WE have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us * what thou hast done in their time of old:
 
How thou hast driven out the heathen with thy hand, and planted our fathers in; * how thou hast destroyed the nations, and made thy people to flourish.
 
For they gat not the land in possession through their own sword, * neither was it their own arm that helped them;
 
But thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance; * because thou hadst a favour unto them.
 
Thou art my King, O God; * send help unto Jacob.
 
Through thee will we overthrow our enemies, * and in thy Name will we tread them under that rise up against us.
 
For I will not trust in my bow, * it is not my sword that shall help me;
 
But it is thou that savest us from our enemies, * and puttest them to confusion that hate us.
 
We make our boast of God all day long, * and will praise thy Name for ever.
 
But now thou art far off, and puttest us to confusion, * and goest not forth with our armies.
 
Thou makest us to turn our backs upon our enemies, * so that they which hate us spoil our goods.
 
Thou lettest us be eaten up like sheep, * and hast scattered us among the heathen.
 
Thou sellest thy people for nought, * and takest no money for them.
 
Thou makest us to be rebuked of our neighbours, * to be laughed to scorn, and had in derision of them that are round about us.
 
Thou makest us to be a by-word among the nations, * and that the peoples shake their heads at us.
 
My confusion is daily before me, * and the shame of my face hath covered me;
 
For the voice of the slanderer and blasphemer, * for the enemy and avenger.
 
And though all this be come upon us, yet do we not forget thee, * nor behave ourselves frowardly in thy covenant.
 
Our heart is not turned back, * neither our steps gone out of thy way;
 
No, not when thou hast smitten us into the place of dragons, * and covered us with the shadow of death.
 
If we have forgotten the Name of our God, and holden up our hands to any strange god, * shall not God search it out? for he knoweth the very secrets of the heart.
 
For thy sake also are we killed all the day long, * and are counted as sheep appointed to be slain.
 
Up, Lord, why sleepest thou? * awake, and be not absent from us for ever.
 
Wherefore hidest thou thy face, * and forgettest our misery and trouble?
 
For our soul is brought low, even unto the dust; * our belly cleaveth unto the ground.
 
Arise, and help us, * and deliver us, for thy mercy's sake.

An hypocrite with his mouth destroyeth his neighbour: but through knowledge shall the just be delivered. When it goeth well with the righteous, the city rejoiceth: and when the wicked perish, there is shouting. By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted: but it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked. He that is void of wisdom despiseth his neighbour: but a man of understanding holdeth his peace. A talebearer revealeth secrets: but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter. Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety. 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.

But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timotheus shortly unto you, that I also may be of good comfort, when I know your state. For I have no man likeminded, who will naturally care for your state. For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ's. But ye know the proof of him, that, as a son with the father, he hath served with me in the gospel. Him therefore I hope to send presently, so soon as I shall see how it will go with me. But I trust in the Lord that I also myself shall come shortly. Yet I supposed it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, and companion in labour, and fellowsoldier, but your messenger, and he that ministered to my wants. For he longed after you all, and was full of heaviness, because that ye had heard that he had been sick. For indeed he was sick nigh unto death: but God had mercy on him; and not on him only, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. I sent him therefore the more carefully, that, when ye see him again, ye may rejoice, and that I may be the less sorrowful. Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness; and hold such in reputation: Because for the work of Christ he was nigh unto death, not regarding his life, to supply your lack of service toward me.

ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, mercifully look upon our infirmities, and in all our dangers and necessities stretch forth thy right hand to help and defend us; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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