Morning 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.
First Lesson:
Num. 22:15-21,36-40
15)And Balak sent yet again princes, more, and more honourable than they. 16)And they came to Balaam, and said to him, Thus saith Balak the son of Zippor, Let nothing, I pray thee, hinder thee from coming unto me: 17)For I will promote thee unto very great honour, and I will do whatsoever thou sayest unto me: come therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people. 18)And Balaam answered and said unto the servants of Balak, If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of the LORD my God, to do less or more. 19)Now therefore, I pray you, tarry ye also here this night, that I may know what the LORD will say unto me more. 20)And God came unto Balaam at night, and said unto him, If the men come to call thee, rise up, and go with them; but yet the word which I shall say unto thee, that shalt thou do. 21)And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass, and went with the princes of Moab. 36)And when Balak heard that Balaam was come, he went out to meet him unto a city of Moab, which is in the border of Arnon, which is in the utmost coast. 37)And Balak said unto Balaam, Did I not earnestly send unto thee to call thee? wherefore camest thou not unto me? am I not able indeed to promote thee to honour? 38)And Balaam said unto Balak, Lo, I am come unto thee: have I now any power at all to say any thing? the word that God putteth in my mouth, that shall I speak. 39)And Balaam went with Balak, and they came unto Kirjath-huzoth. 40)And Balak offered oxen and sheep, and sent to Balaam, and to the princes that were with him.
Second Lesson:
Luke 2:41
41)Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the passover. 42)And when he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem after the custom of the feast. 43)And when they had fulfilled the days, as they returned, the child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem; and Joseph and his mother knew not of it. 44)But they, supposing him to have been in the company, went a day’s journey; and they sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance. 45)And when they found him not, they turned back again to Jerusalem, seeking him. 46)And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions. 47)And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers. 48)And when they saw him, they were amazed: and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing. 49)And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business? 50)And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them. 51)And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart. 52)And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.
Evening Prayer
Psalm 33. Exultate, justi.
1 REJOICE in the LORD, O ye righteous; * for it becometh well the just to be thankful.
2 Praise the LORD with harp; * sing praises unto him with the lute, and instrument of ten strings.
3 Sing unto the Lord a new song; * sing praises lustily unto him with a good courage.
4 For the word of the LORD is true; * and all his works are faithful.
5 He loveth righteousness and judgment; * the earth is full of the goodness of the LORD.
6 By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; * and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.
7 He gathereth the waters of the sea together, as it were upon an heap; * and layeth up the deep, as in a treasure-house.
8 Let all the earth fear the LORD: * stand in awe of him, all ye that dwell in the world.
9 For he spake, and it was done; * he commanded, and it stood fast.
10 The LORD bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought, * and maketh the devices of the people to be of none effect, and casteth out the counsels of princes.
11 The counsel of the LORD shall endure for ever, * and the thoughts of his heart from generation to generation.
12 Blessed are the people whose God is the Lord JEHOVAH; * and blessed are the folk that he hath chosen to him, to be his inheritance.
13 The LORD looketh down from heaven, and beholdeth all the children of men; * from the habitation of his dwelling, he considereth all them that dwell on the earth.
14 He fashioneth all the hearts of them, * and understandeth all their works.
15 There is no king that can be saved by the multitude of an host; * neither is any mighty man delivered by much strength.
16 A horse is counted but a vain thing to save a man; * neither shall he deliver any man by his great strength.
17 Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon them that fear him, * and upon them that put their trust in his mercy;
18 To deliver their soul from death, * and to feed them in the time of dearth.
19 Our soul hath patiently tarried for the LORD; * for he is our help and our shield.
20 For our heart shall rejoice in him; * because we have hoped in his holy Name.
21 Let thy merciful kindness, O LORD, be upon us, * like as we do put our trust in thee..
First Lesson:
Ezra 6:1-12
1)Then Darius the king made a decree, and search was made in the house of the rolls, where the treasures were laid up in Babylon. 2)And there was found at Achmetha, in the palace that is in the province of the Medes, a roll, and therein was a record thus written: 3)In the first year of Cyrus the king the same Cyrus the king made a decree concerning the house of God at Jerusalem, Let the house be builded, the place where they offered sacrifices, and let the foundations thereof be strongly laid; the height thereof threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof threescore cubits; 4)With three rows of great stones, and a row of new timber: and let the expences be given out of the king’s house: 5)And also let the golden and silver vessels of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took forth out of the temple which is at Jerusalem, and brought unto Babylon, be restored, and brought again unto the temple which is at Jerusalem, every one to his place, and place them in the house of God. 6)Now therefore, Tatnai, governor beyond the river, Shethar-boznai, and your companions the Apharsachites, which are beyond the river, be ye far from thence: 7)Let the work of this house of God alone; let the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews build this house of God in his place. 8)Moreover I made a decree what ye shall do to the elders of these Jews for the building of this house of God: that of the king’s goods, even of the tribute beyond the river, forthwith expences be given unto these men, that they be not hindered. 9)And that which they have need of, both young bullocks, and rams, and lambs, for the burnt offerings of the God of heaven, wheat, salt, wine, and oil, according to the appointment of the priests which are at Jerusalem, let it be given them day by day without fail: 10)That they may offer sacrifices of sweet savours unto the God of heaven, and pray for the life of the king, and of his sons. 11)Also I have made a decree, that whosoever shall alter this word, let timber be pulled down from his house, and being set up, let him be hanged thereon; and let his house be made a dunghill for this. 12)And the God that hath caused his name to dwell there destroy all kings and people, that shall put to their hand to alter and to destroy this house of God which is at Jerusalem. I Darius have made a decree; let it be done with speed.
Second Lesson:
Acts 9:20-31
20)And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God. 21)But all that heard him were amazed, and said; Is not this he that destroyed them which called on this name in Jerusalem, and came hither for that intent, that he might bring them bound unto the chief priests? 22)But Saul increased the more in strength, and confounded the Jews which dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is very Christ. 23)And after that many days were fulfilled, the Jews took counsel to kill him: 24)But their laying await was known of Saul. And they watched the gates day and night to kill him. 25)Then the disciples took him by night, and let him down by the wall in a basket. 26)And when Saul was come to Jerusalem, he assayed to join himself to the disciples: but they were all afraid of him, and believed not that he was a disciple. 27)But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared unto them how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus. 28)And he was with them coming in and going out at Jerusalem. 29)And he spake boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus, and disputed against the Grecians: but they went about to slay him. 30)Which when the brethren knew, they brought him down to Caesarea, and sent him forth to Tarsus. 31)Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied.