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.
17 Now the Lord had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah: and Jonah was in the [a]belly of the fish three days and three nights.
2 1 Jonah is in the fish’s belly. 2 His prayer. 10 He is delivered.
1 Then Jonah prayed unto the Lord his God [b]out of the fish’s belly,
2 And said, I cried in mine affliction unto the Lord, and he heard me: out of the belly [c]of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice.
3 For thou hadst cast me into the bottom in the midst of the sea, and the floods compassed me about: all thy surges, and all thy waves passed over me.
4 Then I said, I am [d]cast away out of thy sight: yet will I look again toward thine holy Temple.
5 The waters compassed me about unto the soul: the depth closed me round about, and the weeds were wrapped about mine head.
6 I went down to the bottom of the mountains: the earth with her bars was about me forever, yet hast thou brought up my [e]life from the pit, O Lord my God.
7 When my soul fainted within me, I remembered the Lord: and my prayer came unto thee into thine holy Temple.
8 They that wait upon lying [f]vanities, forsake their own [g]mercy.
9 But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving, and will pay that that I have vowed: salvation is of the Lord.
10 And the Lord spake unto the fish, and it cast out Jonah upon the dry land.
9 [a]So when much time was spent, and sailing was now jeopardous, because also the [b]Fast was now passed, Paul exhorted them,
10 And said unto them, Sirs, I see that this voyage will be with hurt, and much damage, not of the lading and ship only, but also of our lives.
11 [c]Nevertheless the Centurion believed rather the governor and the master of the ship, than those things which were spoken of Paul.
12 And because the haven was not commodious to winter in, many took counsel to depart thence, if by any means they might attain to Phoenix, there to winter, which is an haven of Crete, and lieth toward the Southwest and by West, and Northwest and by West.
13 And when the Southern wind blew softly, they supposing to attain their purpose, loosed nearer, and sailed by Crete.
14 But anon after, there arose by [d]it a stormy wind called [e]Euroclydon.
15 And when the ship was caught, and could not resist the wind, we let her go, and were carried away.
16 And we ran under a little Isle named Clauda, and had much ado to get the boat.
17 Which they took up and used all help, undergirding the ship, fearing lest they should have fallen into Syrtis, and they strake sail, and so were carried.
18 [f]The next day when we were tossed with an exceeding tempest, they lightened the ship.
19 And the third day we cast out with our own hands the tackling of the ship.
20 And when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared, and no small tempest lay upon us, all hope that we should be saved, was then taken away.
21 [g]But after long abstinence, Paul stood forth in the midst of them, and said, Sirs, ye should have hearkened to me, and not have loosed from Candia: so should ye have gained this hurt and loss.
22 But now I exhort you to be of good courage: for there shall be no loss of any man’s life among you, save of the ship only.
23 For there stood by me this night the Angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve.
24 Saying, Fear not, Paul: for thou must be brought before Caesar: and lo, God hath given unto thee freely, all that sail with thee.
25 [h]Wherefore, Sirs, be of good courage: for I believe God, that it shall be so as it hath been told me.
26 Howbeit, we must be cast into a certain Island.
9 1 The Apostles are sent to preach. 7 and 19 The common people’s opinion of Christ. 12 Of the five loaves and two fishes. 20 The Apostle’s confession. 24 To lose the life. 35 We must hear Christ. 39 The possessed of a spirit. 46 Strife among the Apostles for the Primacy. 49 One casting out devils in Christ’s Name. 52 The Samaritans will not receive Christ. 55 Revenge forbidden. 57, 59, 61 Of three that would follow Christ, but on divers conditions.
1 Then (A)[a]called he his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to heal diseases.
2 (B)And he sent them forth to preach the kingdom of God, and to cure the sick.
3 And he said to them, (C)Take nothing to your journey, neither staves, nor scrip, neither bread, nor silver, neither have two coats apiece.
4 And whatsoever house ye enter into, there [b]abide, and thence depart.
5 And how many soever will not receive you, when ye go out of that city, (D)shake off the very dust from your feet for a testimony against them.
6 And they went out, and went through every town preaching the Gospel, and healing everywhere.
7 ¶ (E)[c]Now Herod the Tetrarch heard of all that was done by him: and he [d]doubted, because that it was said of some, that John was risen again from the dead:
8 And of some, that Elijah had appeared: and of some, that one of the old Prophets was risen again.
9 Then Herod said, John have I beheaded: who then is this of whom I hear such things? and he desired to see him.
10 ¶ (F)[e]And when the Apostles returned, they told him what great things they had done. (G)Then he took them to him, and went aside into a [f]solitary place, near to the city called Bethsaida.
11 But when the people knew it, they followed him: and he received them, and spake unto them of the kingdom of God, and healed them that had need to be healed.
12 (H)And when the day began to wear away, the twelve came, and said unto him, Send the people away, that they may go into the towns and villages round about, and lodge, and get meat: for we are here in a desert place.
13 But he said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they said, We have no more but five loaves and two fishes, [g]except we should go and buy meat for all this people.
14 For they were about five thousand men. Then he said to his disciples, Cause them to sit down by fifties in a company.
15 And they did so, and caused all to sit down.
16 Then he took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looked up to heaven, and [h]blessed them, and brake, and gave to the disciples, to set before the people.
17 So they did all eat, and were satisfied: and there was taken up of that remained to them, twelve baskets full of broken meat.
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