Morning Prayer Readings
23rd Sunday after Trinity (of the Octave)

The First Lesson
The Second Lesson
The Collect
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The Psalter

First Set of Propers     Second Set of Propers     Third Set of Propers



 

The Psalter (First Set of Propers)


Psalm 33


The Thirty-Third Psalm

Exultate, justi.


REJOICE in the LORD, O ye righteous; * for it be-cometh well the just to be thankful.
 
Praise the LORD with harp; * sing praises unto him with the lute, and instrument of ten strings.
 
Sing unto the Lord a new song; * sing praises lustily unto him with a good courage.
 
For the word of the LORD is true; * and all his works are faithful.
 
He loveth righteousness and judgment; * the earth is full of the goodness of the LORD.
 
By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; * and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.
 
He gathereth the waters of the sea together, as it were upon an heap; * and layeth up the deep, as in a treasure-house.
 
Let all the earth fear the LORD: * stand in awe of him, all ye that dwell in the world.
 
For he spake, and it was done; * he commanded, and it stood fast.
 
The LORD bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought, * and maketh the devices of the people to be of none effect, and casteth out the counsels of princes.
 
The counsel of the LORD shall endure for ever, * and the thoughts of his heart from generation to generation.
 
Blessed are the people whose God is the Lord JEHOVAH; * and blessed are the folk that he hath chosen to him, to be his inheritance.
 
The LORD looketh down from heaven, and beholdeth all the children of men; * from the habitation of his dwelling, he considereth all them that dwell on the earth.
 
He fashioneth all the hearts of them, * and understandeth all their works.
 
There is no king that can be saved by the multitude of an host; * neither is any mighty man delivered by much strength.
 
A horse is counted but a vain thing to save a man; * neither shall he deliver any man by his great strength.
 
Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon them that fear him, * and upon them that put their trust in his mercy;
 
To deliver their soul from death, * and to feed them in the time of dearth.
 
Our soul hath patiently tarried for the LORD; * for he is our help and our shield.
 
For our heart shall rejoice in him; * because we have hoped in his holy Name.
 
Let thy merciful kindness, O LORD, be upon us, * like as we do put our trust in thee.



 

The Psalter (Second Set of Propers)


Psalm 8


The Eighth Psalm

Domine, Dominus noster.


O LORD our Governor, how excellent is thy Name in all the world; * thou that hast set thy glory above the heavens!
 
Out of the mouth of very babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength, because of thine enemies, * that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.
 
When I consider thy heavens, even the work of thy fingers; * the moon and the stars which thou hast ordained;
 
What is man, that thou art mindful of him? * and the son of man, that thou visitest him?
 
Thou madest him lower than the angels, * to crown him with glory and worship.
 
Thou makest him to have dominion of the works of thy hands; * and thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet:
 
All sheep and oxen; * yea, and the beasts of the field;
 
The fowls of the air, and the fishes of the sea; * and whatsoever walketh through the paths of the seas.
 
O LORD our Governor, * how excellent is thy Name in all the world!


Psalm 138


The One Hundred Thirty Eighth Psalm

Confitebor tibi.


I WILL give thanks unto thee, O Lord, with my whole heart; * even before the gods will I sing praise unto thee.
 
I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy Name, because of thy loving-kindness and truth; * for thou hast magnified thy Name, and thy word, above all things.
 
When I called upon thee, thou heardest me; * and enduedst my soul with much strength.
 
All the kings of the earth shall praise thee, O LORD; * for they have heard the words of thy mouth.
 
Yea, they shall sing of the ways of the LORD, * that great is the glory of the LORD.
 
For though the LORD be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly; * as for the proud, he beholdeth them afar off.
 
Though I walk in the midst of trouble, yet shalt thou refresh me; * thou shalt stretch forth thy hand upon the furiousness of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me.
 
The LORD shall make good his loving-kindness toward me; * yea, thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever; despise not then the works of thine own hands.



 

The Psalter (Third Set of Propers)


Psalm 23


The Twenty-Third Psalm

Dominus regit me.


THE LORD is my shepherd; * therefore can I lack nothing.
 
He shall feed me in a green pasture, * and lead me forth beside the waters of comfort.
 
He shall convert my soul, * and bring me forth in the paths of righteousness for his Name's sake.
 
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; * for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff comfort me.
 
Thou shalt prepare a table before me in the presence of them that trouble me; * thou hast anointed my head with oil, and my cup shall be full.
 
Surely thy loving-kindness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; * and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.


Psalm 102:15


The One Hundred Second Psalm

Domine, exaudi.


HEAR my prayer, O LORD, * and let my crying come unto thee.
 
Hide not thy face from me in the time of my trouble; * incline thine ear unto me when I call; O hear me, and that right soon.
 
For my days are consumed away like smoke, * and my bones are burnt up as it were a firebrand.
 
My heart is smitten down, and withered like grass; * so that I forget to eat my bread.
 
For the voice of my groaning, * my bones will scarce cleave to my flesh.
 
I am become like a pelican in the wilderness, * and like an owl that is in the desert.
 
I have watched, and am even as it were a sparrow, * that sitteth alone upon the housetop.
 
Mine enemies revile me all the day long; * and they that are mad upon me are sworn together against me.
 
For I have eaten ashes as it were bread, * and mingled my drink with weeping;
 
And that, because of thine indignation and wrath; * for thou hast taken me up, and cast me down.
 
My days are gone like a shadow, * and I am withered like grass.
 
But thou, O LORD, shalt endure for ever, * and thy remembrance throughout all generations.
 
Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Sion; * for it is time that thou have mercy upon her, yea, the time is come.
 
And why? thy servants think upon her stones, * and it pitieth them to see her in the dust.
 

 
vs 15 The nations shall fear thy Name, O LORD; * and all the kings of the earth thy majesty;
 
When the LORD shall build up Sion, * and when his glory shall appear;
 
When he turneth him unto the prayer of the poor destitute, * and despiseth not their desire.
 
This shall be written for those that come after, * and the people which shall be born shall praise the LORD.
 
For he hath looked down from his sanctuary; * out of the heaven did the LORD behold the earth;
 
That he might hear the mournings of such as are in captivity, * and deliver them that are appointed unto death;
 
That they may declare the Name of the LORD in Sion, * and his worship at Jerusalem;
 
When the peoples are gathered together, * and the kingdoms also, to serve the LORD.
 
He brought down my strength in my journey, * and shortened my days.
 
But I said, O my God, take me not away in the midst of mine age; * as for thy years, they endure throughout all generations.
 
Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth, * and the heavens are the work of thy hands.
 
They shall perish, but thou shalt endure: * they all shall wax old as doth a garment;
 
And as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed; * but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail.
 
The children of thy servants shall continue, * and their seed shall stand fast in thy sight.



 

First Set of Propers     Second Set of Propers     Third Set of Propers

 

The First Lesson (First Set of Propers)


Jeremiah 29:1, 4-14


Now these are the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem unto the residue of the elders which were carried away captives, and to the priests, and to the prophets, and to all the people whom Nebuchadnezzar had carried away captive from Jerusalem to Babylon; Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, unto all that are carried away captives, whom I have caused to be carried away from Jerusalem unto Babylon; Build ye houses, and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them; Take ye wives, and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons, and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; that ye may be increased there, and not diminished. And seek the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captives, and pray unto the Lord for it: for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace. For thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Let not your prophets and your diviners, that be in the midst of you, deceive you, neither hearken to your dreams which ye cause to be dreamed. For they prophesy falsely unto you in my name: I have not sent them, saith the Lord. For thus saith the Lord, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place. For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. And I will be found of you, saith the Lord: and I will turn away your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you, saith the Lord; and I will bring you again into the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive.

 

The First Lesson (Second Set of Propers)


*Isaiah 64


Oh that thou wouldest rend the heavens, that thou wouldest come down, that the mountains might flow down at thy presence, As when the melting fire burneth, the fire causeth the waters to boil, to make thy name known to thine adversaries, that the nations may tremble at thy presence! When thou didst terrible things which we looked not for, thou camest down, the mountains flowed down at thy presence. For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him. Thou meetest him that rejoiceth and worketh righteousness, those that remember thee in thy ways: behold, thou art wroth; for we have sinned: in those is continuance, and we shall be saved. But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. And there is none that calleth upon thy name, that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee: for thou hast hid thy face from us, and hast consumed us, because of our iniquities. But now, O Lord, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand. Be not wroth very sore, O Lord, neither remember iniquity for ever: behold, see, we beseech thee, we are all thy people. Thy holy cities are a wilderness, Zion is a wilderness, Jerusalem a desolation. Our holy and our beautiful house, where our fathers praised thee, is burned up with fire: and all our pleasant things are laid waste. Wilt thou refrain thyself for these things, O Lord? wilt thou hold thy peace, and afflict us very sore?

 

The First Lesson (Third Set of Propers)


Deuteronomy 34


And Moses went up from the plains of Moab unto the mountain of Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, that is over against Jericho. And the Lord shewed him all the land of Gilead, unto Dan, And all Naphtali, and the land of Ephraim, and Manasseh, and all the land of Judah, unto the utmost sea, And the south, and the plain of the valley of Jericho, the city of palm trees, unto Zoar. And the Lord said unto him, This is the land which I sware unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, saying, I will give it unto thy seed: I have caused thee to see it with thine eyes, but thou shalt not go over thither. So Moses the servant of the Lord died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the Lord. And he buried him in a valley in the land of Moab, over against Bethpeor: but no man knoweth of his sepulchre unto this day. And Moses was an hundred and twenty years old when he died: his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated. And the children of Israel wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days: so the days of weeping and mourning for Moses were ended. And Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom; for Moses had laid his hands upon him: and the children of Israel hearkened unto him, and did as the Lord commanded Moses. And there arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face, In all the signs and the wonders, which the Lord sent him to do in the land of Egypt to Pharaoh, and to all his servants, and to all his land, And in all that mighty hand, and in all the great terror which Moses shewed in the sight of all Israel.



 

First Set of Propers     Second Set of Propers     Third Set of Propers

 

The Second Lesson (First Set of Propers)


Titus 3:1-8


Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work, To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men. For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.

 

The Second Lesson (Second Set of Propers)


St. Matthew 23:1-12


Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples, Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat: All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not. For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments, And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues, And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi. But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren. And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven. Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ. But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant. And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.

 

The Second Lesson (Third Set of Propers)


II Timothy 4:1-8


I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry. For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.



 

The Collect

Twenty-Third Sunday after Trinity

O GOD, our refuge and strength, who art the author of all godliness; Be ready, we beseech thee, to hear the devout prayers of thy Church; and grant that those things which we ask faithfully we may obtain effectually; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

All Saints

O ALMIGHTY God, who hast knit together thine elect in one communion and fellowship, in the mystical body of thy Son Christ our Lord; Grant us grace so to follow thy blessed Saints in all virtuous and godly living, that we may come to those unspeakable joys which thou hast prepared for those who unfeignedly love thee; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.



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