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.
3 1 Naomi giveth Ruth counsel. 8 She sleepeth at Boaz’s feet. 12 He acknowledgeth himself to be her kinsman.
1 Afterward Naomi her mother-in-law said unto her, My daughter, shall not I seek [a]rest for thee, that thou mayest prosper?
2 Now also is not Boaz our kinsman, with whose maids thou wast? Behold, he winnoweth barley tonight in the [b]floor.
3 Wash thyself therefore, and anoint thee, and put thy raiment upon thee, and get thee down to the floor: let not the [c]man know of thee, until he have left eating and drinking.
4 And when he shall sleep, mark the place where he layeth him down, and go, and uncover the place of his feet, and lay thee down, and he shall tell thee what thou shalt do.
5 And she answered her, All that thou biddest me, I will do.
6 ¶ So she went down unto the floor, and did according to all that her mother-in-law bade her.
7 And when Boaz had eaten and drunken, and [d]cheered his heart, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of corn, and she came softly, and uncovered the place of his feet, and lay down.
8 And at midnight the man was afraid [e]and caught hold: and lo, a woman lay at his feet.
9 Then he said, Who art thou? And she answered, I am Ruth thine handmaid: spread therefore the wing of thy garment over thine handmaid: for thou art the kinsman.
10 Then he said, Blessed be thou of the Lord, my daughter: thou hast [f]showed more goodness in the latter end, than at the beginning, inasmuch as thou followedst not young men, were they poor or rich.
11 And now, my daughter, fear not: I will do to thee all that thou requirest: for all the city of my people doth know that thou art a virtuous woman.
12 And now, it is true that I am thy kinsman, howbeit there is a kinsman nearer than I.
13 Tarry tonight, and when morning is come, if he [g]will do the duty of a kinsman unto thee, well, let him do the kinsman’s duty: but if he will not do the kinsman’s part, then will I do the duty of a kinsman, as the Lord liveth: sleep until the morning.
14 ¶ And she lay at his feet until the morning: and she arose before one could know another: for he said, Let no man know, that a woman came into the floor.
15 Also he said, Bring the [h]sheet that thou hast upon thee, and hold it. And when she held it, he measured six measures of barley, and laid them on her, and she went into the city.
16 And when she came to her mother-in-law, she said, [i]Who art thou, my daughter? And she told her all that the man had done to her,
17 And said, These six measures of barley gave he me: for he said to me, Thou shalt not come empty unto thy mother-in-law.
18 Then said she, My daughter, sit still, until thou know how the thing will fall: for the man will not be in rest, until he hath finished the matter this same day.
4 1 He showeth that he hath so labored in preaching the Gospel, 4 That such are even blinded of Satan, who do not perceive the brightness thereof, 7 that the same is carried in earthen vessels, 10 who are subject to many miseries: 16 and therefore he exhorteth them by his own example to be courageous, 17 and condemn this present life.
1 Therefore, [a]seeing that we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we [b]faint not:
2 But have cast from us the [c]cloaks of shame, and walk not in craftiness, neither handle we the word of God [d]deceitfully: but in declaration of the truth we approve ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.
3 [e]If the Gospel be then hid, it is hid to them that are lost.
4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds, that is, of the infidels, that the [f]light of the glorious Gospel of Christ, which is the [g]image of God, should not shine unto them.
5 [h]For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your servants for [i]Jesus’ sake.
6 For God (A)[j]that commanded the light to shine out of darkness, is he which hath shined in our hearts, to give the [k]light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
7 [l]But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, [m]that the excellency of that power might be of God, and not of us.
8 We are afflicted on every side, yet are we not in distress: we are in doubt, but yet we despair not.
9 We are persecuted, but not forsaken: cast down, but we perish not.
10 [n]Everywhere we bear about in our body the [o]dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus might also be made manifest in our bodies.
11 For we which [p]live, are always delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our [q]mortal flesh.
12 [r]So then death worketh in us, and life in you.
38 ¶ [a]Ye have heard that it hath been said, An (A)eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.
39 But I say unto you, (B)Resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.
40 And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also.
41 And whosoever will compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.
42 (C)Give to him that asketh, and from him that would borrow of thee, turn not away.
43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, (D)Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy.
44 But I say unto you, (E)Love your enemies: bless them that curse you: do good to them that hate you, (F)and pray for them which hurt you, and persecute you,
45 (G)[b]That ye may be the children of your father that is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to arise on the evil and the good, and sendeth rain on the just and unjust.
46 For if ye love them, which love you, what reward shall you have? Do not the Publicans even the same?
47 And if ye be friendly to your brethren only, what singular thing do ye? do not even the [c]Publicans likewise?
48 Ye shall therefore be perfect, as your Father which is in heaven, is perfect.
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