M. Blessed are they that dwell in thy house: they will be still praising thee.

P. Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee; in whose heart are the ways of them.

M. Who passing through the valley of Baca make it a well; the rain also filleth the pools.

P. They go from strength to strength, every one of them in Zion appeareth before God.

M. O LORD God of hosts, hear my prayer: give ear, O God of Jacob.

P. Behold, O God, our shield, and look upon the face of thine anointed. For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.

M. For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory : no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.

P. O LORD of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in thee.

M. The earth is the LORD's, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.

P. For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods. M. Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place?

P. He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.

M. He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.

P. This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob. M. Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.

P. Who is this King of glory?

M. The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle.

P. Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.

M. Who is this King of glory?

P. The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory.

THE SEVENTH SELECTION

Psalm 103

Minister. Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.

People. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:

M. Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;

P. Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;

M. Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things;

P. So that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's.

M. The LORD executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed. P. He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel. M. The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. P He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever.

M. He hath not dealt with us after our sins;

P. Nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.

M. For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.

P. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.

M. Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him. P. For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.

M. As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth. P. For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more.

M. But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children's children;

P. To such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them.

M. The LORD hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all.

P. Bless the LORD, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word.

M. Bless ye the LORD, all ye his hosts; ye ministers of his, that do his pleasure. P. Bless the LORD, all his works in all places of his dominion: bless the LORD, O my soul.

THE EIGHTH SELECTION

Psalms 23, 27

Minister. The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

People. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

M. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

P. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

M. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

P. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

M. The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

P. Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.

M. One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in his temple.

P. For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.

M. And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: P. Therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the LORD.

M. Hear, O LORD, when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and

answer me.

P. When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek.

M. Hide not thy face far from me; put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation.

P. When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up. M. Teach me thy way, O LORD, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies.

P. Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty.

M. I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.

P. Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.

THE NINTH SELECTION

Proverbs 3, Psalm 15

Minister. My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my command

ments:

People. For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee.

M. Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart:

P. So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and

man.

M. Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

P. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

M. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.

P. It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.

M. Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase :

P. So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.

M. My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction :

P. For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.

M. Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding:

P. For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold.

M. She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her.

P. Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour. M. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.

P. She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her.

M. The LORD by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established the heavens.

P. By his knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew.

M. LORD, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill? P. He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart.

M. He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour, P. Nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour.

M. In whose eyes a vile person is contemned;

P. But he honoureth them that fear the LORD.

M. He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not.

P. He that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent. He that doeth these things shall never be moved.

THE TENTH SELECTION

Psalm 107

Minister. Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men !

People. For he hath broken the gates of brass, and cut the bars of iron in sunder.

M. Fools, because of their transgression, and because of their iniquities are afflicted.

P. Their soul abhorreth all manner of meat, and they draw near unto the gates of death.

M. Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he saveth them out of their distresses.

P. He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.

M. Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men !

P. And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing.

M. They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters;
P. These see the works of the LORD, and his wonders in the deep.

M. For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof.

P. They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths; their soul is melted because of trouble.

M. They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wit's end.

P. Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses.

M. He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still.

P. Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven.

M. Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men !

P. Let them exalt him also in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders.

M. He turneth rivers into a wilderness, and the watersprings into dry ground; P. A fruitful land into barrenness, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein. M. He turneth the wilderness into a standing water, and dry ground into watersprings.

P. And there he maketh the hungry to dwell, that they may prepare a city for habitation; and sow the fields, and plant vineyards, which may yield fruits of increase.

M. He blesseth them also, so that they are multiplied greatly; and suffereth not their cattle to decrease.

P. Again, they are minished and brought low through oppression, affliction, and

sorrow.

M. He poureth contempt upon princes, and causeth them to wander in the wilderness, where there is no way.

P. Yet setteth he the poor on high from affliction, and maketh him families like a flock.