Morning Prayer
Psalms 107:1-16 Confitemini Domino.
1 O GIVE thanks unto the LORD, for he is gracious, * and his mercy endureth for ever.
2 Let them give thanks whom the LORD hath redeemed, * and delivered from the hand of the enemy;
3 And gathered them out of the lands, from the east, and from the west; * from the north, and from the south.
4 They went astray in the wilderness out of the way, * and found no city to dwell in.
5 Hungry and thirsty, * their soul fainted in them.
6 So they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, * and he delivered them from their distress.
7 He led them forth by the right way, * that they might go to the city where they dwelt.
8 O that men would therefore praise the LORD for his goodness; * and declare the wonders that he doeth for the children of men!
9 For he satisfieth the empty soul, * and filleth the hungry soul with goodness.
10 Such as sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death, * being fast bound in misery and iron;
11 Because they rebelled against the words of the Lord, * and lightly regarded the counsel of the Most Highest;
12 He also brought down their heart through heaviness: * they fell down, and there was none to help them.
13 SO when they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, * he delivered them out of their distress.
14 For he brought them out of darkness, and out of the shadow of death, * and brake their bonds in sunder.
15 O that men would therefore praise the LORD for his goodness; * and declare the wonders that he doeth for the children of men !
16 For he hath broken the gates of brass, * and smitten the bars of iron in sunder.
First Lesson:
Judges 10:17, 11:29-40
17)Then the children of Ammon were gathered together, and encamped in Gilead. And the children of Israel assembled themselves together, and encamped in Mizpeh. 18)And the people and princes of Gilead said one to another, What man is he that will begin to fight against the children of Ammon? he shall be head over all the inhabitants of Gilead. (Judg.11) 29)Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jephthah, and he passed over Gilead, and Manasseh, and passed over Mizpeh of Gilead, and from Mizpeh of Gilead he passed over unto the children of Ammon. 30)And Jephthah vowed a vow unto the LORD, and said, If thou shalt without fail deliver the children of Ammon into mine hands, 31)Then it shall be, that whatsoever cometh forth of the doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace from the children of Ammon, shall surely be the LORD’s, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering. 32)So Jephthah passed over unto the children of Ammon to fight against them; and the LORD delivered them into his hands. 33)And he smote them from Aroer, even till thou come to Minnith, even twenty cities, and unto the plain of the vineyards, with a very great slaughter. Thus the children of Ammon were subdued before the children of Israel. 34)And Jephthah came to Mizpeh unto his house, and, behold, his daughter came out to meet him with timbrels and with dances: and she was his only child; beside her he had neither son nor daughter. 35)And it came to pass, when he saw her, that he rent his clothes, and said, Alas, my daughter! thou hast brought me very low, and thou art one of them that trouble me: for I have opened my mouth unto the LORD, and I cannot go back. 36)And she said unto him, My father, if thou hast opened thy mouth unto the LORD, do to me according to that which hath proceeded out of thy mouth; forasmuch as the LORD hath taken vengeance for thee of thine enemies, even of the children of Ammon. 37)And she said unto her father, Let this thing be done for me: let me alone two months, that I may go up and down upon the mountains, and bewail my virginity, I and my fellows. 38)And he said, Go. And he sent her away for two months: and she went with her companions, and bewailed her virginity upon the mountains. 39)And it came to pass at the end of two months, that she returned unto her father, who did with her according to his vow which he had vowed: and she knew no man. And it was a custom in Israel, 40)That the daughters of Israel went yearly to lament the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite four days in a year.
Second Lesson:
Luke 8:1-15
1)And it came to pass afterward, that he went throughout every city and village, preaching and shewing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God: and the twelve were with him, 2)And certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils, 3)And Joanna the wife of Chuza Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many others, which ministered unto him of their substance. 4)And when much people were gathered together, and were come to him out of every city, he spake by a parable: 5)A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it. 6)And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture. 7)And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it. 8)And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold. And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. 9)And his disciples asked him, saying, What might this parable be? 10)And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand. 11)Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. 12)Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. 13)They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away. 14)And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection. 15)But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.
Evening Prayer
Psalm 93. Dominus regnavit.
1 THE LORD is King, and hath put on glorious apparel; * the LORD hath put on his apparel, and girded himself with strength.
2 He hath made the round world so sure, * that it can not be moved.
3 Ever since the world began, hath thy seat been prepared: * thou art from everlasting.
4 The floods are risen, O LORD, the floods have lift up their voice; * the floods lift up their waves.
5 The waves of the sea are mighty, and rage horribly; * but yet the LORD, who dwelleth on high, is mightier.
6 Thy testimonies, O LORD, are very sure: * holiness becometh thine house for ever.
Psalm 99. Dominus regnavit.
1 THE LORD is King, be the people never so impatient; * he sitteth between the Cherubim, be the earth never so unquiet.
2 The LORD is great in Sion, * and high above all people.
3 They shall give thanks unto thy Name, * which is great, wonderful, and holy.
4 The King’s power loveth judgment; thou hast prepared equity, * thou hast executed judgment and righteousness in Jacob.
5 O magnify the LORD our God, and fall down before is footstool; * for he is holy.
6 Moses and Aaron among his priests, and Samuel among such as call upon his Name: * these called upon the LORD, and he heard them.
7 He spake unto them out of the cloudy pillar; * for they kept his testimonies, and the law that he gave them.
8 Thou heardest them, O LORD our God; * thou forgavest them, O God, though thou didst punish their wicked doings.
9 O magnify the LORD our God, and worship him upon his holy hill; * for the LORD our God is holy.
First Lesson:
1 Macc. 1:1,7-15
1)And it happened, after that Alexander son of Philip, the Macedonian, who came out of the land of Chettiim, had smitten Darius king of the Persians and Medes, that he reigned in his stead, the first over Greece, 7)So Alexander reigned twelves years, and then died. 8)And his servants bare rule every one in his place. 9)And after his death they all put crowns upon themselves; so did their sons after them many years: and evils were multiplied in the earth. 10)And there came out of them a wicked root Antiochus surnamed Epiphanes, son of Antiochus the king, who had been an hostage at Rome, and he reigned in the hundred and thirty and seventh year of the kingdom of the Greeks. 11)In those days went there out of Israel wicked men, who persuaded many, saying, Let us go and make a covenant with the heathen that are round about us: for since we departed from them we have had much sorrow. 12)So this device pleased them well. 13)Then certain of the people were so forward herein, that they went to the king, who gave them licence to do after the ordinances of the heathen: 14)Whereupon they built a place of exercise at Jerusalem according to the customs of the heathen: 15)And made themselves uncircumcised, and forsook the holy covenant, and joined themselves to the heathen, and were sold to do mischief.
Second Lesson:
Acts 15:22-35
22)Then pleased it the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas surnamed Barsabas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren: 23)And they wrote letters by them after this manner; The apostles and elders and brethren send greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia: 24)Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment: 25)It seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, 26)Men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27)We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who shall also tell you the same things by mouth. 28)For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things; 29)That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well. 30)So when they were dismissed, they came to Antioch: and when they had gathered the multitude together, they delivered the epistle: 31)Which when they had read, they rejoiced for the consolation. 32)And Judas and Silas, being prophets also themselves, exhorted the brethren with many words, and confirmed them. 33)And after they had tarried there a space, they were let go in peace from the brethren unto the apostles. 34)Notwithstanding it pleased Silas to abide there still. 35)Paul also and Barnabas continued in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also.