16 For he hath broken the gates of brass : and smitten the bars of iron in sunder. C : 17 Foolish men are plagued for their offence and because of their wickedness. 18 Their soul abhorred all manner of meat : and they were even hard at death's door. 19 So when they cried unto the Lord in their trouble: he delivered them out of their distress. 20 He sent his word, and healed them : and they were saved from their destruction. 21 O that men would therefore praise the Lord for his goodness: and declare the wonders that he doeth for the children of men! 22 That they would offer unto him the sacrifice of thanksgiving: and tell out his works with gladness! 23 They that go down to the sea in ships and occupy their business in great waters; 24 These men see the works of the Lord : and his wonders in the deep. 25 For at his word the stormy wind ariseth : which lifteth up the waves thereof. 26 They are carried up to the heaven, and down again to the deep their soul melteth away because of the trouble. : : 27 They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man and are at their wit's end. 28 So when they cry unto the Lord in their trouble he delivereth them out of their distress. 29 For he maketh the storm to cease: so that the waves thereof are still. 30 Then are they glad, because they are at rest and so he bringeth them unto the haven where they would be. 31 O that men would therefore praise the Lord for his goodness: and declare the wonders that he doeth for the children of men! 32 That they would exalt him also in the congregation of the people and praise him in the seat of the elders! : 33 Who turneth the floods into a wilderness: and drieth up the water-springs. 34 A fruitful land maketh he barren: for the wickedness of them that dwell therein. : 35 Again, he maketh the wilderness a standing water and water-springs of a dry ground. 36 And there he setteth the hungry that they may build them a city to dwell in ; : 37 That they may sow their land, and plant vineyards to yield them fruits of increase. 38 He blesseth them, so that they multiply exceedingly and suffereth not their cattle to decrease. 39 And again, when they are minished, and brought low through oppression, through any plague, or trouble; : 40 Though he suffer them to be evil intreated through tyrants: and let them wander out of the way in the wilderness; 41 Yet helpeth he the poor out of misery: and maketh him housholds like a flock of sheep. 42 The righteous will consider this, and rejoice and the mouth of all wickedness shall be stopped. : 43 Whoso is wise will ponder these things: and they shall understand the loving-kindness of the Lord. Evening Prayer. PSALM 108. Paratum cor meum. God, my heart is ready, my heart is ready: I will sing and give praise with the best member that I have. 2 Awake, thou lute, and harp : I myself will awake right early. 3 I will give thanks unto thee, O Lord, among the people: I will sing praises unto thee among the nations. 4 For thy mercy is greater than the heavens: and thy truth reacheth unto the clouds. 5 Set up thyself, O God, above the heavens : and thy glory above all the earth. 6 That thy beloved may be delivered : let thy right hand save them, and hear thou me. 7 God hath spoken in his holiness: I will rejoice therefore, and divide Sichem, and mete out the valley of Succoth. 8 Gilead is mine, and Manasses is mine : Ephraim also is the strength of my head. 9 Judah is my law-giver, Moab is my washpot: over Edom will I cast out my shoe; upon Philistia will I triumph. 10 Who will lead me into the strong city : and who will bring me into Edom? 11 Hast not thou forsaken us, O God: and wilt not thou, O God, go forth with our hosts? 12 O help us against the enemy : for vain is the help of man. 13 Through God we shall do great acts : and it is he that shall tread down our enemies. PSALM 109. Deus laudum. HOLD not thy tongue, O God of my : praise for the mouth of the ungodly, yea, the mouth of the deceitful is opened upon me. 2 And they have spoken against me with false tongues: they compassed me about also with words of hatred, and fought against me without a cause. 3 For the love that I had unto them, lo, they take now my contrary part : but I give myself unto prayer. 4 Thus have they rewarded me evil for good and hatred for my good will. 5 Set thou an ungodly man to be ruler over him and let Satan stand at his right hand. 6 When sentence is given upon him, let him be condemned: and let his prayer be turned into sin. 7 Let his days be few and let another take his office. 8 Let his children be fatherless and his wife a widow. 9 Let his children be vagabonds, and beg their bread: let them seek it also out of desolate places. 10 Let the extortioner consume all that he hath : and let the stranger spoil his labour. 11 Let there be no man to pity him nor to have compassion upon his fatherless children. 12 Let his posterity be destroyed and in the next generation let his name be clean put out. 13 Let the wickedness of his fathers be had in remembrance in the sight of the Lord : and let not the sin of his mother be done away. 14 Let them alway be before the Lord : that he may root out the memorial of them from off the earth; 15 And that, because his mind was not to do good but persecuted the poor helpless man, that he might slay him that was vexed at the heart. 16 His delight was in cursing, and it shall happen unto him he loved not blessing, therefore shall it be far from him. 17 He clothed himself with cursing, like as with a raiment: and it shall come into his bowels like water, and like oil into his bones. |