Evening Prayer Readings
Sexagesima

The First Lesson
The Second Lesson
The Collect
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The Psalter

First Set of Propers     Second Set of Propers



 

The Psalter (First Set of Propers)


Psalm 147


The One Hundred Forty Seventh Psalm

Laudate Dominum.


PRAISE the LORD, for it is a good thing to sing praises unto our God; * yea, a joyful and pleasant thing it is to be thankful.
 
The LORD doth build up Jerusalem, * and gather together the outcasts of Israel.
 
He healeth those that are broken in heart, * and giveth medicine to heal their sickness.
 
He telleth the number of the stars, * and calleth them all by their names.
 
Great is our Lord, and great is his power; * yea, and his wisdom is infinite.
 
The LORD setteth up the meek, * and bringeth the ungodly down to the ground.
 
O sing unto the LORD with thanksgiving; * sing praises upon the harp unto our God:
 
Who covereth the heaven with clouds, and prepareth rain for the earth; * and maketh the grass to grow upon the mountains, and herb for the use of men;
 
Who giveth fodder unto the cattle, * and feedeth the young ravens that call upon him.
 
He hath no pleasure in the strength of an horse; * neither delighteth he in any man's legs.
 
But the LORD'S delight is in them that fear him, * and put their trust in his mercy.
 
Praise the LORD, O Jerusalem; * praise thy God, O Sion.
 
For he hath made fast the bars of thy gates, * and hath blessed thy children within thee.
 
He maketh peace in thy borders, * and filleth thee with the flour of wheat.
 
He sendeth forth his commandment upon earth, * and his word runneth very swiftly.
 
He giveth snow like wool, * and scattereth the hoarfrost like ashes.
 
He casteth forth his ice like morsels: * who is able to abide his frost?
 
He sendeth out his word, and melteth them: * he bloweth with his wind, and the waters flow.
 
He showeth his word unto Jacob, * his statutes and ordinances unto Israel.
 
He hath not dealt so with any nation; * neither have the heathen knowledge of his laws.



 

The Psalter (Second Set of Propers)


Psalm 37:26


The Thirty-Seventh Psalm

Noli aemulari.


FRET not thyself because of the ungodly; * neither be thou envious against the evil doers.
 
For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, * and be withered even as the green herb.
 
Put thou thy trust in the LORD, and be doing good; * dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.
 
Delight thou in the LORD, * and he shall give thee thy heart's desire.
 
Commit thy way unto the LORD, and put thy trust in him, * and he shall bring it to pass.
 
He shall make thy righteousness as clear as the light, * and thy just dealing as the noon-day.
 
Hold thee still in the LORD, and abide patiently upon him: * but grieve not thyself at him whose way doth prosper, against the man that doeth after evil counsels.
 
Leave off from wrath, and let go displeasure: * fret not thyself, else shalt thou be moved to do evil.
 
Wicked doers shall be rooted out; * and they that patiently abide the LORD, those shall inherit the land.
 
Yet a little while, and the ungodly shall be clean gone: * thou shalt look after his place, and he shall be away.
 
But the meek-spirited shall possess the earth, * and shall be refreshed in the multitude of peace.
 
The ungodly seeketh counsel against the just, * and gnasheth upon him with his teeth.
 
The Lord shall laugh him to scorn; * for he hath seen that his day is coming.
 
The ungodly have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, * to cast down the poor and needy, and to slay such as be upright in their ways.
 
Their sword shall go through their own heart, * and their bow shall be broken.
 
A small thing that the righteous hath, * is better than great riches of the ungodly.
 
For the arms of the ungodly shall be broken, * and the LORD upholdeth the righteous.
 
The LORD knoweth the days of the godly; * and their inheritance shall endure for ever.
 
They shall not be confounded in the perilous time; * and in the days of dearth they shall have enough.
 
As for the ungodly, they shall perish, and the enemies of the LORD shall consume as the fat of lambs: * yea, even as the smoke shall they consume away.
 
The ungodly borroweth, and payeth not again; * but the righteous is merciful and liberal.
 
Such as are blessed of God, shall possess the land; * and they that are cursed of him, shall be rooted out.
 
The LORD ordereth a good man's going, * and maketh his way acceptable to himself.
 
Though he fall, he shall not be cast away; * for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand.
 

vs 25 I have been young, and now am old; * and yet saw I never the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging their bread.
 

 
vs 26 The righteous is ever merciful, and lendeth; * and his seed is blessed.
 
Flee from evil, and do the thing that is good; * and dwell for evermore.
 
For the LORD loveth the thing that is right; * he forsaketh not his that be godly, but they are preserved for ever.
 
The unrighteous shall be punished; * as for the seed of the ungodly, it shall be rooted out.
 
The righteous shall inherit the land, * and dwell therein for ever.
 
The mouth of the righteous is exercised in wisdom, * and his tongue will be talking of judgment.
 
The law of his God is in his heart, * and his goings shall not slide.
 
The ungodly watcheth the righteous, * and seeketh occasion to slay him.
 
The LORD will not leave him in his hand, * nor condemn him when he is judged.
 
Hope thou in the LORD, and keep his way, and he shall promote thee, that thou shalt possess the land: * when the ungodly shall perish, thou shalt see it.
 
I myself have seen the ungodly in great power, * and flourishing like a green bay-tree.
 
I went by, and lo, he was gone: * I sought him, but his place could no where be found.
 
Keep innocency, and take heed unto the thing that is right; * for that shall bring a man peace at the last.
 
As for the transgressors, they shall perish together; * and the end of the ungodly is, they shall be rooted out at the last.
But the salvation of the righteous cometh of the LORD; * who is also their strength in the time of trouble.
 
And the LORD shall stand by them, and save them: * he shall deliver them from the ungodly, and shall save them, because they put their trust in him.


Psalm 124


The One Hundred Twenty Fourth Psalm

Nisi quia Dominus.


IF the LORD himself had not been on our side, now may Israel say; * if the LORD himself had not been on our side, when men rose up against us;
 
They had swallowed us up alive; * when they were so wrathfully displeased at us.
 
Yea, the waters had drowned us, * and the stream had gone over our soul.
 
The deep waters of the proud * had gone even over our soul.
 
But praised be the LORD, * who hath not given us over for a prey unto their teeth.
 
Our soul is escaped even as a bird out of the snare of the fowler; * the snare is broken, and we are delivered.
 
Our help standeth in the Name of the LORD, * who hath made heaven and earth.



 

First Set of Propers     Second Set of Propers

 

The First Lesson (First Set of Propers)


Ecclesiastes 11:1-6


Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days. Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth. If the clouds be full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth: and if the tree fall toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be. He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap. As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child: even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all. In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good.

 

The First Lesson (Second Set of Propers)


Daniel 3:1-26


Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof six cubits: he set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon. Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together the princes, the governors, and the captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. Then the princes, the governors, and captains, the judges, the treasurers, and counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, were gathered together unto the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. Then an herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O people, nations, and languages, That at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of music, ye fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up: And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. Therefore at that time, when all the people heard the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and all kinds of music, all the people, the nations, and the languages, fell down and worshipped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. Wherefore at that time certain Chaldeans came near, and accused the Jews. They spake and said to the king Nebuchadnezzar, O king, live for ever. Thou, O king, hast made a decree, that every man that shall hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of music, shall fall down and worship the golden image: And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth, that he should be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. There are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the affairs of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; these men, O king, have not regarded thee: they serve not thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up. Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Then they brought these men before the king. Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up? Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of music, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; well: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands? Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up. Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: therefore he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was wont to be heated. And he commanded the most mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace. Then these men were bound in their coats, their hosen, and their hats, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. Therefore because the king's commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king. He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God. Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, came forth of the midst of the fire.



 

First Set of Propers     Second Set of Propers

 

The Second Lesson (First Set of Propers)


St. John 4:31-38

In the mean while his disciples prayed him, saying, Master, eat. But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of. Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him ought to eat? Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work. Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest. And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together. And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth. I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours.

 

The Second Lesson (Second Set of Propers)


St. Matthew 10:16-23, 40-42


Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues; And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles. But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak. For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you. And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved. But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come. He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me. He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward. And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.



 

The Collect

Sexagesima

O LORD God, who seest that we put not our trust in any thing we do; Mercifully grant that by thy power we may be defended against all adversity; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.



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