Book of Common Prayer
140 1 David complaineth of the cruelty, falsehood and injuries of his enemies. 8 Against the which he prayeth unto the Lord, and assureth himself of his help and succor. 12 Wherefore he provoketh the just to praise the Lord, and to assure themselves of his tuition.
To him that excelleth. A Psalm of David.
1 Deliver me, O Lord, from the evil man: preserve me from the [a]cruel man:
2 Which imagine evil things in their [b]heart, and make war continually.
3 They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent: [c]adders’ poison is under their lips. Selah.
4 Keep [d]me, O Lord, from the hands of the wicked; preserve me from the cruel man, which purposeth to cause my steps to slide.
5 The proud have laid a snare for me, and spread a net with cords in my pathway, and set gins for me. Selah.
6 Therefore I said unto the Lord, Thou art my God: hear, O Lord, the voice of my prayers.
7 O Lord God the strength of my salvation, thou [e]hast covered my head in the day of battle.
8 Let not the wicked have his desire, O Lord; [f]perform not his wicked thought, lest they be proud. Selah.
9 As for [g]the chief of them that compass me about, let the mischief of their own lips come upon them.
10 Let coals fall upon them: let [h]him cast them into the fire, and into the deep pits that they rise not.
11 For the backbiter shall not be established upon the earth, evil shall [i]hunt the cruel man to destruction.
12 I know that the Lord will avenge the afflicted, and judge the poor.
13 Surely the righteous shall praise thy Name, and the just shall [j]dwell in thy presence.
142 The Prophet neither astonied with fear, nor carried away with anger, nor forced by desperation, would kill Saul: but with a quiet mind directed his earnest prayer to God, who did preserve him.
A Psalm of David, to give instruction, and a prayer when he was in the cave.
1 I cried unto the Lord with my voice: with my voice I [a]prayed unto the Lord.
2 I poured out my meditation before him, and declared mine affection in his presence.
3 Though my spirit [b]was in perplexity in me, yet thou knewest my path: in the way wherein I walked, have they privily laid a snare for me.
4 I looked upon my right hand, and beheld, but there was none that would know me: all refuge failed me, and [c]none cared for my soul.
5 Then cried I unto thee, O Lord, and said, Thou art mine [d]hope, and my portion in the land of the living.
6 Hearken unto my cry, for I am brought very low: deliver me from my persecutors, for they are too strong for me.
7 Bring my soul out of [e]prison, that I may praise thy Name: then shall the righteous [f]come about me, when thou art beneficial unto me.
141 1 David being grievously persecuted under Saul, only fleeth unto God to have succor. 3 Desiring him to bridle his affections, that he may patiently abide till God take vengeance of his enemies.
A Psalm of David.
1 O Lord, I [a]call upon thee: haste thee unto me: hear my voice, when I cry unto thee.
2 Let my prayer be directed in thy sight as incense, and the [b]lifting up of mine hands as an evening sacrifice.
3 Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth, and keep the [c]door of my lips.
4 Incline not mine heart to evil, that I should commit wicked works with them that work iniquity: and let me not eat of their [d]delicates.
5 Let the righteous smite me: for that is a benefit: and let [e]him reprove me, and it shall be a precious oil that shall not break mine head: for within a while I shall even [f]pray in their miseries.
6 When their judges shall be cast down in stony places, they shall [g]hear my words, for they are sweet.
7 Our bones lie scattered at the [h]grave’s mouth, as he that heweth wood or diggeth in the earth.
8 But mine eyes look unto thee, O Lord God: in thee is my trust: leave not my soul destitute.
9 Keep me from the snare, which they have laid for me, and from the gins of the workers of iniquity.
10 Let the wicked fall into [i]his nets [j]together, while I escape.
143 1 An earnest prayer for remission of sins, acknowledging that the enemies did thus cruelly persecute him by God’s just judgment. 8 He desireth to be restored to grace, 10 To be governeth by his holy Spirit, that he may spend the remnant of his life in the true fear and service of God.
A Psalm of David.
1 Hear my prayer, O Lord, and hearken unto my supplication: answer me in thy [a]truth, and in thy [b]righteousness.
2 (And enter not into judgment with thy servant: for in thy [c]sight shall none that liveth, be justified.)
3 For the enemy hath persecuted my soul: he hath smitten my life down to the earth: he hath laid me in the darkness, as they that have been dead [d]long ago:
4 And my spirit was in perplexity in me, and mine [e]heart within me was amazed.
5 Yet do I remember the time [f]past: I meditate in all thy works, yea, I do meditate in the works of thine hands.
6 I stretch forth mine hands unto thee: my soul desireth after thee, as the thirsty land. Selah.
7 Hear me speedily, O Lord, for my spirit faileth: hide not thy face from me, else I shall be like unto them that go down into the pit.
8 Let me hear thy loving-kindness in the [g]morning, for in thee is my trust; [h]show me the way, that I should walk in, for I lift up my soul unto thee.
9 Deliver me, O Lord, from mine enemies: for [i]I hid me with thee.
10 [j]Teach me to [k]do thy will, for thou art my God: let thy good Spirit lead me unto the land of righteousness.
11 Quicken me, O Lord, for thy Name’s sake, and for thy righteousness bring my soul out of trouble.
12 And for thy mercy [l]slay mine enemies, and destroy all them that oppress my soul: for I am thy [m]servant.
2 6 Satan hath permission to afflict Job. 9 His wife tempteth him to forsake God. 11 His three friends visit him.
1 And on a day the [a]children of God came and stood before the Lord, and [b]Satan came also among them, and stood before the Lord.
2 Then the Lord said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? And Satan answered the Lord, and said, From compassing the earth to and fro, and from walking in it.
3 And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou not considered my servant Job, how none is like him in the earth? (A)an upright and just man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? for yet he continueth in his uprightness, [c]although thou movedst me against him, to destroy [d]him without cause.
4 And Satan answered the Lord, and said, [e]Skin for skin, and all that ever a man hath, will he give for his life.
5 But stretch now out thine hand, and touch his [f]bones and his flesh, to see if he will not blaspheme thee to thy face.
6 Then the Lord said unto Satan, Lo, he is in thine hand, but save [g]his life.
7 ¶ So Satan departed from the presence of the Lord, and smote Job with sore [h]boils, from the sole of his foot unto his crown.
8 And he took a [i]potsherd to scrape him, and he sat down among the ashes.
9 Then said his [j]wife unto him, Dost thou [k]continue yet in thine uprightness? [l]Blaspheme God, and die.
10 But he said unto her, Thou speakest like a foolish woman: what? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and not [m]receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his [n]lips.
11 Now when Job’s three [o]friends heard of all this evil that was come upon him, they came every one from his own place, to wit, Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite: for they were agreed together to come to lament with him, and to comfort him.
12 So when they lifted up their eyes afar off, they knew him not: therefore they lifted up their voices and wept, and every one of them rent his garment and sprinkled [p]dust upon their heads toward the heaven.
13 So they sat by him upon the ground seven days, and seven nights, and none spake a word unto him: for they saw that the grief was very [q]great.
9 2 Saul going towards Damascus, 4 is stricken down to the ground of the Lord: 10 Ananias is sent 18 to baptize him. 23 The laying away of the Jews, 25 he escapeth, being let down through the wall. 33 Peter cureth Aeneas of the palsy, 36 and by him Tabitha being dead, 40 is restored to life.
1 And (A)[a]Saul yet [b]breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high Priest,
2 And desired of him letters to Damascus to the Synagogues, that if he found any that were of that [c]way, (either men or women) he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.
3 Now as he journeyed, it came to pass that as he was come near to Damascus, (B)suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven.
4 And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying to him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
5 And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is [d]hard for thee to kick against pricks.
6 He then both trembling and astonied, said, Lord, what wilt thou that I do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou shalt do.
7 The men also which journeyed with him, [e]stood amazed, hearing his [f]voice, but seeing no man.
8 And Saul arose from the ground, and opened his eyes, but saw no man. Then led they him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus,
9 Where he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank.
27 [a]Labor not for the meat which perisheth, but for the meat that endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath (A)God the Father [b]sealed.
28 Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the [c]works of God?
29 [d]Jesus answered, and said unto them, (B)[e]This is the work of God, that ye believe in him, whom he hath sent.
30 [f]They said therefore unto him, What sign showest thou then, that we may see it, and believe thee? what dost thou work?
31 Our fathers did eat Manna in the desert, as it is (C)written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat.
32 [g]Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily I say unto you, Moses gave you not [h]that bread from heaven, but my Father giveth you that true bread from heaven.
33 For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.
34 Then they said unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread.
35 And Jesus said unto them, I am that bread [i]of life: he that cometh to me, shall not hunger, and he that believeth in me, shall never thirst.
36 But I said unto you, that ye also have seen me, and believe not.
37 [j]All that the Father giveth me, shall come to me: and him that cometh to me, I cast not away.
38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine [k]own will, but his will which hath sent me.
39 And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me, I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.
40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every man which [l]seeth the Son, and believeth in him, should have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.
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