MY soul truly waiteth still upon God; * for of him cometh my salvation.
He verily is my strength and my salvation; * he is my defence, so that I shall not greatly fall.
How long will ye imagine mischief against every man? * Ye shall be slain all the sort of you; yea, as a tottering wall shall ye be, and like a broken hedge.
Their device is only how to put him out whom God will exalt; * their delight is in lies; they give good words with their mouth, but curse with their heart.
Nevertheless, my soul, wait thou still upon God; * for my hope is in him.
He truly is my strength and my salvation; * he is my defence, so that I shall not fall.
In God is my health and my glory; * the rock of my might; and in God is my trust.
O put your trust in him alway, ye people; * pour out your hearts before him, for God is our hope.
As for the children of men, they are but vanity; the children of men are deceitful; * upon the weights they are altogether lighter than vanity itself.
O trust not in wrong and robbery; give not yourselves unto vanity: * if riches increase, set not your heart upon them.
God spake once, and twice I have also heard the same, * that power belongeth unto God;
And that thou, Lord, art merciful; * for thou rewardest every man according to his work.

O GOD, thou art my God; * early will I seek thee.
My soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh also longeth after thee, * in a barren and dry land where no water is.
Thus have I looked for thee in the sanctuary, * that I might behold thy power and glory.
For thy loving-kindness is better than the life itself: * my lips shall praise thee.
As long as I live will I magnify thee in this manner, * and lift up my hands in thy Name.
My soul shall be satisfied, even as it were with marrow and fatness, * when my mouth praiseth thee with joyful lips.
Have I not remembered thee in my bed, * and thought upon thee when I was waking?
Because thou hast been my helper; * therefore under the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice.
My soul hangeth upon thee; * thy right hand hath upholden me.
These also that seek the hurt of my soul, * they shall go under the earth.
Let them fall upon the edge of the sword, * that they may be a portion for foxes.
But the King shall rejoice in God; all they also that swear by him shall be commended; * for the mouth of them that speak lies shall be stopped.

I WILL alway give thanks unto the LORD; * his praise shall ever be in my mouth.
My soul shall make her boast in the LORD; * the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad.
O praise the LORD with me, * and let us magnify his Name together.
I sought the LORD, and he heard me; * yea, he delivered me out of all my fear.
They had an eye unto him, and were lightened; * and their faces were not ashamed.
Lo, the poor crieth, and the LORD heareth him; * yea, and saveth him out of all his troubles.
The angel of the LORD tarrieth round about them that fear him; * and delivereth them.
O taste, and see, how gracious the LORD is: * blessed is the man that trusteth in him.
O fear the LORD, ye that are his saints; * for they that fear him lack nothing.
The lions do lack, and suffer hunger; * but they who seek the LORD shall want no manner of thing that is good.
Come, ye children, and hearken unto me; * I will teach you the fear of the LORD.
What man is he that lusteth to live, * and would fain see good days?
Keep thy tongue from evil, * and thy lips, that they speak no guile.
Eschew evil, and do good; * seek peace, and ensue it.
The eyes of the LORD are over the righteous, * and his ears are open unto their prayers.
The countenance of the LORD is against them that do evil, * to root out the remembrance of them from the earth.
The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth them, * and delivereth them out of all their troubles.
The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a contrite heart, * and will save such as be of an humble spirit.
Great are the troubles of the righteous; * but the LORD delivereth him out of all.
He keepeth all his bones, * so that not one of them is broken.
But misfortune shall slay the ungodly; * and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate.
The LORD delivereth the souls of his servants; * and all they that put their trust in him shall not be destitute.

BLESSED is the man that hath not walked in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stood in the way of sinners, * and hath not sat in the seat of the scornful.
But his delight is in the law of the LORD; * and in his law will he exercise himself day and night.
And he shall be like a tree planted by the water-side, * that will bring forth his fruit in due season.
His leaf also shall not wither; * and look, whatsoever he doeth, it shall prosper.
As for the ungodly, it is not so with them; * but they are like the chaff, which the wind scattereth away from the face of the earth.
Therefore the ungodly shall not be able to stand in the judgment, * neither the sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
But the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous; * and the way of the ungodly shall perish.

I WILL lift up mine eyes unto the hills; * from whence cometh my help?
My help cometh even from the LORD, * who hath made heaven and earth.
He will not suffer thy foot to be moved; * and he that keepeth thee will not sleep.
Behold, he that keepeth Israel * shall neither slumber nor sleep.
The LORD himself is thy keeper; * the LORD is thy defence upon thy right hand;
So that the sun shall not burn thee by day, * neither the moon by night.
The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil; * yea, it is even he that shall keep thy soul.
The LORD shall preserve thy going out, and thy coming in, * from this time forth for evermore.

I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also is vanity. I said of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What doeth it? I sought in mine heart to give myself unto wine, yet acquainting mine heart with wisdom; and to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was that good for the sons of men, which they should do under the heaven all the days of their life. I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards: I made me gardens and orchards, and I planted trees in them of all kind of fruits: I made me pools of water, to water therewith the wood that bringeth forth trees: I got me servants and maidens, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of great and small cattle above all that were in Jerusalem before me: I gathered me also silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the provinces: I gat me men singers and women singers, and the delights of the sons of men, as musical instruments, and that of all sorts. So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me. And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour: and this was my portion of all my labour. Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun. Yea, I hated all my labour which I had taken under the sun: because I should leave it unto the man that shall be after me. And who knoweth whether he shall be a wise man or a fool? yet shall he have rule over all my labour wherein I have laboured, and wherein I have shewed myself wise under the sun. This is also vanity. Therefore I went about to cause my heart to despair of all the labour which I took under the sun. For there is a man whose labour is in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in equity; yet to a man that hath not laboured therein shall he leave it for his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil. For what hath man of all his labour, and of the vexation of his heart, wherein he hath laboured under the sun? For all his days are sorrows, and his travail grief; yea, his heart taketh not rest in the night. This is also vanity.

A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger. The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright: but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness. The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good. A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit. A fool despiseth his father's instruction: but he that regardeth reproof is prudent. In the house of the righteous is much treasure: but in the revenues of the wicked is trouble. The lips of the wise disperse knowledge: but the heart of the foolish doeth not so. The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord: but the prayer of the upright is his delight. The way of the wicked is an abomination unto the Lord: but he loveth him that followeth after righteousness. Correction is grievous unto him that forsaketh the way: and he that hateth reproof shall die. The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord: but the words of the pure are pleasant words.

And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect. And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly. And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying, As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations. Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee. And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee. And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.

And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet? Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me. But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions. Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven. And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved? But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible. Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore? And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life. But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first.

My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation. For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body. Behold, we put bits in the horses' mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body. Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth. Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh. Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom. But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report. Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh. By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God. But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith. By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised. Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable. These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.

GRANT, O Lord, we beseech thee, that the course of this world may be so peaceably ordered by thy governance, that thy Church may joyfully serve thee in all godly quietness; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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