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Evening Prayer Readings
Wednesday before Easter

The First Lesson
The Second Lesson
The Collect
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The Psalter

Psalm 74

The Seventy-Fourth Psalm

Ut quid, Deus?

O GOD, wherefore art thou absent from us so long? * why is thy wrath so hot against the sheep of thy pasture?
O think upon thy congregation, * whom thou hast purchased, and redeemed of old.
Think upon the tribe of thine inheritance, * and Mount Sion, wherein thou hast dwelt.
Lift up thy feet, that thou mayest utterly destroy every enemy, * which hath done evil in thy sanctuary.
Thine adversaries roar in the midst of thy congregations, * and set up their banners for tokens.
He that hewed timber afore out of the thick trees, * was known to bring it to an excellent work.
But now they break down all the carved work thereof * with axes and hammers.
They have set fire upon thy holy places, * and have defiled the dwelling-place of thy Name, even unto the ground.
Yea, they said in their hearts, Let us make havoc of them altogether: * thus have they burnt up all the houses of God in the land.
We see not our tokens; there is not one prophet more; * no, not one is there among us, that understandeth any more.
O God, how long shall the adversary do this dishonour? * shall the enemy blaspheme thy Name for ever?
Why withdrawest thou thy hand? * why pluckest thou not thy right hand out of thy bosom to consume the enemy?
For God is my King of old; * the help that is done upon earth, he doeth it himself.
Thou didst divide the sea through thy power; * thou brakest the heads of the dragons in the waters.
Thou smotest the heads of leviathan in pieces, * and gavest him to be meat for the people of the wilderness.
Thou broughtest out fountains and waters out of the hard rocks; * thou driedst up mighty waters.
The day is thine, and the night is thine; * thou hast prepared the light and the sun.
Thou hast set all the borders of the earth; * thou hast made summer and winter.
Remember this, O LORD, how the enemy hath rebuked; * and how the foolish people hath blasphemed thy Name.
O deliver not the soul of thy turtle-dove unto the multitude of the enemies; * and forget not the congregation of the poor for ever.
Look upon the covenant; * for all the earth is full of darkness and cruel habitations.
O let not the simple go away ashamed; * but let the poor and needy give praise unto thy Name.
Arise, O God, maintain thine own cause; * remember how the foolish man blasphemeth thee daily.
Forget not the voice of thine enemies: * the presumption of them that hate thee increaseth ever more and more.



 

The First Lesson

Lamentations 3:1, 14-33

I am the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of his wrath. I was a derision to all my people; and their song all the day. He hath filled me with bitterness, he hath made me drunken with wormwood. He hath also broken my teeth with gravel stones, he hath covered me with ashes. And thou hast removed my soul far off from peace: I forgat prosperity. And I said, My strength and my hope is perished from the Lord: Remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall. My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me. This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord. It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth. He sitteth alone and keepeth silence, because he hath borne it upon him. He putteth his mouth in the dust; if so be there may be hope. He giveth his cheek to him that smiteth him: he is filled full with reproach. For the Lord will not cast off for ever: But though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies. For he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men.



 

The Second Lesson

St. John 16:16

A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me, because I go to the Father. Then said some of his disciples among themselves, What is this that he saith unto us, A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me: and, Because I go to the Father? They said therefore, What is this that he saith, A little while? we cannot tell what he saith. Now Jesus knew that they were desirous to ask him, and said unto them, Do ye inquire among yourselves of that I said, A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me? Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy. A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world. And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you. And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full. These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs: but the time cometh, when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall shew you plainly of the Father. At that day ye shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you: For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God. I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father. His disciples said unto him, Lo, now speakest thou plainly, and speakest no proverb. Now are we sure that thou knowest all things, and needest not that any man should ask thee: by this we believe that thou camest forth from God. Jesus answered them, Do ye now believe? Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me. These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.



 

The Collect

Wednesday Before Easter

ASSIST us mercifully with thy help, O Lord God of our salvation; that we may enter with joy upon the meditation of those mighty acts, whereby thou hast given unto us life and immortality; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Palm Sunday

ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, who, of thy tender love towards mankind, hast sent thy Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ, to take upon him our flesh, and to suffer death upon the cross, that all mankind should follow the example of his great humility; Mercifully grant, that we may both follow the example of his patience, and also be made partakers of his resurrection; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.



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