MY God, my God, look upon me; why hast thou forsaken me? * and art so far from my health, and from the words of my complaint?
O my God, I cry in the day-time, but thou hearest not; * and in the night season also I take no rest.
And thou continuest holy, * O thou Worship of Israel.
Our fathers hoped in thee; * they trusted in thee, and thou didst deliver them.
They called upon thee, and were holpen; * they put their trust in thee, and were not confounded.
But as for me, I am a worm, and no man; * a very scorn of men, and the outcast of the people.
All they that see me laugh me to scorn; * they shoot out their lips, and shake their heads, saying,
He trusted in the LORD, that he would deliver him; * let him deliver him, if he will have him.
But thou art he that took me out of my mother's womb; * thou wast my hope, when I hanged yet upon my mother's breasts.
I have been left unto thee ever since I was born; * thou art my God even from my mother's womb.
O go not from me; for trouble is hard at hand, * and there is none to help me.
Many oxen are come about me; * fat bulls of Bashan close me in on every side.
They gape upon me with their mouths, * as it were a ramping and a roaring lion.
I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; * my heart also in the midst of my body is even like melting wax.
My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue cleaveth to my gums, * and thou bringest me into the dust of death.
For many dogs are come about me, * and the council of the wicked layeth siege against me.
They pierced my hands and my feet: I may tell all my bones: * they stand staring and looking upon me.
They part my garments among them, * and cast lots upon my vesture.
But be not thou far from me, O LORD; * thou art my succour, haste thee to help me.

vs 21 Deliver my soul from the sword, * my darling from the power of the dog.
Save me from the lion's mouth; * thou hast heard me also from among the horns of the unicorns.
I will declare thy Name unto my brethren; * in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee.

vs 23 O praise the LORD, ye that fear him: * magnify him, all ye of the seed of Jacob; and fear him, all ye seed of Israel.
For he hath not despised nor abhorred the low estate of the poor; * he hath not hid his face from him; but when he called unto him he heard him.
My praise is of thee in the great congregation; * my vows will I perform in the sight of them that fear him.
The poor shall eat, and be satisfied; they that seek after the LORD shall praise him: * your heart shall live for ever.
All the ends of the world shall remember themselves, and be turned unto the LORD; * and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before him.
For the kingdom is the LORD'S, * and he is the Governor among the nations.
All such as be fat upon earth * have eaten, and worshipped.
All they that go down into the dust shall kneel before him; * and no man hath quickened his own soul.
My seed shall serve him: * they shall be counted unto the Lord for a generation.
They shall come, and shall declare his righteousness * unto a people that shall be born, whom the Lord hath made.

THE LORD is King, be the people never so impatient; * he sitteth between the Cherubim, be the earth never so unquiet.
The LORD is great in Sion, * and high above all people.
They shall give thanks unto thy Name, * which is great, wonderful, and holy.
The King's power loveth judgment; thou hast prepared equity, * thou hast executed judgment and righteousness in Jacob.
O magnify the LORD our God, and fall down before his footstool; * for he is holy.
Moses and Aaron among his priests, and Samuel among such as call upon his Name: * these called upon the LORD, and he heard them.
He spake unto them out of the cloudy pillar; * for they kept his testimonies, and the law that he gave them.
Thou heardest them, O LORD our God; * thou forgavest them, O God, though thou didst punish their wicked doings.
O magnify the LORD our God, and worship him upon his holy hill; * for the LORD our God is holy.

LORD, thou art become gracious unto thy land; * thou hast turned away the captivity of Jacob.
Thou hast forgiven the offence of thy people, * and covered all their sins.
Thou hast taken away all thy displeasure, * and turned thyself from thy wrathful indignation.
Turn us then, O God our Saviour, * and let thine anger cease from us.
Wilt thou be displeased at us for ever? * and wilt thou stretch out thy wrath from one generation to another?
Wilt thou not turn again, and quicken us, * that thy people may rejoice in thee?
Show us thy mercy, O LORD, * and grant us thy salvation.
I will hearken what the LORD God will say; * for he shall speak peace unto his people, and to his saints, that they turn not again unto foolishness.
For his salvation is nigh them that fear him; * that glory may dwell in our land.
Mercy and truth are met together: * righteousness and peace have kissed each other.
Truth shall flourish out of the earth, * and righteousness hath looked down from heaven.
Yea, the LORD shall show loving-kindness; * and our land shall give her increase.
Righteousness shall go before him, * and shall direct his going in the way.

O GIVE thanks unto the LORD, for he is gracious, * and his mercy endureth for ever.
Let them give thanks whom the LORD hath redeemed, * and delivered from the hand of the enemy;
And gathered them out of the lands, from the east, and from the west; * from the north, and from the south.
They went astray in the wilderness out of the way, * and found no city to dwell in.
Hungry and thirsty, * their soul fainted in them.
So they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, * and he delivered them from their distress.
He led them forth by the right way, * that they might go to the city where they dwelt.
O that men would therefore praise the LORD for his goodness; * and declare the wonders that he doeth for the children of men!
For he satisfieth the empty soul, * and filleth the hungry soul with goodness.

vs 10 Such as sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death, * being fast bound in misery and iron;
Because they rebelled against the words of the Lord, * and lightly regarded the counsel of the Most Highest;
He also brought down their heart through heaviness: * they fell down, and there was none to help them.
So when they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, * he delivered them out of their distress.
For he brought them out of darkness, and out of the shadow of death, * and brake their bonds in sunder.
O that men would therefore praise the LORD for his goodness; * and declare the wonders that he doeth for the children of men !
For he hath broken the gates of brass, * and smitten the bars of iron in sunder.

vs 17 Foolish men are plagued for their offence, * and because of their wickedness.
Their soul abhorred all manner of meat, * and they were even hard at death's door.
So when they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, * he delivered them out of their distress.
He sent his word, and healed them; * and they were saved from their destruction.
O that men would therefore praise the LORD for his goodness; * and declare the wonders that he doeth for the children of men !
That they would offer unto him the sacrifice of thanksgiving, * and tell out his works with gladness!
They that go down to the sea in ships, * and occupy their business in great waters;
These men see the works of the LORD, * and his wonders in the deep.
For at his word the stormy wind ariseth, * which lifteth up the waves thereof.
They are carried up to the heaven, and down again to the deep; * their soul melteth away because of the trouble.
They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, * and are at their wit's end.
SO when they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, * he delivereth them out of their distress.
For he maketh the storm to cease, * so that the waves thereof are still.
Then are they glad, because they are at rest; * and so he bringeth them unto the haven where they would be.
O that men would therefore praise the LORD for his goodness; * and declare the wonders that he doeth for the children of men!
That they would exalt him also in the congregation of the people; * and praise him in the seat of the elders!

vs 33 He turneth the floods into a wilderness, * and drieth up the water-springs.
A fruitful land maketh he barren, * for the wickedness of them that dwell therein.
Again, he maketh the wilderness a standing water, * and water-springs of a dry ground.
And there he setteth the hungry, * that they may build them a city to dwell in;
That they may sow their land, and plant vineyards, * to yield them fruits of increase.
He blesseth them, so that they multiply exceedingly; * and suffereth not their cattle to decrease.
And again, when they are minished and brought low * through oppression, through any plague or trouble;
Though he suffer them to be evil entreated through tyrants, * and let them wander out of the way in the wilderness;
Yet helpeth he the poor out of misery, * and maketh him households like a flock of sheep.
The righteous will consider this, and rejoice; * and the mouth of all wickedness shall be stopped.
Whoso is wise, will ponder these things; * and they shall understand the loving-kindness of the LORD.

Then the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Before I formed thee in the belly, I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations. Then said I, Ah, Lord God! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child. But the Lord said unto me, Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak. Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the Lord. Then the Lord put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the Lord said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth. See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant. Thou therefore gird up thy loins, and arise, and speak unto them all that I command thee: be not dismayed at their faces, lest I confound thee before them. For, behold, I have made thee this day a defenced city, and an iron pillar, and brasen walls against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, against the princes thereof, against the priests thereof, and against the people of the land. And they shall fight against thee; but they shall not prevail against thee; for I am with thee, saith the Lord, to deliver thee.

The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose. It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing: the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon, they shall see the glory of the Lord, and the excellency of our God. Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees. Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; he will come and save you. Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert. And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water: in the habitation of dragons, where each lay, shall be grass with reeds and rushes. And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein. No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon, it shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk there: And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

Now Elisabeth's full time came that she should be delivered; and she brought forth a son. And her neighbours and her cousins heard how the Lord had shewed great mercy upon her; and they rejoiced with her. And it came to pass, that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child; and they called him Zacharias, after the name of his father. And his mother answered and said, Not so; but he shall be called John. And they said unto her, There is none of thy kindred that is called by this name. And they made signs to his father, how he would have him called. And he asked for a writing table, and wrote, saying, His name is John. And they marvelled all. And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue loosed, and he spake, and praised God. And fear came on all that dwelt round about them: and all these sayings were noised abroad throughout all the hill country of Judaea. And all they that heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, What manner of child shall this be! And the hand of the Lord was with him. And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people, And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David; As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began: That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us; To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant; The oath which he sware to our father Abraham, That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear, In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life. And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways; To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins, Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us, To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his shewing unto Israel.

And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you; And to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake. And be at peace among yourselves. Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men. See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men. Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. Quench not the Spirit. Despise not prophesyings. Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil. And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

O LORD Jesus Christ, who at thy first coming didst send thy messenger to prepare thy way before thee; Grant that the ministers and stewards of thy mysteries may likewise so prepare and make ready thy way, by turning the hearts of the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, that at thy second coming to judge the world we may be found an acceptable people in thy sight, who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Spirit ever, one God, world without end. Amen.

ALMIGHTY God, give us grace that we may cast away the works of darkness, and put upon us the armour of light, now in the time of this mortal life, in which thy Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the quick and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal, through him who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, now and ever. Amen.

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