Chapter 40

3 There brake he the arrows of the bow: the shield, the sword, and the battle.

4 Thou art of more honour and might: than the hills of the robbers.

5 The proud are robbed, they have slept their sleep: and all the men whose hands were mighty have found nothing.

6 At thy rebuke, O God of Jacob: both the chariot and horse are fallen.

7 Thou, even thou art to be feared: and who may stand in thy sight when thou art angry?

8 Thou didst cause thy judgement to be heard from heaven: the earth trembled, and was still;

9 When God arose to judgement: and to help all the meek upon earth.

10 The fierceness of man shall turn to thy praise: and the fierceness of them shalt thou refrain.

11 Promise unto the Lord your God, and keep it, all ye that are round about him: bring presents unto him that ought to be feared.

12 He shall refrain the spirit of princes: and is wonderful among the kings of the earth.

PSALM 77. _Voce mea ad Dominum_.

I will cry unto God with my voice: even unto God will I cry with my voice, and he shall hearken unto me.

2 In the time of my trouble I sought the Lord: my sore ran and ceased not in the night-season; my soul refused comfort.

3 When I am in heaviness, I will think upon God: when my heart is vexed, I will complain.

4 Thou boldest mine eyes waking: I am so feeble, that I cannot speak.

5 I have considered the days of old: and the years that are past.

6 I call to remembrance my song: and in the night I commune with mine own heart, and search out my spirit.

7 Will the Lord absent himself for ever: and will he be no more intreated?

8 Is his mercy clean gone for ever: and is his promise come utterly to an end for evermore?

9 Hath God forgotten to be gracious: and will he shut up his loving-kindness in displeasure?

10 And I said, It is mine own infirmity: but I will remember the years of the right hand of the most Highest.

11 I will remember the works of the Lord: and call to mind thy wonders of old time.

12 I will think also of all thy works: and my talking shall be of thy doings.

13 Thy way, O God, is holy: who is so great a God as our God?

14 Thou art the God that doeth wonders: and hast declared thy power among the people.

15 Thou hast mightily delivered thy people: even the sons of Jacob and Joseph.

16 The waters saw thee, O God, the waters saw thee, and were afraid: the depths also were troubled.

17 The clouds poured out water, the air thundered: and thine arrows went abroad.

18 The voice of thy thunder was heard round about: the lightnings shone upon the ground; the earth was moved, and shook withal.

19 Thy way is in the sea, and thy paths in the great waters: and thy footsteps are not known.

20 Thou leddest thy people like sheep: by the hand of Moses and Aaron.

DAY 15 EVENING PRAYER

PSALM 78. _Attendite, popule_.

Hear my law, O my people: incline your ears unto the words of my mouth.

2 I will open my mouth in a parable: I will declare hard sentences of old;

3 Which we have heard and known: and such as our fathers have told us;

4 That we should not hide them from the children of the generations to come: but to shew the honour of the Lord, his mighty and wonderful works that he hath done.

5 He made a covenant with Jacob, and gave Israel a law: which he commanded our forefathers to teach their children;

6 That their posterity might know it: and the children which were yet unborn;

7 To the intent that when they came up: they might shew their children the same;

8 That they might put their trust in God: and not to forget the works of God, but to keep his commandments;

9 And not to be as their forefathers, a faithless and stubborn generation: a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit cleaveth not stedfastly unto God;

10 Like as the children of Ephraim: who being harnessed, and carrying bows, turned themselves back in the day of battle.

11 They kept not the covenant of God: and would not walk in his law;

12 But forgat what he had done: and the wonderful works that he had shewed for them.

13 Marvellous things did he in the sight of our forefathers, in the land of Egypt: even in the field of Zoan.

14 He divided the sea, and let them go through: he made the waters to stand on an heap.

15 In the day-time also he led them with a cloud: and all the night through with a light of fire.

16 He clave the hard rocks in the wilderness: and gave them drink thereof, as it had been out of the great depth.

17 He brought waters out of the stony rock: so that it gushed out like the rivers.

18 Yet for all this they sinned more against him: and provoked the most Highest in the wilderness.

19 They tempted God in their hearts: and required meat for their lust.

20 They spake against God also, saying: Shall God prepare a table in the wilderness?

21 He smote the stony rock indeed, that the waters gushed out, and the streams flowed withal: but can he give bread also, or provide flesh for his people?

22 When the Lord heard this, he was wroth: so the fire was kindled in Jacob, and there came up heavy displeasure against Israel;

23 Because they believed not in God: and put not their trust in his help.

24 So he commanded the clouds above: and opened the doors of heaven.

25 He rained down manna also upon them for to eat: and gave them food from heaven.

26 So man did eat angels food: for he sent them meat enough.

27 He caused the east-wind to blow under heaven: and through his power he brought in the south-west-wind.

28 He rained flesh upon them as thick as dust: and feathered fowls like as the sand of the sea.

29 He let it fall among their tents: even round about their habitation.

30 So they did eat and were well filled, for he gave them their own desire: they were not disappointed of their lust.

31 But while the meat was yet in their mouths, the heavy wrath of God came upon them, and slew the wealthiest of them: yea, and smote down the chosen men that were in Israel.

32 But for all this they sinned yet more: and believed not his wondrous works.

33 Therefore their days did he consume in vanity: and their years in trouble.

34 When he slew them, they sought him: and turned them early, and inquired after God.

35 And they remembered that God was their strength: and that the high God was their redeemer.

36 Nevertheless, they did but flatter him with their mouth: and dissembled with him in their tongue.

37 For their heart was not whole with him: neither continued they stedfast in his covenant.

38 But he was so merciful, that he forgave their misdeeds: and destroyed them not.

39 Yea, many a time turned he his wrath away: and would not suffer his whole displeasure to arise.

40 For he considered that they were but flesh: and that they were even a wind that passeth away, and cometh not again.

41 Many a time did they provoke him in the wilderness: and grieved him in the desert.

42 They turned back, and tempted God: and moved the Holy One in Israel.

43 They thought not of his hand: and of the day when he delivered them from the hand of the enemy;

44 How he had wrought his miracles in Egypt: and his wonders in the field of Zoan.

45 He turned their waters into blood: so that they might not drink of the rivers.

46 He sent lice among them, and devoured them up: and frogs to destroy them.

47 He gave their fruit unto the caterpillar: and their labour unto the grasshopper.

48 He destroyed their vines with hail-stones: and their mulberry-trees with the frost.

49 He smote their cattle also with hail-stones: and their flocks with hot thunderbolts.

50 He cast upon them the furiousness of his wrath, anger, displeasure, and trouble: and sent evil angels among them.

51 He made a way to his indignation, and spared not their soul from death: but gave their life over to the pestilence;

52 And smote all the first-born in Egypt: the most principal and mightiest in the dwellings of Ham.

53 But as for his own people, he led them forth like sheep: and carried them in the wilderness like a flock.

54 He brought them out safely, that they should not fear: and overwhelmed their enemies with the sea.

55 And brought them within the borders of his sanctuary: even to his mountain which he purchased with his right hand.

56 He cast out the heathen also before them: caused their land to be divided among them for an heritage, and made the tribes of Israel to dwell in their tents.

57 So they tempted and displeased the most high God: and kept not his testimonies;

58 But turned their backs, and fell away like their forefathers: starting aside like a broken bow.

59 For they grieved him with their hill-altars: and provoked him to displeasure with their images.

60 When God heard this, he was wroth: and took sore displeasure at Israel.

61 So that he forsook the tabernacle in Silo: even the tent that he had pitched among men.

62 He delivered their power into captivity: and their beauty into the enemy's hand.

63 He gave his people over also unto the sword: and was wroth with his inheritance.

64 The fire consumed their young men: and their maidens were not given to marriage.

65 Their priests were slain with the sword: and there were no widows to make lamentation.

66 So the Lord awaked as one out of sleep: and like a giant refreshed with wine.

67 He smote his enemies in the hinder parts: and put them to a perpetual shame.

68 He refused the tabernacle of Joseph: and chose not the tribe of Ephraim;

69 But chose the tribe of Judah: even the hill of Sion which he loved.

70 And there he built his temple on high: and laid the foundation of it like the ground which he hath made continually.

71 He chose David also his servant: and took him away from the sheep-folds.

72 As he was following the ewes great with young ones he took him: that he might feed Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance.

73 So he fed them with a faithful and true heart: and ruled them prudently with all his power.

DAY 16 MORNING PRAYER

PSALM 79. _Deus, venerunt_.

O God, the heathen are come into thine inheritance: thy holy temple have they defiled, and made Jerusalem an heap of stones.

2 The dead bodies of thy servants have they given to be meat unto the fowls of the air: and the flesh of thy saints unto the beasts of the land.

3 Their blood have they shed like water on every side of Jerusalem: and there was no man to bury them.

4 We are become an open shame to our enemies: a very scorn and derision unto them that are round about us.

5 Lord, how long wilt thou be angry: shall thy jealousy burn like fire for ever?

6 Pour out thine indignation upon the heathen that have not known thee: and upon the kingdoms that have not called upon thy Name.

7 For they have devoured Jacob: and laid waste his dwelling-place.

8 O remember not our old sins, but have mercy upon us, and that soon: for we are come to great misery.

9 Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of thy Name: O deliver us, and be merciful unto our sins, for thy Name's sake.

10 Wherefore do the heathen say: Where is now their God?

11 O let the vengeance of thy servants blood that is shed: be openly shewed upon the heathen in our sight.

12 O let the sorrowful sighing of the prisoners come before thee: according to the greatness of thy power, preserve thou those that are appointed to die.

13 And for the blasphemy wherewith our neighbours have blasphemed thee: reward thou them, O Lord, seven-fold into their bosom.

14 So we, that are thy people, and sheep of thy pasture, shall give thee thanks for ever: and will alway be shewing forth thy praise from generation to generation.

PSALM 80. _Qui regis Israel_.

Hear, O thou Shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like a sheep: shew thyself also, thou that sittest upon the cherubims.

2 Before Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasses: stir up thy strength, and come and help us.

3 Turn us again, O God: shew the light of thy countenance, and we shall be whole.

4 O Lord God of hosts: how long wilt thou be angry with thy people that prayeth?

5 Thou feedest them with the bread of tears: and givest them plenteousness of tears to drink.

6 Thou hast made us a very strife unto our neighbours: and our enemies laugh us to scorn.

7 Turn us again, thou God of hosts: shew the light of thy countenance, and we shall be whole.

8 Thou hast brought a vine out of Egypt: thou hast cast out the heathen, and planted it.

9 Thou madest room for it: and when it had taken root it filled the land.

10 The hills were covered with the shadow of it: and the boughs thereof were like the goodly cedar-trees.

11 She stretched out her branches unto the sea: and her boughs unto the river.

12 Why hast thou then broken down her hedge: that all they that go by pluck off her grapes?

13 The wild boar out of the wood doth root it up: and the wild beasts of the field devour it.

14 Turn thee again, thou God of hosts, look down from heaven: behold, and visit this vine;

15 And the place of the vineyard that thy right hand hath planted: and the branch that thou madest so strong for thyself.

16 It is burnt with fire, and cut down: and they shall perish at the rebuke of thy countenance.

17 Let thy hand be upon the man of thy right hand: and upon the son of man, whom thou madest so strong for thine own self.

18 And so will not we go back from thee: O let us live, and we shall call upon thy Name.

19 Turn us again, O Lord God of hosts: shew the light of thy countenance, and we shall be whole.

PSALM 81. _Exultate Deo_.

Sing we merrily unto God our strength: make a cheerful noise unto the God of Jacob.

2 Take the psalm, bring hither the tabret: the merry harp with the lute.

3 Blow up the trumpet in the new-moon: even in the time appointed, and upon our solemn feast-day.

4 For this was made a statute for Israel: and a law of the God of Jacob.

5 This he ordained in Joseph for a testimony: when he came out of the land of Egypt, and had heard a strange language.

6 I eased his shoulder from the burden: and his hands were delivered from making the pots.

7 Thou calledst upon me in troubles, and I delivered thee: and heard thee what time as the storm fell upon thee.

8 I proved thee also: at the waters of strife.

9 Hear, O my people, and I will assure thee, O Israel: if thou wilt hearken unto me,

10 There shall no strange god be in thee: neither shalt thou worship any other god.

11 I am the Lord thy God, who brought thee out of the land of Egypt: open thy mouth wide, and I shall fill it.

12 But my people would not hear my voice: and Israel would not obey me.

13 So I gave them up unto their own hearts* lusts: and let them follow their own imaginations.

14 O that my people would have hearkened unto me: for if Israel had walked in my ways,

15 I should soon have put down their enemies: and turned my hand against their adversaries.

16 The haters of the Lord should have been found liars: but their time should have endured for ever.

17 He should have fed them also with the finest wheat-flour: and with honey out of the stony rock should I have satisfied thee.

DAY 16 EVENING PRAYER

PSALM 82. _Deus stetit_.

God standeth in the congregation of princes: he is a Judge among gods.

2 How long will ye give wrong judgement: and accept the persons of the ungodly?

3 Defend the poor and fatherless: see that such as are in need and necessity have right.

4 Deliver the outcast and poor: save them from the hand of the ungodly.

5 They will not be learned nor understand, but walk on still in darkness: all the foundations of the earth are out of course.

6 I have said, Ye are gods: and ye are all the children of the most Highest.

7 But ye shall die like men: and fall like one of the princes.

8 Arise, O God, and judge thou the earth: for thou shalt take all heathen to thine inheritance.

PSALM 83. _Deus, quis similis?_

Hold not thy tongue, O God, keep not still silence: refrain not thyself, O God.

2 For lo, thine enemies make a murmuring: and they that hate thee have lift up their head.

3 They have imagined craftily against thy people's and taken counsel against thy secret ones.

4 They have said, Come, and let us root them out, that they be no more a people: and that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance.

5 For they have cast their heads together with one consent: and are confederate against thee;

6 The tabernacles of the Edomites, and the Ismaelites: the Moabites and Hagarenes;

7 Gebal, and Ammon, and Amalek: the Philistines, with them that dwell at Tyre.

8 Assur also is joined with them: and have holpen the children of Lot.

9 But do thou to them as unto the Madianites: unto Sisera, and unto Jabin at the brook of Kison;

10 Who perished at Endor: and became as the dung of the earth.

11 Make them and their princes like Oreb and Zeb: yea, make all their princes like as Zeba and Salmana;

12 Who say, Let us take to ourselves: the houses of God in possession.

13 O my God, make them like unto a wheel: and as the stubble before the wind;

14 Like as the fire that burneth up the wood: and as the flame that consumeth the mountains.

15 Persecute them even so with thy tempest: and make them afraid with thy storm.

16 Make their faces ashamed, O Lord: that they may seek thy Name.

17 Let them be confounded and vexed ever more and more: let them be put to shame, and perish.

18 And they shall know that thou, whose Name is Jehovah: art only the most Highest over all the earth.

PSALM 84. _Quam dilecta!_

O how amiable are thy dwellings: thou Lord of hosts!

2 My soul hath a desire and longing to enter into the courts of the Lord: my heart and my flesh rejoice in the living God.

3 Yea, the sparrow hath found her an house, and the swallow a nest where she may lay her young: even thy altars, O Lord of hosts, my Bang and my God.

4 Blessed are they that dwell in thy house: they will be alway praising thee.

5 Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee: in whose heart are thy ways.

6 Who going through the vale of misery use it for a well: and the pools are filled with water.

7 They will go from strength to strength: and unto the God of gods appeareth every one of them in Sion.

8 O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer: hearken, O God of Jacob.

9 Behold, O God our defender: and look upon the face of thine Anointed.

10 For one day in thy courts: is better than a thousand.

11 I had rather be a door-keeper in the house of my God: than to dwell in the tents of ungodliness.

12 For the Lord God is a light and defence: the Lord will give grace and worship, and no good thing shall he withhold from them that live a godly life.

13 O Lord God of hosts: blessed is the man that putteth his trust in thee.

PSALM 85. _Benedixisti, Domine_.

Lord, thou art become gracious unto thy land: thou hast turned away the captivity of Jacob.

2 Thou hast forgiven the offence of thy people: and covered all their sins.

3 Thou hast taken away all thy displeasure: and turned thyself from thy wrathful indignation.

4 Turn us then, O God our Saviour: and let thine anger cease from us.

5 Wilt thou be displeased at us for ever: and wilt thou stretch out thy wrath from one generation to another?

6 Wilt thou not turn again, and quicken us: that thy people may rejoice in thee?

7 Shew us thy mercy, O Lord: and grant us thy salvation.

8 I will hearken what the Lord God will say concerning me: for he shall speak peace unto his people, and to his saints, that they turn not again.

9 For his salvation is nigh them that fear him: that glory may dwell in our land.

10 Mercy and truth are met together: righteousness and peace have kissed each other.

11 Truth shall flourish out of the earth: and righteousness hath looked down from heaven.

12 Yea, the Lord shall shew loving-kindness: and our land shall give her increase.

13 Righteousness shall go before him: and he shall direct his going in the way.

DAY 17 MORNING PRAYER

PSALM 86. _Inclina, Domine_.

Bow down thine ear, O Lord, and hear me: for I am poor, and in misery.

2 Preserve thou my soul, for I am holy: my God, save thy servant that putteth his trust in thee.

3 Be merciful unto me, O Lord: for I will call daily upon thee.

4 Comfort the soul of thy servant: for unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.

5 For thou, Lord, art good and gracious: and of great mercy unto all them that call upon thee.

6 Give ear, Lord, unto my prayer: and ponder the voice of my humble desires.

7 In the time of my trouble I will call upon thee: for thou hearest me.

8 Among the gods there is none like unto thee, O Lord: there is not one that can do as thou doest.

9 All nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship thee, O Lord: and shall glorify thy Name.

10 For thou art great, and doest wondrous things: thou art God alone.

11 Teach me thy way, O Lord, and I will walk in thy truth: O knit my heart unto thee, that I may fear thy Name.

12 I will thank thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: and will praise thy Name for evermore.

13 For great is thy mercy toward me: and thou hast delivered my soul from the nethermost hell.

14 O God, the proud are risen against me: and the congregations of naughty men have sought after my soul, and have not set thee before their eyes.

15 But thou, O Lord God, art full of compassion and mercy: long-suffering, plenteous in goodness and truth.

16 O turn thee then unto me, and have mercy upon me: give thy strength unto thy servant, and help the son of thine handmaid.

17 Shew some token upon me for good, that they who hate me may see it and be ashamed: because thou, Lord, hast holpen me and comforted me.

PSALM 87. _Fundamenta ejus_.

Her foundations are upon the holy hills: the Lord loveth the gates of Sion more than all the dwellings of Jacob.

2 Very excellent things are spoken of thee: thou city of God.

3 I will think upon Rahab and Babylon: with them that know me.

4 Behold ye the Philistines also: and they of Tyre, with the Morians; lo, there was he born.

5 And of Sion it shall be reported that he was born in her: and the most High shall stablish her.

6 The Lord shall rehearse it when he writeth up the people: that he was born there.

7 The singers also and trumpeters shall he rehearse: All my fresh springs shall be in thee.

PSALM 88. _Domine Deus_.

O Lord God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before thee: O let my prayer enter into thy presence, incline thine ear unto my calling.

2 For my soul is full of trouble: and my life draweth nigh unto hell.

3 I am counted as one of them that go down into the pit: and I have been even as a man that hath no strength.

4 Free among the dead, like unto them that are wounded, and lie in the grave: who are out of remembrance, and are cut away from thy hand.

5 Thou hast laid me in the lowest pit: in a place of darkness, and in the deep.

6 Thine indignation lieth hard upon me: and thou hast vexed me with all thy storms.

7 Thou hast put away mine acquaintance far from me: and made me to be abhorred of them.

8 I am so fast in prison: that I cannot get forth.

9 My sight faileth for very trouble: Lord, I have called daily upon thee, I have stretched forth my hands unto thee.

10 Dost thou shew wonders among the dead: or shall the dead rise up again, and praise thee?

11 Shall thy loving-kindness be shewed in the grave: or thy faithfulness in destruction?

12 Shall thy wondrous works be known in the dark: and thy righteousness in the land where all things are forgotten?

13 Unto thee have I cried, O Lord: and early shall my prayer come before thee.

14 Lord, why abhorrest thou my soul: and hidest thou thy face from me?

15 I am in misery, and like unto him that is at the point to die: even from my youth up thy terrors have I suffered with a troubled mind.

16 Thy wrathful displeasure goeth over me: and the fear of thee hath undone me.

17 They came round about me daily like water: and compassed me together on every side.

18 My lovers and friends hast thou put away from me: and hid mine acquaintance out of my sight.

DAY 17 EVENING PRAYER