our lips are our own; who is Lord over us?
5 [d]Now for the oppression of the needy, and for the sighs of the poor, I will up, saith the Lord, and will [e]set at liberty him, whom the wicked hath [snared].
6 The words of the Lord are pure words, as the silver, tried in a furnace of earth, fined sevenfold.
7 Thou wilt keep [f]them, O Lord; thou wilt preserve him from this generation forever.
8 The wicked walk on every side; when they are exalted, [g]it is a shame for the sons of men.
13 1 David as it were overcome with sundry and new afflictions, fleeth to God as his only refuge, 3 and so at the length being encouraged through God’s promises, he conceiveth most sure confidence against the extreme horrors of death.
To him that excelleth. A Psalm of David.
1 How long wilt thou forget me, O Lord, [h]forever? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me?
2 How long shall I take [i]counsel within myself having weariness daily in mine heart? how long shall mine enemy be exalted above me?
3 Behold, and hear me, O Lord my God: lighten mine eyes, that I sleep not in death.
4 Lest mine enemy say, I have [j]prevailed against him: and they that afflict me, rejoice, when I slide.
5 But I trust in thy [k]mercy: mine heart shall rejoice in thy salvation; I will sing to the Lord, because he hath [l]dealt lovingly with me.
14 1 He describeth the perverse nature of men, which were so grown to licentiousness, that God was brought to utter contempt. 7 For the which thing, although he was greatly grieved, yet being persuaded that God would send some present remedy, he comforteth himself and others.
To him that excelleth. A Psalm of David.
1 The (A)fool hath said in his heart, [m]There is no God: they have [n]corrupted, and done an abominable work: there is none that doeth good.
2 The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that would understand, and seek God.
3 [o]All are gone out of the way: they are all corrupt: there is none that doeth good, no not one.
4 Do not all the workers of iniquity know that they eat up my people, as they eat bread? they call not upon the Lord.
5 [p]There they shall be taken with fear, because God is in the generation of the just.
6 You have made [q]a mock at the counsel of the poor, because the Lord is his trust.
7 Oh give salvation unto [r]Israel out of Zion: when the Lord turneth the captivity of his people, then Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad.
Note that of Psalm 14:5-7, which are put into the common translation, and may seem unto some to be left out in this, are not in the same Psalm in the Hebrew text, but rather are put in more fully to express the manners of the wicked, and are gathered out of Psalms 5, 10, 36, 140; Isa. 59, and are alleged by S. Paul, and placed together in Romans 3.
4 1 The generation of mankind. 3 Cain and Abel offer sacrifice. 8 Cain killeth Abel. 23 Lamech a tyrant encourageth his fearful wives. 26 True religion is restored.
1 Afterward the man knew Eve his wife which [a]conceived and bare Cain, and said, I have obtained a man [b]by the Lord.
2 And again she brought forth his brother Abel, and Abel was a keeper of sheep, and Cain was a tiller of the ground.
3 ¶ And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought an [c]oblation unto the Lord of the fruit of the ground.
4 And Abel also himself brought of the firstfruits of his sheep, and of the fat of them, and the Lord had respect unto (A)Abel, and to his offering,
5 But unto Cain and to his offering he had no [d]regard: wherefore Cain was exceedingly wroth and his countenance fell down.
6 Then the Lord said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance cast down?
7 If thou do well, shalt thou not be [e]accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the [f]door: also unto thee his [g]desire shall be subject, and thou shalt rule over him.
8 ¶ Then Cain spake unto Abel his brother. And (B)when they were in the field, Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.
9 Then the Lord said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? Who answered, I cannot tell. [h]Am I my brother’s keeper?
10 Again he said, What hast thou done? the [i]voice of thy brother’s blood crieth unto me, from the earth.
11 Now therefore thou art cursed [j]from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother’s blood from thine hand.
12 When thou shalt till the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength: a [k]vagabond and a runagate shalt thou be in the earth.
13 Then Cain said to the Lord, [l][m]My punishment is greater than I can bear.
14 Behold, thou hast cast me out this day from [n]the earth, and from thy face shall I be hid, and shall be a vagabond, and a runagate in the earth, and whosoever findeth me shall slay me.
15 Then the Lord said unto him, Doubtless whosoever slayeth Cain, he shall be [o]punished seven fold. And the Lord set a [p]mark upon Cain, lest any man finding him, should kill him.
16 Then Cain went out from the presence of the Lord, and dwelt in the land of Nod toward the East side of Eden.
11 [a]For he that [b]sanctifieth, and they which are sanctified, are all of [c]one: wherefore he is not ashamed to call them brethren,
12 [d]Saying, (A)I will declare thy Name unto my brethren: in the midst of the Church will I sing praises to thee.
13 [e]And again, (B)I will put my [f]trust in him. And again, (C)[g]Behold, here am I, and the children which God hath given me.
14 Forasmuch then as the children are [h]partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part with them, that he might destroy (D)through death, him that had the [i]power of death, that is, the [j]devil,
15 And that he might deliver all them, which for fear of [k]death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
16 [l]For he in no sort took on him the [m]Angels’ nature, but he took on him the [n]seed of Abraham.
17 [o]Wherefore in [p]all things it behooved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be [q]merciful, and a [r]faithful high Priest in things concerning God, that he might make reconciliation for the sins of the people.
18 For in that he suffered, and was [s]tempted, he is able to succor them that are tempted.
29 ¶ [a]The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold [b]that Lamb of God, which [c]taketh away the [d]sin of the world.
30 This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man, which was before me: for he was better than I.
31 And [e]I knew him not: but because he should be declared to Israel, therefore am I come, baptizing with water.
32 [f]So John bare record, saying, I beheld, (A)that Spirit come down from heaven, like a dove, and it abode upon him,
33 And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, he said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see that Spirit come down, and tarry still on him, that is he which baptizeth with the holy Ghost.
34 And I saw, and bare record that this is [g]that Son of God.
35 ¶ [h]The next day, John stood again, and two of his disciples.
36 [i]And he beheld Jesus walking by, and said, Behold that Lamb of God.
37 [j]And the two disciples heard him speak, and followed Jesus.
38 Then Jesus turned about, and saw them follow, and said unto them, What seek ye? And they said unto him, Rabbi, (which is to say by interpretation, Master) [k]where dwellest thou?
39 He said unto them, Come, and see. They came and saw where he dwelt, and abode with him that day: for it was about the [l]tenth hour.
40 Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two which had heard it of John, and that followed him.
41 The same found his brother Simon first, and said unto him, We have found that Messiah which is by interpretation, that [m]Christ.
42 And he brought him to Jesus. And Jesus beheld him, and said, Thou art Simon the son of Jonah: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation a stone.
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