!

22 O consider this, ye that forget God: lest I pluck you away, and there be none to deliver you.

23 Whoso offereth me thanks and praise, he honoureth me: and to him that ordereth his conversation right, will I show the salvation of God.

PSALM 51. Miserere mei, Deus.

HAVE mercy upon me, O God, after thy great

goodness: according to the multitude of thy

mercies do away mine offences.

2 Wash me throughly from my wickedness : and cleanse me from my sin.

3 For I acknowledge my faults: and my sin is ever before me.

4 Against thee only have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified in thy saying, and clear when thou art judged.

5 Behold, I was shapen in wickedness : and in sin hath my mother conceived me.

6 But lo, thou requirest truth in the inward parts : and shalt make me to understand wisdom secretly.

7 Thou shalt purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: thou shalt wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

8 Thou shalt make me hear of joy and gladness : that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. 9 Turn thy face from my sins: and put out all my misdeeds.

10 Make me a clean heart, O God: and renew a right spirit within me.

11 Cast me not away from thy presence : and take not thy holy Spirit from me.

12 O give me the comfort of thy help again : and stablish me with thy free Spirit.

13 Then shall I teach thy ways unto the wicked: and sinners shall be converted unto thee.

14 Deliver me from blood-guiltiness, O God, thou that art the God of my health: and my tongue shall sing of thy righteousness.

15 Thou shalt open my lips, O Lord : and my mouth shall show thy praise.

16 For thou desirest no sacrifice, else would I give it thee: but thou delightest not in burntofferings.

17 The sacrifice of God is a troubled spirit : a broken and contrite heart, O God, shalt thou not despise.

18 O be favourable and gracious unto Sion : build thou the walls of Jerusalem.

19 Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifice of righteousness, with the burnt-offerings and oblations: then shall they offer young bullocks upon thine altar.

PSALM 52. Quid gloriaris?

HY boastest thou thyself, thou tyrant : that

WH thou canst do mischief;

2 Whereas the goodness of God: endureth yet daily?

3 Thy tongue imagineth wickedness : and with lies thou cuttest like a sharp razor.

4 Thou hast loved unrighteousness more than goodness: and to talk of lies more than righteousness.

5 Thou hast loved to speak all words that may do hurt: O thou false tongue.

6 Therefore shall God destroy thee for ever: he shall take thee, and pluck thee out of thy dwelling, and root thee out of the land of the living.

7 The righteous also shall see this, and fear : and shall laugh him to scorn:

8 Lo, this is the man that took not God for his strength: but trusted unto the multitude of his riches, and strengthened himself in his wickedness.

*

9 As for me, I am like a green olive-tree in the house of God: my trust is in the tender mercy of God for ever and ever.

10 I will alway give thanks unto thee for that thou hast done : and I will hope in thy Name, for thy saints like it well.

T

Evening Prayer.

PSALM 53. Dixit insipiens.

HE foolish body hath said in his heart : There is no God.

2 Corrupt are they, and become abominable in their wickedness: there is none that doeth good.

3 God looked down from heaven upon the children of men: to see if there were any that would understand, and seek after God.

4 But they are all gone out of the way, they are altogether become abominable: there is also none that doeth good, no not one.

5 Are not they without understanding that work wickedness: eating up my people as if they would eat bread? they have not called upon God.

6 They were afraid where no fear was: for God hath broken the bones of him that besieged thee; thou hast put them to confusion, because God hath despised them.

7 O that the salvation were given unto Israel out of Sion: O that the Lord would deliver his people out of captivity!

8 Then should Jacob rejoice: and Israel should be right glad.

S

PSALM 54. Deus, in Nomine.

AVE me, O God, for thy Name's sake: and avenge me in thy strength.

2 Hear my prayer, O God : and hearken unto the words of my mouth.

3 For strangers are risen up against me : and tyrants, which have not God before their eyes, seek after my soul.

4 Behold, God is my helper: the Lord is with them that uphold my soul.

5 He shall reward evil unto mine enemies : destroy thou them in thy truth.

6 An offering of a free heart will I give thee, and praise thy Name, O LORD : because it is so comfortable.

7 For he hath delivered me out of all my trouble: and mine eye hath seen his desire upon mine

enemies.

H

PSALM 55. Exaudi, Deus.

EAR my prayer, O God : and hide not thyself from my petition.

2 Take heed unto me, and hear me : how I mourn in my prayer, and am vexed;

3 The enemy crieth so, and the ungodly cometh on so fast: for they are minded to do me some mischief, so maliciously are they set against me.

4 My heart is disquieted within me : and the fear of death is fallen upon me.

5 Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me: and an horrible dread hath overwhelmed me.

6 And I said, O that I had wings like a dove: for then would I flee away, and be at rest.

7 Lo, then would I get me away far off: and remain in the wilderness.

8 I would make haste to escape: because of the stormy wind and tempest.

9 Destroy their tongues, O Lord, and divide them: for I have spied unrighteousness and strife in the city.

10 Day and night they go about within the walls thereof: mischief also and sorrow are in the midst of it. 11 Wickedness is therein : deceit and guile go not out of her streets.

12 For it is not an open enemy that hath done me this dishonour : for then I could have borne it;

13 Neither was it mine adversary that did magnify himself against me: for then peradventure I would have hid myself from him;

14 But it was even thou, my companion : my guide, and mine own familiar friend.

15 We took sweet counsel together: and walked in the house of God as friends.

16 Let death come hastily upon them, and let them go down quick into hell: for wickedness is in their dwellings, and among them.

17 As for me, I will call upon God: and the LORD shall save me.

18 In the evening, and morning, and at noon-day will I pray, and that instantly: and he shall hear my voice.

19 It is he that hath delivered my soul in peace from the battle that was against me: for there were many with me.

20 Yea, even God, that endureth for ever, shall hear me, and bring them down: for they will not turn, nor fear God.

21 He laid his hands upon such as be at peace with him: and he brake his covenant.

22 The words of his mouth were softer than butter, having war in his heart: his words were smoother than oil, and yet be they very swords.

23 O cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall nourish thee : and shall not suffer the righteous to fall for ever.

24 And as for them: thou, O God, shalt bring them into the pit of destruction.