175 To be used instead of the Psalms for the Day, at the Discretion of the Minister. SELECTION I. salm 19. Cæli enarrant. sumptuous sins, lest they get the dominion over me. Let the words of my mouth, HEheavens declare the glory and the meditation of my heart, showeth his handy work. Their sound is gone out into all lands; and their words into the ends of the world. O Lord, my strength, and my Redeemer. Psalm 24. Domini est terra. HE earth is the Lord's, and all Tthat therein is; the compass of the world, and they that dwell therein. For he hath founded it upon the seas, and prepared it upon the In them hath he set a taberna-floods. cle for the sun; which cometh forth as a bridegroom out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a giant to run his course. Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall rise up in his holy place? Even he that hath clean hands It goeth forth from the utter- and a pure heart; and that hath most part of the heaven, and run-not lift up his mind unto vanity, neth about unto the end of it nor sworn to deceive his neighagain; and there is nothing hid bour. from the heat thereof. He shall receive the blessing The law of the Lord is an un-from the Lord; and righteousness defiled law, converting the soul; from the God of his salvation. the testimony of the Lord is sure, and giveth wisdom unto the simple. The statutes of the Lord are. right, and rejoice the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, and giveth light unto the eyes. The fear of the Lord is clean, and endureth for ever; the judgments of the Lord are true, and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey, and the honey-comb. This is the generation of those who seek him; even of those who seek thy face, O Jacob. Lift up your heads, O ye gates, and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors, and the King of glory shall come in. Who is the King of glory? it is the Lord strong and mighty, even the Lord mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O ye gates, and be ye lift up,ye everlasting doors, and the King of glory shall come in. Who is the King of glory? even the Lord of hosts, he is the King Moreover, by them is thy ser- of glory. vant taught; and in keeping of Psalm 103. Benedic, anima mea. them there is great reward. Who can tell how oft he offend-PRAISE the Lord, O my soul, all that is within me, eth? O cleanse thou me from my praise his holy name. secret faults. Praise the Lord, O my soul; Keep thy servant also from pre- and forget not all his benefits; Who forgiveth all thy sin, and healeth all thine infirmities; Who saveth thy life from destruction, and crowneth thee with mercy and loving kindness; Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things, making thee young and lusty as an eagle. The Lord executeth righteousness and judgment, for all them that are oppressed with wrong. He showed his ways unto Moses, his works unto the children of Israel. O praise the Lord, ye Angels of his, ye that excel in strength; ye that fulfil bis commandment, and hearken unto the voice of his words. O praise the Lord, all ye his hosts; ye servants of his, that do his pleasure. O speak good of the Lord, all ye works of his, in all places of his dominion: Praise thou the Lord, O my soul. SELECTION II, The Lord is full of compassion From Psalm 139. Domine, probasti. and mercy, long-suffering, and of great goodness. He will not alway be chiding; neither keepeth he his anger för LORD, thou hast searched me out, and known me; thou knowest my down-sitting, and mine up-rising; thou understandest my thoughts long before. He hath not dealt with us after Thou art about my path, and our sins; nor rewarded us accord-about my bed, and spiest out all ing to our wickednesses. ever. For look how high the heaven is in comparison of the earth; so great is his mercy also toward those who fear him! Look how wide also the east is from the west; so far hath he set our sins from us! Yea, like as a father pitieth his own children; even so is the Lord merciful unto them that fear him. For he knoweth whereof we are made; he remembereth that we are but dust. The days of man 'are but as grass; for he flourisheth as a flower of the field. For as soon as the wind goeth over it, it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more. But the merciful goodness of the Lord endureth for ever and ever upon those who fear him; and his righteousness upon children's children; Even upon such as keep his covenant, and think upon his commandments to do them. The Lord hath prepared his seat in heaven, and his kingdom ruleth over all. my ways. For lo, there is not a word in my tongue, but thou, O Lord, knowest it altogether. Thou hast fashioned me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful and excellent for me; I cannot attain unto it. Whither shall I go then from thy Spirit? or whither shall I go then from thy presence? If I climb up into heaven, thou art there; if I go down to hell, thou art there also. If I take the wings of the morning, and remain in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there also shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. If I say, Peradventure the darkness shall cover me; then shall my night be turned to day. Yea, the darkness is no darkness with thee, but the night is as clear as the day; the darkness and light to thee are both alike. For my reins are thine; thou hast covered me in my mother's womb. I will give thanks unto thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: Marvellous are thy works, and that my soul knoweth right well. My bones are not hid from thee, though I be made secretly, and fashioned beneath in the earth. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being imperfect; and in thy book were all my mem bers written. Which day by day were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them. How dear are thy counsels unto me, O God; O how great is the sum of them! If I fell them, they are more in number than the sand; when I wake up, I am present with thee. Try me, O God, and seek the ground of my heart; prove me, and examine my thoughts. Look well if there be any way of wickedness in me; and lead me in the way everlasting. 'Psalm 145. Exaltabo te, Deus. WILL magnify thee, O God, my King, and I will praise thy name for ever and ever. Every day will I give thanks unto thee, and praise thy name for ever and ever. The Lord is lovhig unto every man, and his mercy is over all his works. All thy works praise thee, O Lord; and thy saints give thanks unto thee. They show the glory of thy kingdom, and talk of thy power; That thy power, thy glory, and mightiness of thy kingdom, might be known unto men. Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and thy dominion endureth throughout all ages. The Lord upholdeth all such as fall, and lifteth up all those who are down. The eyes of all wait upon thee, O Lord, and thou givest them their meat in due season. Thou openest thine hand, and fillest all things living with plen teousness. The Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works. The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him; yea, all such as call upon him faithfully. He will fulfil the desire of those who fear him; he also will hear their cry, and will help them. The Lord preserveth all those who love him; but scattereth ar broad all the ungodly. My mouth shall speak the Great is the Lord, and marvel-praise of the Lord; and let all lous, worthy to be praised; there flesh give thanks unto his boly is no end of his greatness. name for ever and ever. One generation shall praise thy works unto another, and declare thy power. thy worship, thy glory, thy praise, As for me, I will be talking of and wondrous works; So that men shall speak of the might of thy mervellous acts; and I will also tell of thy greatness. The memorial of thine abundant kindness shall be showed, and men shall sing of thy right cousness. The Lord is gracious and merciful; long-suffering, and of great goodness. SELECTION III. Halter thy great goodness; according to the multitude of thy mercies, do away mine offences, From Psalm 51. Miserere mei Deus. AYE mercy upon me, O God, Wash me thoroughly from my wickedness, and cleanse me from my sin: For I acknowledge my faults, and my sin is ever before me. Against thee only have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight, that thou mightest be justi thou art judged. fied in thy saying, and clear when I pour out my heart by myself for I went with the multitude, Behold, I was shapen in wick- and brought them forth into the edness, and in sin hath my mo-house of God, ther conceived me. In the voice of praise and But lo, thou requirest truth in thanksgiving, among such as the inward parts, and shalt make keep holy-day. me to understand wisdom secretly. Why art thou so full of heaviThou shalt purge me with hys-ness, O my soul? and why art sop, and I shall be clean; thou thou so disquieted within me? shalt wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Thou shalt make me hear of joy and gladness, that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. Turn thy face from my sins, and put out all my misdeeds. Make me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within ine. Cast me not away from thy presence, and take not thy Holy Spirit from me. O give me the comfort of thy help again, and stablish me with thy free Spirit. Then shall I teach thy ways unto the wicked, and sinners shall be converted unto thee. Put thy trust in God; for I will yet give him thanks for the help of his countenance. The Lord hath granted his loving-kindness in the day-time; and in the night-season did I sing of him, and made my prayer unto the God of my life. I will say unto the God of my strength, Why hast thou forgten me? why go I thus heavily, while the enemy oppresseth me? Namely, while they say daily unto me, Where is now thy God? Why art thou so vexed, O my soul? and why art thou so disquieted within me? O put thy trust in God; for I will yet thank him, who is the help Deliver me from blood-guilti-of my countenance and my God. ness, O God, thou that art the God of my health; and my tongue shall sing of thy righteousness. Thou shalt open my lips, Lord, and my mouth shall show thy praise. For thou desirest no sacrifice, else would I giye it thee; but thou delightest not in burnt-offerings. The sacrifice of God is a troubled spirit: a broken and contrite heart, O God, shalt thou not despise. From Psalm 42. Quemadmodum, IKE as the hart desireth the Later books, so length my soul after thee, O God. My soul is athirst for God, yea, even for the living God: When shall I come to appear before the presence of God? My tears have been my meat day and night; while they daily say unto me, Where is now thy God? Now when I think thereupon, SELECTION IV. 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. thou in he shall give thee thy heard, andine. Commit thy way unto the Lord, and put thy trust in him, and he shall bring it to pass. He shall make thy righteous. ness 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 are of a right conversation. 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 ways ac ceptable to himself. Though he fall, he shall not be cast away; for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand. I have been young, and now am old, and yet saw I never the righteous forsaken, nor his, seed begging their bread, 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 ever more. 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 pu nished; 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 judg、 ment. The law of his God is in his heart, and his goings shall not slide. The ungodly seeth 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: sought him, but his place could no where be found. I 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! |