UNTO thee, O LORD, will I lift up my soul; my God, I have put my trust in thee: * O let me not be confounded, neither let mine enemies triumph over me.
 
For all they that hope in thee shall not be ashamed; * but such as transgress without a cause shall be put to confusion.
 
Show me thy ways, O LORD, * and teach me thy paths.
 
Lead me forth in thy truth, and learn me: * for thou art the God of my salvation; in thee hath been my hope all the day long.
 
Call to remembrance, O LORD, thy tender mercies, * and thy loving-kindnesses, which have been ever of old.
 
O remember not the sins and offences of my youth; * but according to thy mercy think thou upon me, O LORD, for thy goodness.
 
Gracious and righteous is the LORD; * therefore, will he teach sinners in the way.
 
Them that are meek shall he guide in judgment; * and such as are gentle, them shall he learn his way.
 
All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth, * unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies.
 
For thy Name's sake, O LORD, * be merciful unto my sin; for it is great.
 
What man is he that feareth the LORD? * him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose.
 
His soul shall dwell at ease, * and his seed shall inherit the land.
 
The secret of the LORD is among them that fear him; * and he will show them his covenant.
 
Mine eyes are ever looking unto the LORD; * for he shall pluck my feet out of the net.
 
Turn thee unto me, and have mercy upon me; * for I am desolate, and in misery.
 
The sorrows of my heart are enlarged: * O bring thou me out of my troubles.
 
Look upon my adversity and misery, * and forgive me all my sin.
 
Consider mine enemies, how many they are; * and they bear a tyrannous hate against me.
 
O keep my soul, and deliver me: * let me not be confounded, for I have put my trust in thee.
 
Let perfectness and righteous dealing wait upon me; * for my hope hath been in thee.
 
Deliver Israel, O God, * out of all his troubles.

IT is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, * and to sing praises unto thy Name, O Most Highest;
 
To tell of thy loving-kindness early in the morning, * and of thy truth in the night season;
 
Upon an instrument of ten strings, and upon the lute; * upon a loud instrument, and upon the harp.
 
For thou, LORD, hast made me glad through thy works; * and I will rejoice in giving praise for the operations of thy hands.
 
O LORD, how glorious are thy works! * thy thoughts are very deep.
 
An unwise man doth not well consider this, * and a fool doth not understand it.
 
When the ungodly are green as the grass, and when all the workers of wickedness do flourish, * then shall they be destroyed for ever; but thou, LORD, art the Most Highest for evermore.
 
For lo, thine enemies, O LORD, lo, thine enemies shall perish; * and all the workers of wickedness shall be destroyed.
 
But my horn shall be exalted like the horn of an unicorn; * for I am anointed with fresh oil.
 
Mine eye also shall see his lust of mine enemies, * and mine ear shall hear his desire of the wicked that arise up against me.
 
The righteous shall flourish like a palm-tree, * and shall spread abroad like a cedar in Lebanon.
 
Such as are planted in the house of the LORD, * shall flourish in the courts of the house of our God.
 
They also shall bring forth more fruit in their age, * and shall be fat and well-liking;
 
That they may show how true the LORD my strength is, * and that there is no unrighteousness in him.

O PRAISE the LORD from the heavens: * praise him in the heights.
 
Praise him, all ye angels of his: * praise him, all his host.
 
Praise him, sun and moon: * praise him, all ye stars and light.
 
Praise him, all ye heavens, * and ye waters that are above the heavens.
 
Let them praise the Name of the LORD: * for he spake the word, and they were made; he commanded, and they were created.
 
He hath made them fast for ever and ever: * he hath given them a law which shall not be broken.
 
Praise the LORD from the earth, * ye dragons and all deeps;
 
Fire and hail, snow and vapours, * wind and storm, fulfilling his word;
 
Mountains and all hills; * fruitful trees and all cedars;
 
Beasts and all cattle; * creeping things and flying fowls;
 
Kings of the earth, and all peoples; * princes, and all judges of the world;
 
Young men and maidens, old men and children, praise the Name of the LORD: * for his Name only is excellent, and his praise above heaven and earth.
 
He shall exalt the horn of his people: all his saints shall praise him; * even the children of Israel, even the people that serveth him.

O PRAISE God in his sanctuary: * praise him in the firmament of his power.
 
Praise him in his noble acts: * praise him according to his excellent greatness.
 
Praise him in the sound of the trumpet: * praise him upon the lute and harp.
 
Praise him in the timbrels and dances: * praise him upon the strings and pipe.
 
Praise him upon the well-tuned cymbals: * praise him upon the loud cymbals.
 
Let every thing that hath breath * praise the LORD.

For wisdom is according to her name, and she is not manifest unto many. Give ear, my son, receive my advice, and refuse not my counsel, And put thy feet into her fetters, and thy neck into her chain. Bow down thy shoulder, and bear her, and be not grieved with her bonds. Come unto her with thy whole heart, and keep her ways with all thy power. Search, and seek, and she shall be made known unto thee: and when thou hast got hold of her, let her not go. For at the last thou shalt find her rest, and that shall be turned to thy joy. Then shall her fetters be a strong defence for thee, and her chains a robe of glory. For there is a golden ornament upon her, and her bands are purple lace. Thou shalt put her on as a robe of honour, and shalt put her about thee as a crown of joy. My son, if thou wilt, thou shalt be taught: and if thou wilt apply thy mind, thou shalt be prudent. If thou love to hear, thou shalt receive understanding: and if thou bow thine ear, thou shalt be wise, Stand in the multitude of the elders; and cleave unto him that is wise. Be willing to hear every godly discourse; and let not the parables of understanding escape thee. And if thou seest a man of understanding, get thee betimes unto him, and let thy foot wear the steps of his door. Let thy mind be upon the ordinances of the Lord and meditate continually in his commandments: he shall establish thine heart, and give thee wisdom at thine owns desire.

There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty. The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself. He that withholdeth corn, the people shall curse him: but blessing shall be upon the head of him that selleth it. He that diligently seeketh good procureth favour: but he that seeketh mischief, it shall come unto him. He that trusteth in his riches shall fall: but the righteous shall flourish as a branch. He that troubleth his own house shall inherit the wind: and the fool shall be servant to the wise of heart. The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise. Behold, the righteous shall be recompensed in the earth: much more the wicked and the sinner.

And the Ziphites came unto Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David hide himself in the hill of Hachilah, which is before Jeshimon? Then Saul arose, and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, having three thousand chosen men of Israel with him, to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul pitched in the hill of Hachilah, which is before Jeshimon, by the way. But David abode in the wilderness, and he saw that Saul came after him into the wilderness. David therefore sent out spies, and understood that Saul was come in very deed. And David arose, and came to the place where Saul had pitched: and David beheld the place where Saul lay, and Abner the son of Ner, the captain of his host: and Saul lay in the trench, and the people pitched round about him. Then answered David and said to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah, brother to Joab, saying, Who will go down with me to Saul to the camp? And Abishai said, I will go down with thee. So David and Abishai came to the people by night: and, behold, Saul lay sleeping within the trench, and his spear stuck in the ground at his bolster: but Abner and the people lay round about him. So David took the spear and the cruse of water from Saul's bolster; and they gat them away, and no man saw it, nor knew it, neither awaked: for they were all asleep; because a deep sleep from the Lord was fallen upon them. Then David went over to the other side, and stood on the top of an hill afar off; a great space being between them: And David cried to the people, and to Abner the son of Ner, saying, Answerest thou not, Abner? Then Abner answered and said, Who art thou that criest to the king? And David said to Abner, Art not thou a valiant man? and who is like to thee in Israel? wherefore then hast thou not kept thy lord the king? for there came one of the people in to destroy the king thy lord. This thing is not good that thou hast done. As the Lord liveth, ye are worthy to die, because ye have not kept your master, the Lord's anointed. And now see where the king's spear is, and the cruse of water that was at his bolster. And Saul knew David's voice, and said, Is this thy voice, my son David? And David said, It is my voice, my lord, O king. Then said Saul, I have sinned: return, my son David: for I will no more do thee harm, because my soul was precious in thine eyes this day: behold, I have played the fool, and have erred exceedingly. And David answered and said, Behold the king's spear! and let one of the young men come over and fetch it. The Lord render to every man his righteousness and his faithfulness: for the Lord delivered thee into my hand today, but I would not stretch forth mine hand against the Lord's anointed. And, behold, as thy life was much set by this day in mine eyes, so let my life be much set by in the eyes of the Lord, and let him deliver me out of all tribulation. Then Saul said to David, Blessed be thou, my son David: thou shalt both do great things, and also shalt still prevail. So David went on his way, and Saul returned to his place.

Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word. But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church. And he killed James the brother of John with the sword. And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also. (Then were the days of unleavened bread.) And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people. Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of 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, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands. And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And so he did. And he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me. And he went out, and followed him; and wist not that it was true which was done by the angel; but thought he saw a vision. When they were past the first and the second ward, they came unto the iron gate that leadeth unto the city; which opened to them of his own accord: and they went out, and passed on through one street; and forthwith the angel departed from him. And when Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I know of a surety, 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. And when he had considered the thing, he came to the house of Mary the mother of John, whose surname was Mark; where many were gathered together praying. And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a damsel came to hearken, named Rhoda. And when she knew Peter's voice, she opened not the gate for gladness, but ran in, and told how Peter stood before the gate. And they said unto her, Thou art mad. But she constantly affirmed that it was even so. Then said they, It is his angel. But Peter continued knocking: and when they had opened the door, and saw him, they were astonished. But he, beckoning unto them with the hand to hold their peace, declared unto them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, Go shew these things unto James, and to the brethren. And he departed, and went into another place.

O GOD, whose never-failing providence ordereth all things both in heaven and earth; We humbly beseech thee to put away from us all hurtful things, and to give us those things which are profitable for us; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Copyright © 2000-2024 , CommonPrayer.org See our home page for further information

Privacy Policy

(Alternate/Backup Site) For information about this web page, please contact the Webmaster at: