The Psalter or Psalms of David
The Twenty-ninth Day.
Morning Prayer.
Psalm 139. Domine, probasti.
O LORD, thou hast searched me out, and known me. * Thou knowest
my down-sitting, and mine uprising; thou understandest my thoughts
long before.
2 Thou art about my path, and about my bed; * and art acquainted
with all my ways.
3 For lo, there is not a word in my tongue, * but thou, O LORD,
knowest it altogether.
4 Thou hast beset me behind and before, * and laid thine hand
upon me.
5 Such knowledge is too wonderful and excellent for me; * I cannot
attain unto it.
6 Whither shall I go then from thy Spirit? * or whither shall
I go then from thy presence?
7 If I climb up into heaven, thou art there; * if I go down to
hell, thou art there also.
8 If I take the wings of the morning, * and remain in the uttermost
parts of the sea;
9 Even there also shall thy hand lead me, * and thy right hand
shall hold me.
10 If I say, Peradventure the darkness shall cover me; * then
shall my night be turned to day.
11 Yea, the darkness is no darkness with thee, but the night
is as clear as the day; * the darkness and light to thee are
both alike.
12 For my reins are thine; * thou hast covered me in my mother's
womb.
13 I will give thanks unto thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully
made: * marvellous are thy works, and that my soul knoweth right
well.
14 My bones are not hid from thee, * though I be made secretly,
and fashioned beneath in the earth.
15 Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being imperfect; * and
in thy book were all my members written;
16 Which day by day were fashioned, * when as yet there was none
of them.
17 How dear are thy counsels unto me, O God; * O how great is
the sum of them!
18 If I tell them, they are more in number than the sand: * when
I wake up, I am present with thee.
19 Wilt thou not slay the wicked, O God? * Depart from me, ye
blood-thirsty men.
20 For they speak unrighteously against thee; * and thine enemies
take thy Name in vain.
21 Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate thee? * and am not I
grieved with those that rise up against thee?
22 Yea, I hate them right sore; * even as though they were mine
enemies.
23 Try me, O God, and seek the ground of my heart; * prove me,
and examine my thoughts.
24 Look well if there be any way of wickedness in me; * and lead
me in the way everlasting.
Psalm 140. Eripe me, Domine.
DELIVER me, O LORD, from the evil man; * and preserve me from
the wicked man;
2 Who imagine mischief in their hearts, * and stir up strife
all the day long.
3 They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent; * adder's
poison is under their lips.
4 Keep me, O LORD, from the hands of the ungodly; * preserve
me from the wicked men, who are purposed to overthrow my goings.
5 The proud have laid a snare for me, and spread a net abroad
with cords; * yea, and set traps in my way.
6 I said unto the LORD, Thou art my God, * hear the voice of
my prayers, O LORD.
7 O LORD God, thou strength of my health; * thou hast covered
my head in the day of battle.
8 Let not the ungodly have his desire, O LORD; * let not his
mischievous imagination prosper, lest they be too proud.
9 Let the mischief of their own lips fall upon the head of them
* that compass me about.
10 Let hot burning coals fall upon them; * let them be cast into
the fire, and into the pit, that they never rise up again.
11 A man full of words shall not prosper upon the earth: * evil
shall hunt the wicked person to overthrow him.
12 Sure I am that the LORD will avenge the poor, * and maintain
the cause of the helpless.
13 The righteous also shall give thanks unto thy Name; * and
the just shall continue in thy sight.
Evening Prayer.
Psalm 141. Domine, clamavi.
LORD, I call upon thee; haste thee unto me, * and consider my
voice, when I cry unto thee.
2 Let my prayer be set forth in thy sight as the incense; * and
let the lifting up of my hands be an evening sacrifice.
3 Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth, * and keep the door of
my lips.
4 O let not mine heart be inclined to any evil thing; * let me
not be occupied in ungodly works with the men that work wickedness,
neither let me eat of such things as please them.
5 Let the righteous rather smite me friendly, and reprove me;
* yea, let not my head refuse their precious balms.
6 As for the ungodly, * I will pray yet against their wickedness.
7 Let their judges be overthrown in stony places, * that they
may hear my words; for they are sweet.
8 Our bones lie scattered before the pit, * like as when one
breaketh and heweth wood upon the earth.
9 But mine eyes look unto thee, O LORD God; * in thee is my trust;
O cast not out my soul.
10 Keep me from the snare that they have laid for me, * and from
the traps of the wicked doers.
11 Let the ungodly fall into their own nets together, * and let
me ever escape them.
Psalm 142. Voce mea ad Dominum.
I CRIED unto the LORD with my voice; * yea, even unto the LORD
did I make my supplication.
2 I poured out my complaints before him, * and showed him of
my trouble.
3 When my spirit was in heaviness, thou knewest my path; * in
the way wherein I walked, have they privily laid a snare for
me.
4 I looked also upon my right hand, * and saw there was no man
that would know me.
5 I had no place to flee unto, * and no man cared for my soul.
6 I cried unto thee, O LORD, and said, * Thou art my hope, and
my portion in the land of the living.
7 Consider my complaint; * for I am brought very low.
8 O deliver me from my persecutors; * for they are too strong
for me.
9 Bring my soul out of prison, that I may give thanks unto thy
Name; * which thing if thou wilt grant me, then shall the righteous
resort unto my company.
Psalm 143. Domine, exaudi.
HEAR my prayer, O LORD, and consider my desire; * hearken unto
me for thy truth and righteousness' sake.
2 And enter not into judgment with thy servant; * for in thy
sight shall no man living be justified.
3 For the enemy hath persecuted my soul; he hath smitten my life
down to the ground; * he hath laid me in the darkness, as the
men that have been long dead.
4 Therefore is my spirit vexed within me, * and my heart within
me is desolate.
5 Yet do I remember the time past; I muse upon all thy works;
* yea, I exercise myself in the works of thy hands.
6 I stretch forth my hands unto thee; * my soul gaspeth unto
thee as a thirsty land.
7 Hear me, O LORD, and that soon; for my spirit waxeth faint:
* hide not thy face from me, lest I be like unto them that go
down into the pit.
8 O let me hear thy loving-kindness betimes in the morning; for
in thee is my trust: * show thou me the way that I should walk
in; for I lift up my soul unto thee.
9 Deliver me, O LORD, from mine enemies; * for I flee unto thee
to hide me.
10 Teach me to do the thing that pleaseth thee; for thou art
my God: * let thy loving Spirit lead me forth into the land of
righteousness.
11 Quicken me, O LORD, for thy Name's sake; * and for thy righteousness'
sake bring my soul out of trouble.
12 And of thy goodness slay mine enemies, * and destroy all them
that vex my soul; for I am thy servant.
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