thus musing, the fire kindled; and at the last I spake with my tongue; 5 Lord, let me know my end, and the number of my days, that I may be certified how long I have to live. 6 Behold, thou hast made my days as it were a span long; and mine age is even as nothing in respect of thee; and verily, every man living is altogether vanity. 7 For man walketh in a vain shadow, and disquieteth himself in vain : he heapeth up riches, and cannot tell who shall gather them. 8 And now, Lord, what is my hope? truly my hope is even in thee. 9 Deliver me from all mine offences; and make me not a rebuke unto the foolish. 10 I became dumb, and opened not my mouth; for it was thy doing. 11 Take thy plague away from me: I am even consumed by the means of thy heavy hand. 12 When thou with rebukes dost chasten man for sin, thou makest his beauty to consume away, like as it were a moth fretting a garment: every man therefore is but vanity. 13 Hear my prayer, O Lord, and with thine ears consider my calling: hold not thy peace at my tears; 14 For I am a stranger with thee, and a sojourner, as all my fathers were. 15 O spare me a little, that I may recover my strength, before I go hence, and be no more seen. I PSALM XL. WAITED patiently for the Lord, and he inclined unto me, and heard my calling. 2 He brought me also out of the horrible pit, out of the mire and clay: and set my feet upon the rock, and ordered my goings. R 3 And he hath put a new song in even a thanksgiving unto our God. my mouth, 4 Many shall see it, and fear, and shall put their trust in the Lord. 5 Blessed is the man that hath set his hope in the Lord, and turned not unto the proud, and to such as go about with lies. 6 O Lord my God, great are the wondrous works which thou hast done, like as are also thy thoughts, which are to us-ward; and yet there is no man that ordereth them unto thee. 7 If I should declare them, and speak of them, they would be more than I am able to express. 8 Sacrifice and meat-offering thou wouldst not; but mine ears hast thou opened. 9 Burnt-offerings and sacrifice for sin hast thou not required: then said I, Lo, I come. 10 In the volume of the book it is written of me, that I should fulfil thy will, O my God: I am content to do it; yea, thy law is within my heart. 11 I have declared thy righteousness in the great congregation lo, I will not refrain my lips, O Lord, and that thou knowest. 12 I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart: my talk hath been of thy truth, and of thy salvation. 13 I have not kept back thy loving mercy and truth from the great congregation. 14 Withdraw not thou thy mercy from me, O Lord: let thy loving-kindness and thy truth alway preserve me. 15 For innumerable troubles are come about me, my sins have taken such hold upon me, that I am not able to look up: yea, they are more in number than the hairs of my head, and my heart hath failed me. 16 O Lord, let it be thy pleasure to deliver me: make haste, O Lord, to help me. 17 Let all those that seek thee, be joyful and glad in thee; and let such as love thy salvation, say, alway, The Lord be praised. 18 As for me, I am poor and needy: but the Lord careth for me. 19 Thou art my Helper and Redeemer: make no long tarrying, O my God. EVENING PRAYER. PSALM XLI. LESSED is he that considereth the poor and needy: the Lord shall deliver him in the time of trouble. 2 The Lord will preserve him, and keep him alive, and he shall be blessed upon earth; and thou wilt not deliver him unto the will of his enemies. 3 The Lord will comfort him, when he lieth sick upon his bed: thou wilt make all his bed in his sickness. 4 I said, Lord, be merciful unto me: heal my soul, for I have sinned against thee. 5 By this I know thou favourest me; that mine enemy doth not triumph against me. 6 And when I am in my health, thou upholdest me; and shalt set me before thy face for ever. 7 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, world without end. Amen. PSALM XLII. S the hart panteth after the water-brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. 2 My soul is athirst for God, yea, even for the living God: When shall I come to appear before the presence of God? 3 My tears have been my meat day and night, while they daily say unto me, Where is now thy God? 4 Now when I think thereupon, I pour out my heart by myself: for I went with the multitude, and brought them forth into the house of God, 5 In the voice of praise and thanksgiving, among such as keep holy-day. 6 Why art thou so full of heaviness, O my soul? And why art thou so disquieted within me? 7 Put thy trust in God: for I shall yet give him thanks for the help of his countenance. 8 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. 9 I will say unto the God of my strength, Why hast thou forgotten me? why go I thus heavily, while the enemy oppresseth me? 10 Why art thou so vexed, O my soul? and why art thou so disquieted within me? 11 O put thy trust in God: for I shall yet thank him, who is the help of my countenance, and my God. GT PSALM XLIII. IVE sentence with me, O God, and defend my cause against the ungodly people: O deliver me from the deceitful and wicked man. I so 2 For thou art the God of my strength; why hast thou put me from thee? and why go heavily, while the enemy oppresseth me? 3 O send out thy light and thy truth, that they may lead me; and bring me unto thy holy hill, and to thy dwelling. 4 Then will I go unto the altar of God, even unto God my exceeding joy. 5 Why art thou so heavy, O my soul? and why art thou so disquieted within me? 6 O put thy trust in God: for I shall yet give him thanks, who is the help of my countenance, and my God. WE MORNING PRAYER. PSALM XLIV. E have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us what thou hast done in their time of old ; 2 How thou hast driven out the heathen with thy hand, and planted them in; how thou hast destroyed the nations, and cast them out. 3 For they gat not the land in possession through their own sword; neither was it their own arm that helped them; 4 But thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance: because thou hadst a favour unto them. 5 Thou art my King, O God, send help unto Jacob. 6 Through thee will we overthrow our enemies; and in thy Name will we tread them under that rise up against us. 7 For I will not trust in my bow it is not my sword that shall help me. 8 But it is thou that savest us from our enemies, and puttest them to confusion that hate us. 9 We make our boast of God all day long, and will praise thy Name for ever. M PSALM XLV. Y heart is inditing of a good matter: I speak of the things which I have made touching the King. 2 My tongue is the pen of a ready writer. 3 Thou art fairer than the children of men: full of grace are thy lips, because God hath blessed thee for ever. 4 Gird thee with thy sword upon thy thigh, O thou most Mighty, according to thy glory and re nown. |