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.

PRESERVE me, O God; * for in thee have I put my trust.
O my soul, thou hast said unto the LORD, * Thou art my God; I have no good like unto thee.
All my delight is upon the saints that are in the earth, * and upon such as excel in virtue.
But they that run after another god * shall have great trouble.
Their drink-offerings of blood will I not offer, * neither make mention of their names within my lips.
The LORD himself is the portion of mine inheritance, and of my cup; * thou shalt maintain my lot.
The lot is fallen unto me in a fair ground; * yea, I have a goodly heritage.
I will thank the LORD for giving me warning; * my reins also chasten me in the night season.
I have set the LORD alway before me; * for he is on my right hand, therefore I shall not fall.
Wherefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: * my flesh also shall rest in hope.
For why? thou shalt not leave my soul in hell; * neither shalt thou suffer thy Holy One to see corruption.
Thou shalt show me the path of life: in thy presence is the fulness of joy, * and at thy right hand there is pleasure for evermore.

I WILL give thanks unto the LORD with my whole heart, * secretly among the faithful, and in the congregation.
The works of the LORD are great, * sought out of all them that have pleasure therein.
His work is worthy to be praised and had in honour, * and his righteousness endureth for ever.
The merciful and gracious LORD hath so done his marvellous works, * that they ought to be had in remembrance.
He hath given meat unto them that fear him; * he shall ever be mindful of his covenant.
He hath showed his people the power of his works, * that he may give them the heritage of the heathen.
The works of his hands are verity and judgment; * all his commandments are true.
They stand fast for ever and ever, * and are done in truth and equity.
He sent redemption unto his people; * he hath commanded his covenant for ever; holy and reverend is his Name.
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; * a good understanding have all they that do thereafter; his praise endureth for ever.

IN thee, O LORD, have I put my trust; let me never be put to confusion, * but rid me and deliver me in thy righteousness; incline thine ear unto me, and save me.
Be thou my stronghold, whereunto I may alway resort: * thou hast promised to help me, for thou art my house of defence, and my castle.
Deliver me, O my God, out of the hand of the ungodly, * out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man.
For thou, O Lord GOD, art the thing that I long for: * thou art my hope, even from my youth.
Through thee have I been holden up ever since I was born: * thou art he that took me out of my mother's womb: my praise shall be alway of thee.
I am become as it were a monster unto many, * but my sure trust is in thee.
O let my mouth be filled with thy praise, * that I may sing of thy glory and honour all the day long.
Cast me not away in the time of age; * forsake me not when my strength faileth me.
For mine enemies speak against me; * and they that lay wait for my soul take their counsel together, saying,
God hath forsaken him; * persecute him, and take him, for there is none to deliver him.
Go not far from me, O God; * my God, haste thee to help me.
Let them be confounded and perish that are against my soul; * let them be covered with shame and dishonour that seek to do me evil.
As for me, I will patiently abide alway, * and will praise thee more and more.
My mouth shall daily speak of thy righteousness and salvation; * for I know no end thereof.
I will go forth in the strength of the Lord GOD, *and will make mention of thy righteousness only.
Thou, O God, hast taught me from my youth up until now; * therefore will I tell of thy wondrous works.
Forsake me not, O God, in mine old age, when I am gray-headed, * until I have showed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to all them that are yet for to come.
Thy righteousness, O God, is very high, * and great things are they that thou hast done: O God, who is like unto thee!
O what great troubles and adversities hast thou showed me ! and yet didst thou turn and refresh me; * yea, and broughtest me from the deep of the earth again.
Thou hast brought me to great honour, * and comforted me on every side:
Therefore will I praise thee, and thy faithfulness, O God, playing upon an instrument of music: * unto thee will I sing upon the harp, O thou Holy One of Israel.
My lips will be glad when I sing unto thee; * and so will my soul whom thou hast delivered.
My tongue also shall talk of thy righteousness all the day long; * for they are confounded and brought unto shame that seek to do me evil.

And Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite, which was of Bahurim, hasted and came down with the men of Judah to meet king David. And there were a thousand men of Benjamin with him, and Ziba the servant of the house of Saul, and his fifteen sons and his twenty servants with him; and they went over Jordan before the king. And there went over a ferry boat to carry over the king's household, and to do what he thought good. And Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king, as he was come over Jordan; And said unto the king, Let not my lord impute iniquity unto me, neither do thou remember that which thy servant did perversely the day that my lord the king went out of Jerusalem, that the king should take it to his heart. For thy servant doth know that I have sinned: therefore, behold, I am come the first this day of all the house of Joseph to go down to meet my lord the king. But Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered and said, Shall not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the Lord's anointed? And David said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah, that ye should this day be adversaries unto me? shall there any man be put to death this day in Israel? for do not I know that I am this day king over Israel? Therefore the king said unto Shimei, Thou shalt not die. And the king sware unto him.

He that putteth his trust in me shall possess the land, and shall inherit my holy mountain; And shall say, Cast ye up, cast ye up, prepare the way, take up the stumblingblock out of the way of my people. For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones. For I will not contend for ever, neither will I be always wroth: for the spirit should fail before me, and the souls which I have made. For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth, and smote him: I hid me, and was wroth, and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart. I have seen his ways, and will heal him: I will lead him also, and restore comforts unto him and to his mourners. I create the fruit of the lips; Peace, peace to him that is far off, and to him that is near, saith the Lord; and I will heal him.

And the Lord appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day; And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground, And said, My Lord, if now I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant: Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree: And I will fetch a morsel of bread, and comfort ye your hearts; after that ye shall pass on: for therefore are ye come to your servant. And they said, So do, as thou hast said. And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said, Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes upon the hearth. And Abraham ran unto the herd, and fetched a calf tender and good, and gave it unto a young man; and he hasted to dress it. And he took butter, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat. And they said unto him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, in the tent. And he said, I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him. Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women. Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also? And the Lord said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old? Is any thing too hard for the Lord? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son. Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And he said, Nay; but thou didst laugh. And the men rose up from thence, and looked toward Sodom: and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way.

Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also. And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away. Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things. Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel: Wherein I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound. Therefore I endure all things for the elect's sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him: If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us: If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.

For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect: Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression. Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all, (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were. Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations; according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be. And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb: He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

O GOD, who hast prepared for those who love thee such good things as pass man's understanding; Pour into our hearts such love toward thee, that we, loving thee above all things, may obtain thy promises, which exceed all that we can desire; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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