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Book of Common Prayer

Daily Old and New Testament readings based on the Book of Common Prayer.
Duration: 861 days
Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition (DRA)
Version
Psalm 26

26 The psalm of David before he was anointed. The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear? The Lord is the protector of my life: of whom shall I be afraid?

Whilst the wicked draw near against me, to eat my flesh. My enemies that trouble me, have themselves been weakened, and have fallen.

If armies in camp should stand together against me, my heart shall not fear. If a battle should rise up against me, in this will I be confident.

One thing I have asked of the Lord, this will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life. That I may see the delight of the Lord, and may visit his temple.

For he hath hidden me in his tabernacle; in the day of evils, he hath protected me in the secret place of his tabernacle.

He hath exalted me upon a rock: and now he hath lifted up my head above my enemies. I have gone round, and have offered up in his tabernacle a sacrifice of jubilation: I will sing, and recite a psalm to the Lord.

Hear, O Lord, my voice, with which I have cried to thee: have mercy on me and hear me.

My heart hath said to thee: My face hath sought thee: thy face, O Lord, will I still seek.

Turn not away thy face from me; decline not in thy wrath from thy servant. Be thou my helper, forsake me not; do not thou despise me, O God my Saviour.

10 For my father and my mother have left me: but the Lord hath taken me up.

11 Set me, O Lord, a law in thy way, and guide me in the right path, because of my enemies.

12 Deliver me not over to the will of them that trouble me; for unjust witnesses have risen up against me; and iniquity hath lied to itself.

13 I believe to see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living.

14 Expect the Lord, do manfully, and let thy heart take courage, and wait thou for the Lord.

Psalm 28

28 A psalm for David, at the finishing of the tabernacle. Bring to the Lord, O ye children of God: bring to the Lord the offspring of rams.

Bring to the Lord glory and honour: bring to the Lord glory to his name: adore ye the Lord in his holy court.

The voice of the Lord is upon the waters; the God of majesty hath thundered, The Lord is upon many waters.

The voice of the Lord is in power; the voice of the Lord in magnificence.

The voice of the Lord breaketh the cedars: yea, the Lord shall break the cedars of Libanus.

And shall reduce them to pieces, as a calf of Libanus, and as the beloved son of unicorns.

The voice of the Lord divideth the flame of fire:

The voice of the Lord shaketh the desert: and the Lord shall shake the desert of Cades.

The voice of the Lord prepareth the stags: and he will discover the thick woods: and in his temple all shall speak his glory.

10 The Lord maketh the flood to dwell: and the Lord shall sit king for ever. The Lord will give strength to his people: the Lord will bless his people with peace.

Psalm 36

36 A psalm for David himself. Be not emulous of evildoers; nor envy them that work iniquity.

For they shall shortly wither away as grass, and as the green herbs shall quickly fall.

Trust in the Lord, and do good, and dwell in the land, and thou shalt be fed with its riches.

Delight in the Lord, and he will give thee the requests of thy heart.

Commit thy way to the Lord, and trust in him, and he will do it.

And he will bring forth thy justice as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.

Be subject to the Lord and pray to him Envy not the man who prospereth in his way; the man who doth unjust things.

Cease from anger, and leave rage; have no emulation to do evil.

For the evildoers shall be cut off: but they that wait upon the Lord shall inherit the land.

10 For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: and thou shalt seek his place, and shalt not find it.

11 But the meek shall inherit the land, and shall delight in abundance of peace.

12 The sinner shall watch the just man: and shall gnash upon him with his teeth.

13 But the Lord shall laugh at him: for he foreseeth that his day shall come.

14 The wicked have drawn out the sword: they have bent their bow. To cast down the poor and needy, to kill the upright of heart.

15 Let their sword enter into their own hearts, and let their bow be broken.

16 Better is a little to the just, than the great riches of the wicked.

17 For the arms of the wicked shall be broken in pieces; but the Lord strengtheneth the just.

18 The Lord knoweth the days of undefiled; and their inheritance shall be for ever.

19 They shall not be confounded in the evil time; and in the days of famine they shall be filled:

20 Because the wicked shall perish. And the enemies of the Lord, presently after they shall be honoured and exalted, shall come to nothing and vanish like smoke.

21 The sinner shall borrow, and not pay again; but the just sheweth mercy and shall give.

22 For such as bless him shall inherit the land: but such as curse him shall perish.

23 With the Lord shall the steps of a man be directed, and he shall like well his way.

24 When he shall fall he shall not be bruised, for the Lord putteth his hand under him.

25 I have been young, and now am old; and I have not seen the just forsaken, nor his seed seeking bread.

26 He sheweth mercy, and lendeth all the day long; and his seed shall be in blessing.

27 Decline from evil and do good, and dwell for ever and ever.

28 For the Lord loveth judgment, and will not forsake his saints: they shall be preserved for ever. The unjust shall be punished, and the seed of the wicked shall perish.

29 But the just shall inherit the land, and shall dwell therein for evermore.

30 The mouth of the just shall meditate wisdom: and his tongue shall speak judgment.

31 The law of his God is in his heart, and his steps shall not be supplanted.

32 The wicked watcheth the just man, and seeketh to put him to death,

33 But the Lord will not leave in his hands; nor condemn him when he shall be judged.

34 Expect the Lord and keep his way: and he will exalt thee to inherit the land: when the sinners shall perish thou shalt see.

35 I have seen the wicked highly exalted, and lifted up like the cedars of Libanus.

36 And I passed by, and lo, he was not: and I sought him and his place was not found.

37 Keep innocence, and behold justice: for there are remnants for the peaceable man.

38 But the unjust shall be destroyed together: the remnants of the wicked shall perish.

39 But the salvation of the just is from the Lord, and he is their protector in the time of trouble.

40 And the Lord will help them and deliver them: and he will rescue them from the wicked, and save them, because they have hoped in him.

Psalm 39

39 Unto the end, a psalm for David himself.

With expectation I have waited for the Lord, and he was attentive to me.

And he heard my prayers, and brought me out of the pit of misery and the mire of dregs. And he set my feet upon a rock, and directed my steps.

And he put a new canticle into my mouth, a song to our God. Many shall see, and shall fear: and they shall hope in the Lord.

Blessed is the man whose trust is in the name of the Lord; and who hath not had regard to vanities, and lying follies.

Thou hast multiplied thy wonderful works, O Lord my God: and in thy thoughts there is no one like to thee. I have declared and I have spoken they are multiplied above number.

Sacrifice and oblation thou didst not desire; but thou hast pierced ears for me. Burnt offering and sin offering thou didst not require:

Then said I, Behold I come. In the head of the book it is written of me

That I should do thy will: O my God, I have desired it, and thy law in the midst of my heart.

10 I have declared thy justice in a great church, lo, I will not restrain my lips: O Lord, thou knowest it.

11 I have not hid thy justice within my heart: I have declared thy truth and thy salvation. I have not concealed thy mercy and thy truth from a great council.

12 Withhold not thou, O Lord, thy tender mercies from me: thy mercy and thy truth have always upheld me.

13 For evils without number have surrounded me; my iniquities have overtaken me, and I was not able to see. They are multiplied above the hairs of my head: and my heart hath forsaken me.

14 Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me, look down, O Lord, to help me.

15 Let them be confounded and ashamed together, that seek after my soul to take it away. Let them be turned backward and be ashamed that desire evils to me.

16 Let them immediately bear their confusion, that say to me: 'T is well, 't is well.

17 Let all that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: and let such as love thy salvation say always: The Lord be magnified.

18 But I am a beggar and poor: the Lord is careful for me. Thou art my helper and my protector: O my God, be not slack.

Job 12:1

12 When Job answered, and said:

Job 13:3-17

But yet I will speak to the Almighty, and I desire to reason with God.

Having first shewn that you are forgers of lies, and maintainers of perverse opinions.

And I wish you would hold your peace, that you might be thought to be wise men.

Hear ye therefore my reproof, and attend to the judgment of my lips.

Hath God any need of your lie, that you should speak deceitfully for him?

Do you accept his person, and do you endeavour to judge for God?

Or shall it please him, from whom nothing can be concealed? or shall he be deceived as a man, with your deceitful dealings?

10 He shall reprove you, because in secret you accept his person.

11 As soon as he shall move himself, he shall trouble you: and his dread shall fall upon you.

12 Your remembrance shall be compared to ashes, and your necks shall be brought to clay.

13 Hold your peace a little while, that I may speak whatsoever my mind shall suggest to me.

14 Why do I tear my flesh with my teeth, and carry my soul in my hands?

15 Although he should kill me, I will trust in him: but yet I will reprove my ways in his sight.

16 And he shall be my saviour: for no hypocrite shall come before his presence.

17 Hear ye my speech, and receive with Sour ears hidden truths.

Job 13:21-27

21 Withdraw thy hand far from me, and let not thy dread terrify me.

22 Call me, and I will answer thee: or else I will speak, and do thou answer me.

23 How many are my iniquities and sins? make me know my crimes and offences.

24 Why hidest thou thy face, and thinkest me thy enemy?

25 Against a leaf, that is carried away with the wind, thou shewest thy power, and thou pursuest a dry straw.

26 For thou writest bitter things against me, and wilt consume me for the sins of my youth.

27 Thou hast put my feet in the stocks, and hast observed all my paths, and hast considered the steps of my feet:

Acts 12:1-17

12 And at the same time, Herod the king stretched forth his hands, to afflict some of the church.

And he killed James, the brother of John, with the sword.

And seeing that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to take up Peter also. Now it was in the days of the Azymes.

And when he had apprehended him, he cast him into prison, delivering him to four files of soldiers to be kept, intending, after the pasch, to bring him forth to the people.

Peter therefore was kept in prison. But prayer was made without ceasing by the church unto God for him.

And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison.

And behold an angel of the Lord stood by him: and a light shined in the room: and he striking Peter on the side, raised him up, saying: Arise quickly. And the chains fell off from his hands.

And the angel said to him: Gird thyself, and put on thy sandals. And he did so. And he said to him: Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me.

And going out, he followed him, and he knew not that it was true which was done by the angel: but thought he saw a vision.

10 And passing through the first and the second ward, they came to the iron gate that leadeth to the city, which of itself opened to them. And going out, they passed on through one street: and immediately the angel departed from him.

11 And Peter coming to himself, said: Now I know in very deed, that the Lord hath sent his angel, and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews.

12 And considering, he came to the house of Mary the mother of John, who was surnamed Mark, where many were gathered together and praying.

13 And when he knocked at the door of the gate, a damsel came to hearken, whose name was Rhode.

14 And as soon as she knew Peter's voice, she opened not the gate for joy, but running in she told that Peter stood before the gate.

15 But they said to her: Thou art mad. But she affirmed that it was so. Then said they: It is his angel.

16 But Peter continued knocking. And when they had opened, they saw him, and were astonished.

17 But he beckoning to them with his hand to hold their peace, told how the Lord had brought him out of prison, and he said: Tell these things to James, and to the brethren. And going out, he went into another place.

John 8:33-47

33 They answered him: We are the seed of Abraham, and we have never been slaves to any man: how sayest thou: you shall be free?

34 Jesus answered them: Amen, amen I say unto you: that whosoever committeth sin, is the servant of sin.

35 Now the servant abideth not in the house for ever; but the son abideth for ever.

36 If therefore the son shall make you free, you shall be free indeed.

37 I know that you are the children of Abraham: but you seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you.

38 I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and you do the things that you have seen with your father.

39 They answered, and said to him: Abraham is our father. Jesus saith to them: If you be the children of Abraham, do the works of Abraham.

40 But now you seek to kill me, a man who have spoken the truth to you, which I have heard of God. This Abraham did not.

41 You do the works of your father. They said therefore to him: We are not born of fornication: we have one Father, even God.

42 Jesus therefore said to them: If God were your Father, you would indeed love me. For from God I proceeded, and came; for I came not of myself, but he sent me:

43 Why do you not know my speech? Because you cannot hear my word.

44 You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and he stood not in the truth; because truth is not in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father thereof.

45 But if I say the truth, you believe me not.

46 Which of you shall convince me of sin? If I say the truth to you, why do you not believe me?

47 He that is of God, heareth the words of God. Therefore you hear them not, because you are not of God.