Chapter 39

6 They imagine wickedness, and practise it: that they keep secret among themselves, every man in the deep of his heart.

7 But God shall suddenly shoot at them with a swift arrow: that they shall be wounded.

8 Yea, their own tongues shall make them fall: insomuch that whoso seeth them shall laugh them to scorn.

9 And all men that see it shall say, This hath God done: for they shall perceive that it is his work.

10 The righteous shall rejoice in the Lord, and put his trust in him: and all they that are true of heart shall be glad.

DAY 12 EVENING PRAYER

PSALM 65. _Te decet hymnus_.

Thou, O God, art praised in Sion: and unto thee shall the vow be performed in Jerusalem.

2 Thou that hearest the prayer: unto thee shall all flesh come.

3 My misdeeds prevail against me: O be thou merciful unto our sins.

4 Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and receivest unto thee: he shall dwell in thy court, and shall be satisfied with the pleasures of thy house, even of thy holy temple.

5 Thou shalt shew us wonderful things in thy righteousness, O God of our salvation: thou that art the hope of all the ends of the earth, and of them that remain in the broad sea.

6 Who in his strength setteth fast the mountains: and is girded about with power.

7 Who stilleth the raging of the sea: and the noise of his waves, and the madness of the people.

8 They also that dwell in the uttermost parts of the earth shall be afraid at thy tokens: thou that makest the outgoings of the morning and evening to praise thee.

9 Thou visitest the earth, and blessest it: thou makest it very plenteous.

10 The river of God is full of water: thou preparest their corn, for so thou providest for the earth.

11 Thou waterest her furrows, thou sendest rain into the little valleys thereof: thou makest it soft with the drops of rain, and blessest the increase of it.

12 Thou crownest the year with thy goodness: and thy clouds drop fatness.

13 They shall drop upon the dwellings of the wilderness: and the little hills shall rejoice on every side.

14 The folds shall be full of sheep: the valleys also shall stand so thick with corn, that they shall laugh and sing.

PSALM 66. _Jubilate Deo_.

O be joyful in God, all ye lands: sing praises unto the honour of his Name, make his praise to be glorious.

2 Say unto God, O how wonderful art thou in thy works: through the greatness of thy power shall thine enemies be found liars unto thee.

3 For all the world shall worship thee: sing of thee, and praise thy Name.

4 O come hither, and behold the works of God: how wonderful he is in his doing toward the children of men.

5 He turned the sea into dry land: so that they went through the water on foot; there did we rejoice thereof.

6 He ruleth with his power for ever; his eyes behold the people: and such as will not believe shall not be able to exalt themselves.

7 O praise our God, ye people: and make the voice of his praise to be heard;

8 Who holdeth our soul in life: and suffereth not our feet to slip.

9 For thou, O God, hast proved us: thou also hast tried us, like as silver is tried.

10 Thou broughtest us into the snare: and laidest trouble upon our loins.

11 Thou sufferedst men to ride over our heads: we went through fire and water, and thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place.

12 I will go into thine house with burnt-offerings: and will pay thee my vows, which I promised with my lips, and spake with my mouth, when I was in trouble.

13 I will offer unto thee fat burnt-sacrifices, with the incense of rams: I will offer bullocks and goats.

14 O come hither, and hearken, all ye that fear God: and I will tell you what he hath done for my soul.

151 called unto him with my mouth: and gave him praises with my tongue.

16 If I incline unto wickedness with mine heart: the Lord will not hear me.

17 But God hath heard me: and considered the voice of my prayer.

18 Praised be God, who hath not cast out my prayer: nor turned his mercy from me.

PSALM 67. _Deus misereatur_.

God be merciful unto us, and bless us: and shew us the light of his countenance, and be merciful unto us:

2 That thy way may be known upon earth: thy saving health among all nations.

3 Let the people praise thee, O God: yea, let all the people praise thee.

4 O let the nations rejoice and be glad: for thou shalt judge the folk righteously, and govern the nations upon earth.

5 Let the people praise thee, O God: let all the people praise thee.

6 Then shall the earth bring forth her increase: and God, even our own God, shall give us his blessing.

7 God shall bless us: and all the ends of the world shall fear him.

DAY 13 MORNING PRAYER

PSALM 68. _Exsurgat Deus_.

Let God arise, and let his enemies be scattered: let them also that hate him flee before him.

2 Like as the smoke vanisheth, so shalt thou drive them away: and like as wax melteth at the fire, so let the ungodly perish at the presence of God.

3 But let the righteous be glad and rejoice before God: let them also be merry and joyful.

4 O sing unto God, and sing praises unto his Name: magnify him that rideth upon the heavens, as it were upon an horse; praise him in his Name JAH, and rejoice before him.

5 He is a father of the fatherless, and defendeth the cause of the widows: even God in his holy habitation.

6 He is the God that maketh men to be of one mind in an house, and bringeth the prisoners out of captivity: but letteth the runagates continue in scarceness.

7 O God, when thou wentest forth before the people: when thou wentest through the wilderness;

8 The earth shook, and the heavens dropped at the presence of God: even as Sinai also was moved at the presence of God, who is the God of Israel.

9 Thou, O God, sentest a gracious rain upon thine inheritance: and refreshedst it when it was weary.

10 Thy congregation shall dwell therein: for thou, O God, hast of thy goodness prepared for the poor.

11 The Lord gave the word: great was the company of the preachers.

12 Kings with their armies did flee, and were discomfited: and they of the household divided the spoil.

13 Though ye have lien among the pots, yet shall ye be as the wings of a dove: that is covered with silver wings, and her feathers like gold.

14 When the Almighty scattered kings for their sake: then were they as white as snow in Salmon.

15 As the hill of Basan, so is God's hill: even an high hill, as the hill of Basan.

16 Why hop ye so, ye high hills? this is God's hill, in the which it pleaseth him to dwell: yea, the Lord will abide in it for ever.

17 The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of angels: and the Lord is among them, as in the holy place of Sinai.

18 Thou art gone up on high, thou hast led captivity captive, and received gifts for men: yea, even for thine enemies, that the Lord God might dwell among them.

19 Praised be the Lord daily: even the God who helpeth us, and poureth his benefits upon us.

20 He is our God, even the God of whom cometh salvation: God is the Lord, by whom we escape death.

21 God shall wound the head of his enemies: and the hairy scalp of such a one as goeth on still in his wickedness.

22 The Lord hath said, I will bring my people again, as I did from Basan: mine own will I bring again, as I did sometime from the deep of the sea.

23 That thy foot may be dipped in the blood of thine enemies: and that the tongue of thy dogs may be red through the same.

24 It is well seen, O God, how thou goest: how thou, my God and King, goest in the sanctuary.

25 The singers go before, the minstrels follow after: in the midst are the damsels playing with the timbrels.

26 Give thanks, O Israel, unto God the Lord in the congregations: from the ground of the heart.

27 There is little Benjamin their ruler, and the princes of Judah their counsel: the princes of Zabulon, and the princes of Nephthali.

28 Thy God hath sent forth strength for thee: stablish the thing, O God, that thou hast wrought in us,

29 For thy temple's sake at Jerusalem: so shall kings bring presents unto thee.

30 When the company of the spear-men and multitude of the mighty are scattered abroad among the beasts of the people, so that they humbly bring pieces of silver: and when he hath scattered the people that delight in war;

31 Then shall the princes come out of Egypt: the Morians land shall soon stretch out her hands unto God.

32 Sing unto God, O ye kingdoms of the earth: O sing praises unto the Lord;

33 Who sitteth in the heavens over all from the beginning: lo, he doth send out his voice, yea, and that a mighty voice.

34 Ascribe ye the power to God over Israel: his worship and strength is in the clouds.

35 O God, wonderful art thou in thy holy places: even the God of Israel, he will give strength and power unto his people; blessed be God.

DAY 13 EVENING PRAYER

PSALM 69. _Salvum me fac_.

Save me, O God: for the waters are come in, even unto my soul.

2 I stick fast in the deep mire, where no ground is: I am come into deep waters, so that the floods run over me.

3 I am weary of crying; my throat is dry: my sight faileth me for waiting so long upon my God.

4 They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of my head: they that are mine enemies, and would destroy me guiltless, are mighty.

5 I paid them the things that I never took: God, thou knowest my simpleness, and my faults are not hid from thee.

6 Let not them that trust in thee, O Lord God of hosts, be ashamed for my cause: let not those that seek thee be confounded through me, O Lord God of Israel.

7 And why? for thy sake have I suffered reproof: shame hath covered my face.

8 I am become a stranger unto my brethren: even an alien unto my mother's children.

9 For the zeal of thine house hath even eaten me: and the rebukes of them that rebuked thee are fallen upon me.

10 I wept, and chastened myself with fasting: and that was turned to my reproof.

11 I put on sackcloth also: and they jested upon me.

12 They that sit in the gate speak against me: and the drunkards make songs upon me.

13 But, Lord, I make my prayer unto thee: in an acceptable time.

14 Hear me, O God, in the multitude of thy mercy: even in the truth of thy salvation.

15 Take me out of the mire, that I sink not: O let me be delivered from them that hate me, and out of the deep waters.

16 Let not the water-flood drown me, neither let the deep swallow me up: and let not the pit shut her mouth upon me.

17 Hear me, O Lord, for thy loving-kindness is comfortable: turn thee unto me according to the multitude of thy mercies.

18 And hide not thy face from thy servant, for I am in trouble: O haste thee, and hear me.

19 Draw nigh unto my soul, and save it: O deliver me, because of mine enemies.

20 Thou hast known my reproof, my shame, and my dishonour: mine adversaries are all in thy sight.

21 Thy rebuke hath broken my heart; I am full of heaviness: I looked for some to have pity on me, but there was no man, neither found I any to comfort me.

22 They gave me gall to eat: and when I was thirsty they gave me vinegar to drink.

23 Let their table be made a snare to take themselves withal: and let the things that should have been for their wealth be unto them an occasion of falling.

24 Let their eyes be blinded, that they see not: and ever bow thou down their backs.

25 Pour out thine indignation upon them: and let thy wrathful displeasure take hold of them.

26 Let their habitation be void: and no man to dwell in their tents.

27 For they persecute him whom thou hast smitten: and they talk how they may vex them whom thou hast wounded.

28 Let them fall from one wickedness to another: and riot come into thy righteousness.

29 Let them be wiped out of the book of the living: and not be written among the righteous.

30 As for me, when I am poor and in heaviness: thy help, O God, shall lift me up.

31 I will praise the Name of God with a song: and magnify it with thanksgiving.

32 This also shall please the Lord: better than a bullock that hath horns and hoofs.

33 The humble shall consider this, and be glad: seek ye after God, and your soul shall live.

34 For the Lord heareth the poor: and despiseth not his prisoners.

35 Let heaven and earth praise him: the sea, and all that moveth therein.

36 For God will save Sion, and build the cities of Judah: that men may dwell there, and have it in possession.

37 The posterity also of his servants shall inherit it: and they that love his Name shall dwell therein.

PSALM 70. _Deus, in adjutorium_.

Haste thee, O God, to deliver me: make haste to help me, O Lord.

2 Let them be ashamed and confounded that seek after my soul: let them be turned back ward and put to confusion that wish me evil.

3 Let them for their reward be soon brought to shame: that cry over me, There, there.

4 But let all those that seek thee be joyful and glad in thee: and let all such as delight in thy salvation say alway, The Lord be praised.

5 As for me, I am poor and in misery: haste thee unto me, O God.

6 Thou art my helper and my redeemer: O Lord, make no long tarrying.

DAY 14 MORNING PRAYER

PSALM 71. _In te, Domine, speravi_.

In thee, O Lord, have I put my trust, let me never be put to confusion: but rid me and deliver me in thy righteousness, incline thine ear unto me, and save me.

2 Be thou my strong hold, whereunto I may alway resort: thou hast promised to help me, for thou art my house of defence and my castle.

3 Deliver me, O my God, out of the hand of the ungodly: out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man.

4 For thou, O Lord God, art the thing that I long for: thou art my hope, even from my youth.

5 Through thee have I been holden up ever since I was born: thou art he that took me out of my mother's womb; my praise shall be always of thee.

6 I am become as it were a monster unto many: but my sure trust is in thee.

7 O let my mouth be filled with thy praise: that I may sing of thy glory and honour all the day long.

8 Cast me not away in the time of age: forsake me not when my strength faileth me.

9 For mine enemies speak against me, and they that lay wait for my soul take their counsel together, saying: God hath forsaken him; persecute him, and take him, for there is none to deliver him.

10 Go not far from me, O God: my God, haste thee to help me.

11 Let them be confounded and perish that are against my soul: let them be covered with shame and dishonour that seek to do me evil.

12 As for me, I will patiently abide alway: and will praise thee more and more.

13 My mouth shall daily speak of thy righteousness and salvation: for I know no end thereof.

14 I will go forth in the strength of the Lord God: and will make mention of thy righteousness only.

15 Thou, O God, hast taught me from my youth up until now: therefore will I tell of thy wondrous works.

16 Forsake me not, O God, in mine old age, when I am gray-headed: until I have shewed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to all them that are yet for to come.

17 Thy righteousness, O God, is very high: and great things are they that thou hast done; O God, who is like unto thee?

18 O what great troubles and adversities hast thou shewed me, and yet didst thou turn and refresh me: yea, and broughtest me from the deep of the earth again.

19 Thou hast brought me to great honour: and comforted me on every side.

20 Therefore will I praise thee and thy faithfulness, O God, playing upon an instrument of music: unto thee will I sing upon the harp, O thou Holy One of Israel.

21 My lips will be fain when I sing unto thee: and so will my soul whom thou hast delivered.

22 My tongue also shall talk of thy righteousness all the day long: for they are confounded and brought unto shame that seek to do me evil.

PSALM 72. _Deus, judicium_.

Give the King thy judgements, O God: and thy righteousness unto the King's son.

2 Then shall he judge thy people according unto right: and defend the poor.

3 The mountains also shall bring peace: and the little hills righteousness unto the people.

4 He shall keep the simple folk by their right; defend the children of the poor, and punish the wrong-doer.

5 They shall fear thee, as long as the sun and moon endureth: from one generation to another.

6 He shall come down like the rain into a fleece of wool: even as the drops that water the earth.

7 In his time shall the righteous flourish: yea, and abundance of peace, so long as the moon endureth.

8 His dominion shall be also from the one sea to the other: and from the flood unto the world's end.

9 They that dwell in the wilderness shall kneel before him: his enemies shall lick the dust.

10 The kings of Tharsis and of the isles shall give presents: the kings of Arabia and Saba shall bring gifts.

11 All kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall do him service.

12 For he shall deliver the poor when he crieth: the needy also, and him that hath no helper.

13 He shall be favourable to the simple and needy: and shall preserve the souls of the poor.

14 He shall deliver their souls from falsehood and wrong: and dear shall their blood be in his sight.

15 He shall live, and unto him shall be given of the gold of Arabia: prayer shall be made ever unto him, and daily shall he be praised.

16 There shall be an heap of corn in the earth, high upon the hills: his fruit shall shake like Libanus, and shall be green in the city like grass upon the earth.

17 His Name shall endure for ever, his Name shall remain under the sun among the posterities: which shall be blessed through him, and all the heathen shall praise him.

18 Blessed be the Lord God, even the God of Israel: which only doeth wondrous things;

19 And blessed be the Name of his majesty for ever: and all the earth shall be filled with his majesty. Amen, Amen.

DAY 14 EVENING PRAYER

PSALM 73. _Quam bonus Israel!_

Truly God is loving unto Israel: even unto such as are of a clean heart.

2 Nevertheless, my feet were almost gone: my treadings had well-nigh slipt.

3 And why? I was grieved at the wicked: I do also see the ungodly in such prosperity.

4 For they are in no peril of death: but are lusty and strong.

5 They come in no misfortune like other folk: neither are they plagued like other men.

6 And this is the cause that they are so holden with pride: and overwhelmed with cruelty.

7 Their eyes swell with fatness: and they do even what they lust.

8 They corrupt other, and speak of wicked blasphemy: their talking is against the most High.

9 For they stretch forth their mouth unto the heaven: and their tongue goeth through the world.

10 Therefore fall the people unto them: and thereout suck they no small advantage.

11 Tush, say they, how should God perceive it: is there knowledge in the most High?

12 Lo, these are the ungodly, these prosper in the world, and these have riches in possession: and I said, Then have I cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency.

13 All the day long have I been punished: and chastened every morning.

14 Yea, and I had almost said even as they: but lo, then I should have condemned the gene ration of thy children.

15 Then thought I to understand this: but it was too hard for me,

16 Until I went into the sanctuary of God: then understood I the end of these men;

17 Namely, how thou dost set them in slippery places: and castest them down, and destroyest them.

18 O how suddenly do they consume: perish, and come to a fearful end!

19 Yea, even like as a dream when one awaketh: so shalt thou make their image to vanish out of the city.

20 Thus my heart was grieved: and it went even through my reins.

21 So foolish was I, and ignorant: even as it were a beast before thee.

22 Nevertheless, I am alway by thee: for thou hast holden me by my right hand.

23 Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel: and after that receive me with glory.

24 Whom have I in heaven but thee: and there is none upon earth that I desire in comparison of thee.

25 My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.

26 For lo, they that forsake thee shall perish: thou hast destroyed all them that commit fornication against thee.

27 But it is good for me to hold me fast by God, to put my trust in the Lord God: and to speak of all thy works in the gates of the daughter of Sion.

PSALM 74. _Ut quid, Deus?_

O God, wherefore art thou absent from us so long: why is thy wrath so hot against the sheep of thy pasture?

2 O think upon thy congregation: whom thou hast purchased and redeemed of old.

3 Think upon the tribe of thine inheritance: and Mount Sion, wherein thou hast dwelt.

4 Lift up thy feet, that thou mayest utterly destroy every enemy: which hath done evil in thy sanctuary.

5 Thine adversaries roar in the midst of thy congregations: and set up their banners for tokens.

6 He that hewed timber afore out of the thick trees: was known to bring it to an excellent work.

7 But now they break down all the carved work thereof: with axes and hammers.

8 They have set fire upon thy holy places: and have defiled the dwelling-place of thy Name, even unto the ground.

9 Yea, they said in their hearts, Let us make havock of them altogether: thus have they burnt up all the houses of God in the land.

10 We see not our tokens, there is not one prophet more: no, not one is there among us, that understandeth any more.

11 O God, how long shall the adversary do this dishonour: how long shall the enemy blaspheme thy Name, for ever?

12 Why withdrawest thou thy hand: why pluckest thou not thy right hand out of thy bosom to consume the enemy?

13 For God is my King of old: the help that is done upon earth he doeth it himself.

14 Thou didst divide the sea through thy power: thou brakest the heads of the dragons in the waters.

15 Thou smotest the heads of leviathan in pieces: and gavest him to be meat for the people in the wilderness.

16 Thou broughtest out fountains and waters out of the hard rocks: thou driedst up mighty waters.

17 The day is thine, and the night is thine: thou hast prepared the light and the sun.

18 Thou hast set all the borders of the earth: thou hast made summer and winter.

19 Remember this, O Lord, how the enemy hath rebuked: and how the foolish people hath blasphemed thy Name.

20 O deliver not the soul of thy turtle-dove unto the multitude of the enemies: and forget not the congregation of the poor for ever,

21 Look upon the covenant: for all the earth is full of darkness and cruel habitations.

22 O let not the simple go away ashamed: but let the poor and needy give praise unto thy Name.

23 Arise, O God, maintain thine own cause: remember how the foolish man blasphemeth thee daily.

24 Forget not the voice of thine enemies: the presumption of them that hate thee increaseth ever more and more.

DAY 15 MORNING PRAYER

PSALM 75. _Confitebimur tibi_.

Unto thee, O God, do we give thanks: yea, unto thee do we give thanks.

2 Thy Name also is so nigh: and that do thy wondrous works declare.

3 When I receive the congregation: I shall judge according unto right.

4 The earth is weak, and all the inhabiters thereof: I bear up the pillars of it.

5 I said unto the fools, Deal not so madly: and to the ungodly, Set not up your horn.

6 Set not up your horn on high: and speak not with a stiff neck.

7 For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west: nor yet from the south.

8 And why? God is the Judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another.

9 For in the hand of the Lord there is a cup, and the wine is red: it is full mixed, and he poureth out of the same.

10 As for the dregs thereof: all the ungodly of the earth shall drink them, and suck them out

11 But I will talk of the God of Jacob: and praise him for ever.

12 All the horns of the ungodly also will I break: and the horns of the righteous shall be exalted.

PSALM 76. _Notus in Judaea_.

In Jewry is God known: his Name is great in Israel.

2 At Salem is his tabernacle: and his dwelling in Sion.