Morning Prayer
Psalm 26. Judica me, Domine.
1 BE thou my Judge, O LORD, for I have walked innocently: * my trust hath been also in the LORD, therefore shall I not fall.
2 Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; * try out my reins and my heart.
3 For thy loving-kindness is ever before mine eyes; * and I will walk in thy truth.
4 I have not dwelt with vain persons; * neither will I have fellowship with the deceitful.
5 I have hated the congregation of the wicked; * and will not sit among the ungodly.
6 I will wash my hands in innocency, O LORD; * and so will I go to thine altar;
7 That I may show the voice of thanksgiving, * and tell of all thy wondrous works.
8 LORD, I have loved the habitation of thy house, * and the place where thine honour dwelleth.
9 O shut not up my soul with the sinners, * nor my life with the blood-thirsty;
10 In whose hands is wickedness, * and their right hand is full of gifts.
11 But as for me, I will walk innocently: * O deliver me, and be merciful unto me.
12 My foot standeth right: * I will praise the LORD in the congregations.
First Lesson:
Ruth 4:9-17
9)And Boaz said unto the elders, and unto all the people, Ye are witnesses this day, that I have bought all that was Elimelech’s, and all that was Chilion’s and Mahlon’s, of the hand of Naomi. 10)Moreover Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, have I purchased to be my wife, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance, that the name of the dead be not cut off from among his brethren, and from the gate of his place: ye are witnesses this day. 11)And all the people that were in the gate, and the elders, said, We are witnesses. The LORD make the woman that is come into thine house like Rachel and like Leah, which two did build the house of Israel: and do thou worthily in Ephratah, and be famous in Bethlehem: 12)And let thy house be like the house of Pharez, whom Tamar bare unto Judah, of the seed which the LORD shall give thee of this young woman. 13)So Boaz took Ruth, and she was his wife: and when he went in unto her, the LORD gave her conception, and she bare a son. 14)And the women said unto Naomi, Blessed be the LORD, which hath not left thee this day without a kinsman, that his name may be famous in Israel. 15)And he shall be unto thee a restorer of thy life, and a nourisher of thine old age: for thy daughter in law, which loveth thee, which is better to thee than seven sons, hath born him. 16)And Naomi took the child, and laid it in her bosom, and became nurse unto it. 17)And the women her neighbours gave it a name, saying, There is a son born to Naomi; and they called his name Obed: he is the father of Jesse, the father of David.
Second Lesson:
Luke 11:14-28
14)And he was casting out a devil, and it was dumb. And it came to pass, when the devil was gone out, the dumb spake; and the people wondered. 15)But some of them said, He casteth out devils through Beelzebub the chief of the devils. 16)And others, tempting him, sought of him a sign from heaven. 17)But he, knowing their thoughts, said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and a house divided against a house falleth. 18)If Satan also be divided against himself, how shall his kingdom stand? because ye say that I cast out devils through Beelzebub. 19)And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your sons cast them out? therefore shall they be your judges. 20)But if I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you. 21)When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace: 22)But when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils. 23)He that is not with me is against me: and he that gathereth not with me scattereth. 24)When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he saith, I will return unto my house whence I came out. 25)And when he cometh, he findeth it swept and garnished. 26)Then goeth he, and taketh to him seven other spirits more wicked than himself; and they enter in, and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. 27)And it came to pass, as he spake these things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said unto him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked. 28)But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.
Evening Prayer
Psalm 32. Beati quorum.
1 BLESSED is he whose unrighteousness is forgiven, * and whose sin is covered.
2 Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth no sin, * and in whose spirit there is no guile.
3 For whilst I held my tongue, * my bones consumed away through my daily complaining.
4 For thy hand was heavy upon me day and night, * and my moisture was like the drought in summer.
5 I acknowledged my sin unto thee; * and mine unrighteousness have I not hid.
6 I said, I will confess my sins unto the LORD; * and SO thou forgavest the wickedness of my sin.
7 For this shall every one that is godly make his prayer unto thee, in a time when thou mayest be found; * surely the great water-floods shall not come nigh him.
8 Thou art a place to hide me in; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; * thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance.
9 I will inform thee, and teach thee in the way wherein thou shalt go; * and I will guide thee with mine eye.
10 Be ye not like to horse and mule, which have no understanding; * whose mouths must be held with bit and bridle, else they will not obey thee.
11 Great plagues remain for the ungodly; * but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD, mercy embraceth him on every side.
12 Be glad, O ye righteous, and rejoice in the LORD; * and be joyful, all ye that are true of heart.
Psalm 36. Dixit injustus, 5-12
5 Thy mercy, O LORD, reacheth unto the’ heavens, * and thy faithfulness unto the clouds.
6 Thy righteousness standeth like the strong mountains: * thy judgments are like the great deep.
7 Thou, LORD, shalt save both man and beast: how excellent is thy mercy, O God! * and the children of men shall put their trust under the shadow of thy wings.
8 They shall be satisfied with the plenteousness of thy house; * and thou shalt give them drink of thy pleasures, as out of the river.
9 For with thee is the well of life; * and in thy light shall we see light.
10 O continue forth thy loving-kindness unto them that know thee, * and thy righteousness unto them that are true of heart.
11 O let not the foot of pride come against me; * and let not the hand of the ungodly cast me down.
12 There are they fallen, all that work wickedness; * they are cast down, and shall not be able to stand.
First Lesson:
Dan. 1:1-7,17-21
1)In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah came Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon unto Jerusalem, and besieged it. 2)And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with part of the vessels of the house of God: which he carried into the land of Shinar to the house of his god; and he brought the vessels into the treasure house of his god. 3)And the king spake unto Ashpenaz the master of his eunuchs, that he should bring certain of the children of Israel, and of the king’s seed, and of the princes; 4)Children in whom was no blemish, but well favoured, and skilful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability in them to stand in the king’s palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans. 5)And the king appointed them a daily provision of the king’s meat, and of the wine which he drank: so nourishing them three years, that at the end thereof they might stand before the king. 6)Now among these were of the children of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: 7)Unto whom the prince of the eunuchs gave names: for he gave unto Daniel the name of Belteshazzar; and to Hananiah, of Shadrach; and to Mishael, of Meshach; and to Azariah, of Abed-nego. 17)As for these four children, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. 18)Now at the end of the days that the king had said he should bring them in, then the prince of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. 19)And the king communed with them; and among them all was found none like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: therefore stood they before the king. 20)And in all matters of wisdom and understanding, that the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers that were in all his realm. 21)And Daniel continued even unto the first year of king Cyrus.
Second Lesson:
Acts 19:21
21)After these things were ended, Paul purposed in the spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, After I have been there, I must also see Rome. 22)So he sent into Macedonia two of them that ministered unto him, Timotheus and Erastus; but he himself stayed in Asia for a season. 23)And the same time there arose no small stir about that way. 24)For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, which made silver shrines for Diana, brought no small gain unto the craftsmen; 25)Whom he called together with the workmen of like occupation, and said, Sirs, ye know that by this craft we have our wealth. 26)Moreover ye see and hear, that not alone at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul hath persuaded and turned away much people, saying that they be no gods, which are made with hands: 27)So that not only this our craft is in danger to be set at nought; but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana should be despised, and her magnificence should be destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worshippeth. 28)And when they heard these sayings, they were full of wrath, and cried out, saying, Great is Diana of the Ephesians. 29)And the whole city was filled with confusion: and having caught Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul’s companions in travel, they rushed with one accord into the theatre. 30)And when Paul would have entered in unto the people, the disciples suffered him not. 31)And certain of the chief of Asia, which were his friends, sent unto him, desiring him that he would not adventure himself into the theatre. 32)Some therefore cried one thing, and some another: for the assembly was confused; and the more part knew not wherefore they were come together. 33)And they drew Alexander out of the multitude, the Jews putting him forward. And Alexander beckoned with the hand, and would have made his defence unto the people. 34)But when they knew that he was a Jew, all with one voice about the space of two hours cried out, Great is Diana of the Ephesians. 35)And when the town clerk had appeased the people, he said, Ye men of Ephesus, what man is there that knoweth not how that the city of the Ephesians is a worshipper of the great goddess Diana, and of the image which fell down from Jupiter? 36)Seeing then that these things cannot be spoken against, ye ought to be quiet, and to do nothing rashly. 37)For ye have brought hither these men, which are neither robbers of churches, nor yet blasphemers of your goddess. 38)Wherefore if Demetrius, and the craftsmen which are with him, have a matter against any man, the law is open, and there are deputies: let them implead one another. 39)But if ye inquire any thing concerning other matters, it shall be determined in a lawful assembly. 40)For we are in danger to be called in question for this day’s uproar, there being no cause whereby we may give an account of this concourse. 41)And when he had thus spoken, he dismissed the assembly.