Morning Prayer
Psalm 139. Domine, probasti.
1 O LORD, thou hast searched me out, and known me. * Thou knowest my down sitting, and mine up rising; thou understandest my thoughts long before.
2 Thou art about my path, and about my bed; * and art acquainted with all my ways.
3 For lo, there is not a word in my tongue, * but thou, O LORD, knowest it altogether.
4 Thou hast beset me behind and before, * and laid thine hand upon me.
5 Such knowledge is too wonderful and excellent for me; * I cannot attain unto it.
6 Whither shall I go then from thy Spirit? * or whither shall I go then from thy presence?
7 If I climb up into heaven, thou art there; * if I go down to hell, thou art there also.
8 If I take the wings of the morning, * and remain in the uttermost parts of the sea;
9 Even there also shall thy hand lead me, * and thy right hand shall hold me.
10 If I say, Peradventure the darkness shall cover me; * then shall my night be turned to day.
11 Yea, the darkness is no darkness with thee, but the night is as clear as the day; * the darkness and light to thee are both alike.
12 For my reins are thine; * thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb.
13 I will give thanks unto thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: * marvellous are thy works, and that my soul knoweth right well.
14 My bones are not hid from thee, * though I be made secretly, and fashioned beneath in the earth.
15 Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being imperfect; * and in thy book were all my members written;
16 Which day by day were fashioned, * when as yet there was none of them.
17 How dear are thy counsels unto me, O God; * O how great is the sum of them!
18 If I tell them, they are more in number than the sand: * when I wake up, I am present with thee.
19 Wilt thou not slay the wicked, O God? * Depart from me, ye blood thirsty men.
20 For they speak unrighteously against thee; * and thine enemies take thy Name in vain.
21 Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate thee? * and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee?
22 Yea, I hate them right sore; * even as though they were mine enemies.
23 Try me, O God, and seek the ground of my heart; * prove me, and examine my thoughts.
24 Look well if there be any way of wickedness in me; * and lead me in the way everlasting.
First Lesson:
Wisdom of Solomon 9:1 6
9:1 O God of my fathers, and Lord of mercy, who hast made all things with thy word, 2 And ordained man through thy wisdom, that he should have dominion over the creatures which thou hast made, 3 And order the world according to equity and righteousness, and execute judgment with an upright heart: 4 Give me wisdom, that sitteth by thy throne; and reject me not from among thy children: 5 For I thy servant and son of thine handmaid am a feeble person, and of a short time, and too young for the understanding of judgment and laws. 6 For though a man be never so perfect among the children of men, yet if thy wisdom be not with him, he shall be nothing regarded.
Second Lesson:
1 Cor 3:9 17
9 For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building. 10 According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. 11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; 13 Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. 14 If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. 15 If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. 16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? 17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.
Evening Prayer
Psalm 103. Benedic, anima mea.
1 PRAISE the LORD, O my soul; * and all that is within me, praise his holy Name.
2 Praise the LORD, O my soul, * and forget not all his benefits:
3 Who forgiveth all thy sin, * and healeth all thine infirmities;
4 Who saveth thy life from destruction, * and crowneth thee with mercy and loving kindness;
5 Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things, * making thee young and lusty as an eagle.
6 The LORD executeth righteousness and judgment * for all them that are oppressed with wrong.
7 He showed his ways unto Moses, * his works unto the children of Israel.
8 The LORD is full of compassion and mercy, * longsuffering, and of great goodness.
9 He will not alway be chiding; * neither keepeth he his anger for ever.
10 He hath not dealt with us after our sins; * nor rewarded us according to our wickednesses.
11 For look how high the heaven is in comparison of the earth; * so great is his mercy also toward them that fear him.
12 Look how wide also the east is from the west; * so far hath he set our sins from us.
13 Yea, like as a father pitieth his own children; * even so is the LORD merciful unto them that fear him.
14 For he knoweth whereof we are made; * he remembereth that we are but dust.
15 The days of man are but as grass; * for he flourisheth as a flower of the field.
16 For as soon as the wind goeth over it, it is gone; * and the place thereof shall know it no more.
17 But the merciful goodness of the LORD endureth for ever and ever upon them that fear him; * and his righteousness upon children’s children;
18 Even upon such as keep his covenant, * and think upon his commandments to do them.
19 The LORD hath prepared his seat in heaven, * and his kingdom ruleth over all.
20 O praise the LORD, ye angels of his, ye that excel in strength; * ye that fulfil his commandment, and hearken unto the voice of his word.
21 O praise the LORD, all ye his hosts; * ye servants of his that do his pleasure.
22 O speak good of the LORD, all ye works of his, in all places of his dominion: * praise thou the LORD, O my soul.
First Lesson:
Jer 31:31 34
31 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: 32 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD: 33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. 34 And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD; for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.
Second Lesson:
Acts 4:13 22
13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus. 14 And beholding the man which was healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it. 15 But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves, 16 Saying, What shall we do to these men? for that indeed a notable miracle hath been done by them is manifest to all them that dwell in Jerusalem; and we cannot deny it. 17 But that it spread no further among the people, let us straitly threaten them, that they speak henceforth to no man in this name. 18 And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. 20 For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard. 21 So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding nothing how they might punish them, because of the people: for all men glorified God for that which was done. 22 For the man was above forty years old, on whom this miracle of healing was shewed.