Wednesday > Wednesday Matins
1 Lord, how are they increased that trouble me! many are they that
rise up against me.
2 Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in
God.
Selah.
3 But thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up
of mine head.
4 I cried unto the LORD with my voice, and he heard me out of his
holy hill. Selah.
5 I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the LORD sustained me.
6 I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people, that have set
themselves against me round about.
7 Arise, O LORD; save me, O my God: for thou hast smitten all mine
enemies upon the cheek bone; thou hast broken the teeth of the
ungodly.
8 Salvation belongeth unto the LORD: thy blessing is upon thy
people.
Selah.
1 O come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to
the rock of our salvation.
2 Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a
joyful noise unto him with psalms.
3 For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods.
4 In his hand are the deep places of the earth: the strength of the
hills is his also.
5 The sea is his, and he made it: and his hands formed the dry
land.
6 O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD
our maker.
7 For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the
sheep of his hand. To day if ye will hear his voice,
8 Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day
of temptation in the wilderness:
9 When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my work.
10 Forty years long was I grieved with this generation, and said,
It is a people that do err in their heart, and they have not known my
ways:
11 Unto whom I sware in my wrath that they should not enter into my
rest.
1 O God, thou hast cast us off, thou hast scattered us, thou hast
been displeased; O turn thyself to us again.
2 Thou hast made the earth to tremble; thou hast broken it: heal
the breaches thereof; for it shaketh.
3 Thou hast shewed thy people hard things: thou hast made us to
drink the wine of astonishment.
4 Thou hast given a banner to them that fear thee, that it may be
displayed because of the truth. Selah.
5 That thy beloved may be delivered; save with thy right hand, and
hear me.
6 God hath spoken in his holiness; I will rejoice, I will divide
Shechem, and mete out the valley of Succoth.
7 Gilead is mine, and Manasseh is mine; Ephraim also is the
strength of mine head; Judah is my lawgiver;
8 Moab is my washpot; over Edom will I cast out my shoe: Philistia,
triumph thou because of me.
9 Who will bring me into the strong city? who will lead me into
Edom?
10 Wilt not thou, O God, which hadst cast us off? and thou, O God,
which didst not go out with our armies?
11 Give us help from trouble: for vain is the help of man.
12 Through God we shall do valiantly: for he it is that shall tread
down our enemies.
1 Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer.
2 From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is
overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
3 For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the
enemy.
4 I will abide in thy tabernacle for ever: I will trust in the
covert of thy wings. Selah.
5 For thou, O God, hast heard my vows: thou hast given me the
heritage of those that fear thy name.
6 Thou wilt prolong the king's life: and his years as many
generations.
7 He shall abide before God for ever: O prepare mercy and truth,
which may preserve him.
8 So will I sing praise unto thy name for ever, that I may daily
perform my vows.
1 Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from him cometh my salvation.
2 He only is my rock and my salvation; he is my defence; I shall
not be greatly moved.
3 How long will ye imagine mischief against a man? ye shall be
slain all of you: as a bowing wall shall ye be, and as a tottering
fence.
4 They only consult to cast him down from his excellency: they
delight in lies: they bless with their mouth, but they curse inwardly.
Selah.
5 My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him.
6 He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence; I shall
not be moved.
7 In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and
my refuge, is in God.
8 Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before
him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.
9 Surely men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a
lie: to be laid in the balance, they are altogether lighter than
vanity.
10 Trust not in oppression, and become not vain in robbery: if
riches increase, set not your heart upon them.
11 God hath spoken once; twice have I heard this; that power
belongeth unto God.
12 Also unto thee, O Lord, belongeth mercy: for thou renderest to
every man according to his work.
1 Make a joyful noise unto God, all ye lands:
2 Sing forth the honour of his name: make his praise glorious.
3 Say unto God, How terrible art thou in thy works! through the
greatness of thy power shall thine enemies submit themselves unto
thee.
4 All the earth shall worship thee, and shall sing unto thee; they
shall sing to thy name. Selah.
5 Come and see the works of God: he is terrible in his doing toward
the children of men.
6 He turned the sea into dry land: they went through the flood on
foot: there did we rejoice in him.
7 He ruleth by his power for ever; his eyes behold the nations: let
not the rebellious exalt themselves. Selah.
8 O bless our God, ye people, and make the voice of his praise to
be heard:
9 Which holdeth our soul in life, and suffereth not our feet to be
moved.
10 For thou, O God, hast proved us: thou hast tried us, as silver
is tried.
11 Thou broughtest us into the net; thou laidst affliction upon our
loins.
12 Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads; we went through
fire and through water: but thou broughtest us out into a wealthy
place.
13 I will go into thy house with burnt offerings: I will pay thee
my vows,
14 Which my lips have uttered, and my mouth hath spoken, when I was
in trouble.
15 I will offer unto thee burnt sacrifices of fatlings, with the
incense of rams; I will offer bullocks with goats. Selah.
16 Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he
hath done for my soul.
17 I cried unto him with my mouth, and he was extolled with my
tongue.
18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:
19 But verily God hath heard me; he hath attended to the voice of
my prayer.
20 Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, nor his
mercy from me.
1 Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered: let them also that
hate him flee before him.
2 As smoke is driven away, so drive them away: as wax melteth
before the fire, so let the wicked perish at the presence of God.
3 But let the righteous be glad; let them rejoice before God: yea,
let them exceedingly rejoice.
4 Sing unto God, sing praises to his name: extol him that rideth
upon the heavens by his name JAH, and rejoice before him.
5 A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, is God in
his holy habitation.
6 God setteth the solitary in families: he bringeth out those which
are bound with chains: but the rebellious dwell in a dry land.
7 O God, when thou wentest forth before thy people, when thou didst
march through the wilderness; Selah:
8 The earth shook, the heavens also dropped at the presence of God:
even Sinai itself was moved at the presence of God, the God of Israel.
9 Thou, O God, didst send a plentiful rain, whereby thou didst
confirm thine inheritance, when it was weary.
10 Thy congregation hath dwelt therein: thou, O God, hast prepared
of thy goodness for the poor.
11 The Lord gave the word: great was the company of those that
published it.
12 Kings of armies did flee apace: and she that tarried at home
divided the spoil.
13 Though ye have lien among the pots, yet shall ye be as the wings
of a dove covered with silver, and her feathers with yellow gold.
14 When the Almighty scattered kings in it, it was white as snow in
Salmon.
15 The hill of God is as the hill of Bashan; an high hill as the
hill of Bashan.
16 Why leap ye, ye high hills? this is the hill which God desireth
to dwell in; yea, the LORD will dwell in it for ever.
17 The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of
angels: the Lord is among them, as in Sinai, in the holy place.
18 Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive:
thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that
the LORD God might dwell among them.
19 Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even
the God of our salvation. Selah.
20 He that is our God is the God of salvation; and unto GOD the
Lord belong the issues from death.
21 But God shall wound the head of his enemies, and the hairy scalp
of such an one as goeth on still in his trespasses.
22 The Lord said, I will bring again from Bashan, I will bring my
people again from the depths of the sea:
23 That thy foot may be dipped in the blood of thine enemies, and
the tongue of thy dogs in the same.
24 They have seen thy goings, O God; even the goings of my God, my
King, in the sanctuary.
25 The singers went before, the players on instruments followed
after; among them were the damsels playing with timbrels.
26 Bless ye God in the congregations, even the Lord, from the
fountain of Israel.
27 There is little Benjamin with their ruler, the princes of Judah
and their council, the princes of Zebulun, and the princes of
Naphtali.
28 Thy God hath commanded thy strength: strengthen, O God, that
which thou hast wrought for us.
29 Because of thy temple at Jerusalem shall kings bring presents
unto thee.
30 Rebuke the company of spearmen, the multitude of the bulls, with
the calves of the people, till every one submit himself with pieces of
silver: scatter thou the people that delight in war.
31 Princes shall come out of Egypt; Ethiopia shall soon stretch out
her hands unto God.
32 Sing unto God, ye kingdoms of the earth; O sing praises unto the
Lord; Selah:
33 To him that rideth upon the heavens of heavens, which were of
old; lo, he doth send out his voice, and that a mighty voice.
34 Ascribe ye strength unto God: his excellency is over Israel, and
his strength is in the clouds.
35 O God, thou art terrible out of thy holy places: the God of
Israel is he that giveth strength and power unto his people. Blessed
be God.
1 Save me, O God; for the waters are come in unto my soul.
2 I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing: I am come into
deep waters, where the floods overflow me.
3 I am weary of my crying: my throat is dried: mine eyes fail while
I wait for my God.
4 They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of mine
head: they that would destroy me, being mine enemies wrongfully, are
mighty: then I restored that which I took not away.
5 O God, thou knowest my foolishness; and my sins are not hid from
thee.
6 Let not them that wait on thee, O Lord GOD of hosts, be ashamed
for my sake: let not those that seek thee be confounded for my sake, O
God of Israel.
7 Because for thy sake I have borne reproach; shame hath covered my
face.
8 I am become a stranger unto my brethren, and an alien unto my
mother's children.
9 For the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up; and the reproaches
of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me.
10 When I wept, and chastened my soul with fasting, that was to my
reproach.
11 I made sackcloth also my garment; and I became a proverb to
them.
12 They that sit in the gate speak against me; and I was the song
of the drunkards.
13 But as for me, my prayer is unto thee, O LORD, in an acceptable
time: O God, in the multitude of thy mercy hear me, in the truth of
thy salvation.
14 Deliver me out of the mire, and let me not sink: let me be
delivered from them that hate me, and out of the deep waters.
15 Let not the waterflood overflow me, neither let the deep swallow
me up, and let not the pit shut her mouth upon me.
16 Hear me, O LORD; for thy lovingkindness is good: turn unto me
according to the multitude of thy tender mercies.
17 And hide not thy face from thy servant; for I am in trouble:
hear me speedily.
18 Draw nigh unto my soul, and redeem it: deliver me because of
mine enemies.
19 Thou hast known my reproach, and my shame, and my dishonour:
mine adversaries are all before thee.
20 Reproach hath broken my heart; and I am full of heaviness: and I
looked for some to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters,
but I found none.
21 They gave me also gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave
me vinegar to drink.
22 Let their table become a snare before them: and that which
should have been for their welfare, let it become a trap.
23 Let their eyes be darkened, that they see not; and make their
loins continually to shake.
24 Pour out thine indignation upon them, and let thy wrathful anger
take hold of them.
25 Let their habitation be desolate; and let none dwell in their
tents.
26 For they persecute him whom thou hast smitten; and they talk to
the grief of those whom thou hast wounded.
27 Add iniquity unto their iniquity: and let them not come into thy
righteousness.
28 Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, and not be
written with the righteous.
29 But I am poor and sorrowful: let thy salvation, O God, set me up
on high.
30 I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him
with thanksgiving.
31 This also shall please the LORD better than an ox or bullock
that hath horns and hoofs.
32 The humble shall see this, and be glad: and your heart shall
live that seek God.
33 For the LORD heareth the poor, and despiseth not his prisoners.
34 Let the heaven and earth praise him, the seas, and every thing
that moveth therein.
35 For God will save Zion, and will build the cities of Judah: that
they may dwell there, and have it in possession.
36 The seed also of his servants shall inherit it: and they that
love his name shall dwell therein.
1 MAKE HASTE, O GOD, TO DELIVER ME; MAKE HASTE TO HELP ME, O LORD.
2 Let them be ashamed and confounded that seek after my soul: let
them be turned backward, and put to confusion, that desire my hurt.
3 Let them be turned back for a reward of their shame that say,
Aha, aha.
4 Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: and let
such as love thy salvation say continually, Let God be magnified.
5 But I am poor and needy: make haste unto me, O God: thou art my
help and my deliverer; O LORD, make no tarrying.
1 In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust: let me never be put to
confusion.
2 Deliver me in thy righteousness, and cause me to escape: incline
thine ear unto me, and save me.
3 Be thou my strong habitation, whereunto I may continually resort:
thou hast given commandment to save me; for thou art my rock and my
fortress.
4 Deliver me, O my God, out of the hand of the wicked, out of the
hand of the unrighteous and cruel man.
5 For thou art my hope, O Lord GOD: thou art my trust from my
youth.
6 By thee have I been holden up from the womb: thou art he that
took me out of my mother's bowels: my praise shall be continually of
thee.
7 I am as a wonder unto many; but thou art my strong refuge.
8 Let my mouth be filled with thy praise and with thy honour all
the day.
9 Cast me not off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my
strength faileth.
10 For mine enemies speak against me; and they that lay wait for my
soul take counsel together,
11 Saying, God hath forsaken him: persecute and take him; for there
is none to deliver him.
12 O God, be not far from me: O my God, make haste for my help.
13 Let them be confounded and consumed that are adversaries to my
soul; let them be covered with reproach and dishonour that seek my
hurt.
14 But I will hope continually, and will yet praise thee more and
more.
15 My mouth shall shew forth thy righteousness and thy salvation
all the day; for I know not the numbers thereof.
16 I will go in the strength of the Lord GOD: I will make mention
of thy righteousness, even of thine only.
17 O God, thou hast taught me from my youth: and hitherto have I
declared thy wondrous works.
18 Now also when I am old and greyheaded, O God, forsake me not;
until I have shewed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power
to every one that is to come.
19 Thy righteousness also, O God, is very high, who hast done great
things: O God, who is like unto thee!
20 Thou, which hast shewed me great and sore troubles, shalt
quicken me again, and shalt bring me up again from the depths of the
earth.
21 Thou shalt increase my greatness, and comfort me on every side.
22 I will also praise thee with the psaltery, even thy truth, O my
God: unto thee will I sing with the harp, O thou Holy One of Israel.
23 My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing unto thee; and my
soul, which thou hast redeemed.
24 My tongue also shall talk of thy righteousness all the day long:
for they are confounded, for they are brought unto shame, that seek my
hurt.
1 Give the king thy judgments, O God, and thy righteousness unto
the king's son.
2 He shall judge thy people with righteousness, and thy poor with
judgment.
3 The mountains shall bring peace to the people, and the little
hills, by righteousness.
4 He shall judge the poor of the people, he shall save the children
of the needy, and shall break in pieces the oppressor.
5 They shall fear thee as long as the sun and moon endure,
throughout all generations.
6 He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass: as showers that
water the earth.
7 In his days shall the righteous flourish; and abundance of peace
so long as the moon endureth.
8 He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river
unto the ends of the earth.
9 They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him; and his
enemies shall lick the dust.
10 The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents: the
kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts.
11 Yea, all kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall
serve him.
12 For he shall deliver the needy when he crieth; the poor also,
and him that hath no helper.
13 He shall spare the poor and needy, and shall save the souls of
the needy.
14 He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence: and
precious shall their blood be in his sight.
15 And he shall live, and to him shall be given of the gold of
Sheba: prayer also shall be made for him continually; and daily shall
he be praised.
16 There shall be an handful of corn in the earth upon the top of
the mountains; the fruit thereof shall shake like Lebanon: and they of
the city shall flourish like grass of the earth.
17 His name shall endure for ever: his name shall be continued as
long as the sun: and men shall be blessed in him: all nations shall
call him blessed.
18 Blessed be the LORD God, the God of Israel, who only doeth
wondrous things.
19 And blessed be his glorious name for ever: and let the whole
earth be filled with his glory; Amen, and Amen.
20 The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended.
1 Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean
heart.
2 But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh
slipped.
3 For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of
the wicked.
4 For there are no bands in their death: but their strength is
firm.
5 They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued
like other men.
6 Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain; violence
covereth them as a garment.
7 Their eyes stand out with fatness: they have more than heart
could wish.
8 They are corrupt, and speak wickedly concerning oppression: they
speak loftily.
9 They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue
walketh through the earth.
10 Therefore his people return hither: and waters of a full cup are
wrung out to them.
11 And they say, How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the
most High?
12 Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they
increase in riches.
13 Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in
innocency.
14 For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every
morning.
15 If I say, I will speak thus; behold, I should offend against the
generation of thy children.
16 When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me;
17 Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their
end.
18 Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: thou castedst
them down into destruction.
19 How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! they are
utterly consumed with terrors.
20 As a dream when one awaketh; so, O Lord, when thou awakest, thou
shalt despise their image.
21 Thus my heart was grieved, and I was pricked in my reins.
22 So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before thee.
23 Nevertheless I am continually with thee: thou hast holden me by
my right hand.
24 Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me
to glory.
25 Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth
that I desire beside thee.
26 My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my
heart, and my portion for ever.
27 For, lo, they that are far from thee shall perish: thou hast
destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee.
28 But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust
in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all thy works.