O GOD, wherefore art thou absent from us so long? * why is thy wrath so hot against the sheep of thy pasture?
 
O think upon thy congregation, * whom thou hast purchased, and redeemed of old.
 
Think upon the tribe of thine inheritance, * and Mount Sion, wherein thou hast dwelt.
 
Lift up thy feet, that thou mayest utterly destroy every enemy, * which hath done evil in thy sanctuary.
 
Thine adversaries roar in the midst of thy congregations, * and set up their banners for tokens.
 
He that hewed timber afore out of the thick trees, * was known to bring it to an excellent work.
 
But now they break down all the carved work thereof * with axes and hammers.
 
They have set fire upon thy holy places, * and have defiled the dwelling-place of thy Name, even unto the ground.
 
Yea, they said in their hearts, Let us make havoc of them altogether: * thus have they burnt up all the houses of God in the land.
 
We see not our tokens; there is not one prophet more; * no, not one is there among us, that understandeth any more.
 
O God, how long shall the adversary do this dishonour? * shall the enemy blaspheme thy Name for ever?
 
Why withdrawest thou thy hand? * why pluckest thou not thy right hand out of thy bosom to consume the enemy?
 
For God is my King of old; * the help that is done upon earth, he doeth it himself.
 
Thou didst divide the sea through thy power; * thou brakest the heads of the dragons in the waters.
 
Thou smotest the heads of leviathan in pieces, * and gavest him to be meat for the people of the wilderness.
 
Thou broughtest out fountains and waters out of the hard rocks; * thou driedst up mighty waters.
 
The day is thine, and the night is thine; * thou hast prepared the light and the sun.
 
Thou hast set all the borders of the earth; * thou hast made summer and winter.
 
Remember this, O LORD, how the enemy hath rebuked; * and how the foolish people hath blasphemed thy Name.
 
O deliver not the soul of thy turtle-dove unto the multitude of the enemies; * and forget not the congregation of the poor for ever.
 
Look upon the covenant; * for all the earth is full of darkness and cruel habitations.
 
O let not the simple go away ashamed; * but let the poor and needy give praise unto thy Name.
 
Arise, O God, maintain thine own cause; * remember how the foolish man blasphemeth thee daily.
 
Forget not the voice of thine enemies: * the presumption of them that hate thee increaseth ever more and more.

Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was astonied for one hour, and his thoughts troubled him. The king spake, and said, Belteshazzar, let not the dream, or the interpretation thereof, trouble thee. Belteshazzar answered and said, My lord, the dream be to them that hate thee, and the interpretation thereof to thine enemies. The tree that thou sawest, which grew, and was strong, whose height reached unto the heaven, and the sight thereof to all the earth; Whose leaves were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all; under which the beasts of the field dwelt, and upon whose branches the fowls of the heaven had their habitation: It is thou, O king, that art grown and become strong: for thy greatness is grown, and reacheth unto heaven, and thy dominion to the end of the earth. And whereas the king saw a watcher and an holy one coming down from heaven, and saying, Hew the tree down, and destroy it; yet leave the stump of the roots thereof in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts of the field, till seven times pass over him; This is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the most High, which is come upon my lord the king: That they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and they shall wet thee with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over thee, till thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will. And whereas they commanded to leave the stump of the tree roots; thy kingdom shall be sure unto thee, after that thou shalt have known that the heavens do rule. Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable unto thee, and break off thy sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by shewing mercy to the poor; if it may be a lengthening of thy tranquillity.

And when it was day, certain of the Jews banded together, and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul. And they were more than forty which had made this conspiracy. And they came to the chief priests and elders, and said, We have bound ourselves under a great curse, that we will eat nothing until we have slain Paul. Now therefore ye with the council signify to the chief captain that he bring him down unto you to morrow, as though ye would inquire something more perfectly concerning him: and we, or ever he come near, are ready to kill him. And when Paul's sister's son heard of their lying in wait, he went and entered into the castle, and told Paul. Then Paul called one of the centurions unto him, and said, Bring this young man unto the chief captain: for he hath a certain thing to tell him. So he took him, and brought him to the chief captain, and said, Paul the prisoner called me unto him, and prayed me to bring this young man unto thee, who hath something to say unto thee. Then the chief captain took him by the hand, and went with him aside privately, and asked him, What is that thou hast to tell me? And he said, The Jews have agreed to desire thee that thou wouldest bring down Paul to morrow into the council, as though they would inquire somewhat of him more perfectly. But do not thou yield unto them: for there lie in wait for him of them more than forty men, which have bound themselves with an oath, that they will neither eat nor drink till they have killed him: and now are they ready, looking for a promise from thee. So the chief captain then let the young man depart, and charged him, See thou tell no man that thou hast shewed these things to me. And he called unto him two centurions, saying, Make ready two hundred soldiers to go to Caesarea, and horsemen threescore and ten, and spearmen two hundred, at the third hour of the night; And provide them beasts, that they may set Paul on, and bring him safe unto Felix the governor.

LORD of all power and might, who art the author and giver of all good things; Graft in our hearts the love of thy Name, increase in us true religion, nourish us with all goodness, and of thy great mercy keep us in the same; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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