The right hand of the Lord doeth valiantly. And declare the works of the Lord. The Lord hath chastened me sore: But he hath not given me over unto death. Open to me the gates of righteousness: I will enter into them, I will give thanks unto the Lord. The righteous shall enter into it. I will give thanks unto thee, for thou hast answered me, The stone which the builders rejected Is become the head of the corner. This is the Lord's doing; It is marvellous in our eyes. This is the day which the Lord hath made; We will rejoice and be glad in it. Save now, we beseech thee, O Lord: O Lord, we beseech thee, send now prosperity. Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the Lord: We have blessed you out of the house of the Lord. The Lord is God, and he hath given us light: Bind the sacrifice with cords, even unto the horns of the altar. Thou art my God, and I will give thanks unto thee: Thou art my God, I will exalt thee. O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: For his mercy endureth for ever. PSALM 121: 1-8. XXX. THE KEEPER OF ISRAEL. I will lift up mine eyes unto the mountains: My help cometh from the Lord, Which made heaven and earth. He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: He that keepeth thee will not slumber. Behold, he that keepeth Israel Shall neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord is thy keeper: The Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand. The sun shall not smite thee by day, Nor the moon by night. The Lord shall keep thee from all evil; He shall keep thy soul. The Lord shall keep thy going out and thy coming in, From this time forth and for evermore. XXXI. THE PEACE OF THE CHURCH. PSALM 122:1-9. I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go unto the house of the Lord. Within thy gates, O Jerusalem; Jerusalem, that art builded As a city that is compact together: Whither the tribes go up, even the tribes of the Lord, For a testimony unto Israel, To give thanks unto the name of the Lord. For there are set thrones for judgement, The thrones of the house of David. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: And prosperity within thy palaces. For my brethren and companions' sakes, I will now say, Peace be within thee. For the sake of the house of the Lord our God PSALM 133: 1-3. XXXII. UNITY. Behold, how good and how pleasant it is That ran down upon the beard, Even Aaron's beard; That came down upon the skirt of his garments; That cometh down upon the mountains of Zion: XXXIII. GOD'S WORD, MAN'S GUIDE. PSALM 119: 1-19, 41-47. Blessed are they that are perfect in the way, Who walk in the law of the Lord. Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, That seek him with the whole heart. Yea, they do no unrighteousness; Thou hast commanded us thy precepts, That we should observe them diligently. Oh that my ways were established To observe thy statutes! Then shall I not be ashamed, When I have respect unto all thy commandments. I will give thanks unto thee with uprightness of heart, When I learn thy righteous judgements. I will observe thy statutes: O forsake me not utterly. Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? O let me not wander from thy commandments. That I might not sin against thee. Blessed art thou, O Lord: Teach me thy statutes. With my lips have I declared All the judgements of thy mouth. I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, As much as in all riches. I will meditate in thy precepts, And have respect unto thy ways. I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word. Deal bountifully with thy servant, that I may live; Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold I am a sojourner in the earth: Hide not thy commandments from me. Let thy mercies also come unto me, O Lord, Even thy salvation, according to thy word. So shall I have an answer for him that reproacheth me; For I trust in thy word. And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth; So shall I observe thy law continually For ever and ever. And I will walk at liberty; For I have sought thy precepts. I will also speak of thy testimonies before kings, And will not be ashamed. And I will delight myself in thy commandments, Which I have loved. XXXIV. GOD IS EVERYWHERE AND KNOWS ALL PSALM 139:1-24. THINGS. O Lord, thou hast searched me, and know me. Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, Thou searchest out my path and my lying down, For there is not a word in my tongue, But, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; Whither shall I go from thy spirit? Or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, thou art there. And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; And thy right hand shall hold me. If I say, Surely the darkness shall overwhelm me, Even the darkness hideth not from thee, But the night shineth as the day: The darkness and the light are both alike to thee. For thou hast possessed my reins: Thou hast covered me in my mother's womb. I will give thanks unto thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: Wonderful are thy works; And that my soul knoweth right well. My frame was not hidden from thee, When I was made in secret, And curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Thine eyes did see mine unperfect substance, And in thy book were all my members written, Which day by day were fashioned, When as yet there was none of them. How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: When I awake, I am still with thee. Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: Depart from me therefore, ye bloodthirsty men. |