SING we merrily unto God our strength; * make a cheerful noise unto the God of Jacob.
 
Take the psalm, bring hither the tabret, * the merry harp with the lute.
 
Blow up the trumpet in the new moon, * even in the time appointed, and upon our solemn feast-day.
 
For this was made a statute for Israel, * and a law of the God of Jacob.
 
This he ordained in Joseph for a testimony, * when he came out of the land of Egypt, and had heard a strange language.
 
I eased his shoulder from the burden, * and his hands were delivered from making the pots.
 
Thou calledst upon me in troubles, and I delivered thee; * and heard thee what time as the storm fell upon thee.
 
I proved thee also * at the waters of strife.
 
Hear, O my people; and I will assure thee, O Israel, * if thou wilt hearken unto me,
 
There shall no strange god be in thee, * neither shalt thou worship any other god.
 
I am the LORD thy God, who brought thee out of the land of Egypt: * open thy mouth wide, and I shall fill it.
 
But my people would not hear my voice; * and Israel would not obey me;
 
So I gave them up unto their own hearts' lusts, * and let them follow their own imaginations.
 
O that my people would have hearkened unto me! * for if Israel had walked in my ways,
 
I should soon have put down their enemies, * and turned my hand against their adversaries.
 
The haters of the LORD should have submitted themselves unto him; * but their time should have endured forever.
 
I would have fed them also with the finest wheat-flour; * and with honey out of the stony rock would I have satisfied thee.

The vision of Obadiah. Thus saith the Lord God concerning Edom; We have heard a rumour from the Lord, and an ambassador is sent among the heathen, Arise ye, and let us rise up against her in battle. Behold, I have made thee small among the heathen: thou art greatly despised. The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee, thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock, whose habitation is high; that saith in his heart, Who shall bring me down to the ground? Though thou exalt thyself as the eagle, and though thou set thy nest among the stars, thence will I bring thee down, saith the Lord. If thieves came to thee, if robbers by night, (how art thou cut off!) would they not have stolen till they had enough? if the grapegatherers came to thee, would they not leave some grapes? How are the things of Esau searched out! how are his hidden things sought up! All the men of thy confederacy have brought thee even to the border: the men that were at peace with thee have deceived thee, and prevailed against thee; they that eat thy bread have laid a wound under thee: there is none understanding in him. Shall I not in that day, saith the Lord, even destroy the wise men out of Edom, and understanding out of the mount of Esau? And thy mighty men, O Teman, shall be dismayed, to the end that every one of the mount of Esau may be cut off by slaughter.

Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls. Of which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.

O LORD, we beseech thee, absolve thy people from their offences; that through thy bountiful goodness we may all be delivered from the bands of those sins, which by our frailty we have committed. Grant this, O heavenly Father, for the sake of Jesus Christ, our blessed Lord and Saviour. Amen.

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