37 I went by, and lo, he was gone : I sought him, but his place could nowhere be found. 38 Keep innocency, and take heed unto the thing that is right for that shall bring a man peace at the last. 39 As for the transgressors, they shall perish together and the end of the ungodly is, they shall be rooted out at the last. : 40 But the salvation of the righteous cometh of the LORD who is also their strength in the time of trouble. : 41 And the LORD shall stand by them, and save them: He shall deliver them from the ungodly, and shall save them, because they put their trust in Him. Morning Prayer. PSALM 38. Domine, ne in furore. [A Psalm of David (the third of the seven Penitential Psalms), expressing his sense of sin and suffering, and calling upon God for help. It is appointed for use in the synagogue on the day of atonement.] PUT me not to rebuke, O LORD, in Thine anger neither chasten me in Thy heavy displeasure. 2 For Thine arrows stick fast in me: and Thy hand presseth me sore. 3 There is no health in my flesh, because of Thy displeasure: neither is there any rest in my bones, by reason of my sin. 4 For my wickednesses are gone over my head and are like a sore burden, too heavy for me to bear. : DAY 8. Ash Wednesday. The last Psalm at Morning Prayer. 4. Sore-i.e., heavy. The word comes from the Anglo-Saxon swar, heavy; Ger 5 My wounds stink, and are corrupt: man, schwer: hence through my foolishness. sorrow. 6 I am brought into so great trouble and misery: that I go mourning all the day long. 7 For my loins are filled with a sore disease and there is no whole part in my body. : 8 I am feeble, and sore smitten: I have roared for the very disquietness of my heart. 9 LORD, Thou knowest all my desire: and my groaning is not hid from Thee. 10 My heart panteth, my strength hath failed me and the sight of mine eyes is gone from me. 11 My lovers and my neighbours did. stand looking upon my trouble: and my kinsmen stood afar off. 12 They also that sought after my life laid snares for me and they that went about to do me evil talked of wickedness, and imagined deceit all the day long. 13 As for me, I was like a deaf man, and heard not: and as one that is dumb, who doth not open his mouth. 14 I became even as a man that heareth not and in whose mouth are no reproofs. 15 For in Thee, O LORD, have I put my trust Thou shalt answer for me, O LORD my God. 16 I have required that they, even mine enemies, should not triumph over me for when my foot slipped, they rejoiced greatly against me. 17 And I, truly, am set in the plague: and my heaviness is ever in my sight. 18 For I will confess my wickedness: and be sorry for my sin. 19 But mine enemies live, and are mighty and they that hate me wrongfully are many in number. 20 They also that reward evil for good are against me because I follow the thing that good is. 21 Forsake me not, O LORD my be not Thou far from me. of God: PSALM 39. Dixi, custodiam. [A Psalm of David, closely connected with the pre- I SAID, I will take heed to my ways: that : 2 I will keep my mouth as it were with a bridle while the ungodly is in my sight. 3 I held my tongue, and spake nothing: I kept silence, yea, even from good words; but it was pain and grief to me. 4 My heart was hot within me, and while I was thus musing the fire kindled : and at the last I spake with my tongue; 5 LORD, let me know mine end, and the number of my days: that I may be certified how long I have to live. 20. Reward; return. 5. How long, &c. ; lit. how frail I am. 6. Span. space between the thumb and little fin The to 6 Behold, Thou hast made my days as it ger when extended." were a span long and mine age is even as nothing in respect of Thee; and verily every man living is altogether vanity. Heb. hand-breadths. i.e., as a shadow; in a dream. 8. David, as a so 7 For man walketh in a vain shadow, and disquieteth himself in vain : he heapeth up riches, and cannot tell who shall gather them. 8 And now, LORD, what is my hope: journer here, looks truly my hope is even in Thee. 9 Deliver me from all mine offences and make me not a rebuke unto the foolish. 10 I became dumb, and opened not my mouth for it was Thy doing. for God and immor tality. Cf. Pusey's Daniel,' p. 498. 9. Make me not, &c.; lit. a reproach of the fool-i.e., one for fools to triumph over. 11 Take Thy plague away from me: I am even consumed by the means of Thy heavy hand. 12 When Thou with rebukes dost chasten man for sin, Thou makest his beauty to consume away, like as it were a moth fretting a garment: every man therefore is but vanity. 13 Hear my prayer, O LORD, and with Thine ears consider my calling hold not Thy peace at my tears. : 14 For I am a stranger with Thee and a sojourner, as all fathers were. my 15 O spare me a little, that I may recover my strength before I go hence, and be no more seen. 11. Plague-i.e., a stroke or blow from God. The same Hebrew word is used of the plagues in Egypt. 12. Thou makest garment; Heb. thou makest his beauty to melt away as by a moth. [SELAH. ] 14. As all my fathers -i. e., as was Abraham in the land of promise. 15. And be no more seen; Heb. and be no more. PSALM 40. Expectans expectavi. [A Psalm of David, possibly alluding to his recovery from his illness, after which he stood up in the great congregation. It is connected with Christ's coming, as shown in Heb. x. 5.] I WAITED patiently for the LORD: and He inclined unto me, and heard my calling. Good Friday. The second Psalm at Morning Prayer, followed by Ps. liv. 2. Ordered, &c.; lit. made my steps 2 He brought me also out of the horrible pit, out of the mire and clay and set my firm. feet upon the rock, and ordered my goings. : 3 And He hath put a new song in my mouth: even a thanksgiving unto our God. 4 Many shall see it, and fear : and shall put their trust in the LORD. 5 Blessed is the man that hath set his hope in the LORD and turned not unto the proud, and to such as go about with lies. : 6 O LORD my God, great are the wondrous works which Thou hast done, like as be also Thy thoughts which are to us-ward: and yet there is no man that ordereth them unto Thee. 4. Shall fear-i.e., shall recognise the hand of God in what He had done for the Psalmist. 5. Lies-i.e., idols. They turn aside to lies, and are apostate. 6. There is no man, be set in order and &c.-i.e., they cannot reckoned up. 7 If I should declare them, and speak of them they should be more than I am able to express. : 8 Sacrifice, and meat-offering, Thou wouldest not but mine ears hast Thou opened. 9 Burnt-offerings, and sacrifice for sin, hast Thou not required: then said I, Lo, I come. 10 In the volume of the book it is written of me, that I should fulfil Thy will, O my God I am content to do it; yea, Thy law is within my heart. 11 I have declared Thy righteousness in the great congregation : lo, I will not refrain my lips, O LORD, and that Thou knowest. 12 I have not hid Thy righteousness within my heart my talk hath been of Thy truth, and of Thy salvation. 13 I have not kept back Thy loving mercy and truth from the great congregation. 14 Withdraw not Thou Thy mercy from me, O LORD: let Thy loving-kindness and Thy truth always preserve me. 15 For innumerable troubles are come about me; my sins have taken such hold upon me that I am not able to look up : yea, they are more in number than the hairs of my head, and my heart hath failed me. 16 O LORD, let it be Thy pleasure to deliver me make haste, O LORD, to help me. 17 Let them be ashamed, and confounded together, that seek after my soul to destroy it let them be driven backward, and put to rebuke, that wish me evil. 18 Let them be desolate, and rewarded with shame that say unto me, Fie upon thee, fie upon thee. 19 Let all those that seek Thee be joyful and glad in Thee and let such as love : |