Psalms 101

		Psalm 101

1		I will sing of faithfulness and justice; •
		to you, O Lord, will I sing.

2		Let me be wise in the way that is perfect: •
		when will you come to me?


3		I will walk with purity of heart •
		within the walls of my house.

4		I will not set before my eyes •
		a counsel that is evil.

5		I abhor the deeds of unfaithfulness; •
		they shall not cling to me.

6		A crooked heart shall depart from me; •
		I will not know a wicked person.

7		One who slanders a neighbour in secret •
		I will quickly put to silence.

8		Haughty eyes and an arrogant heart •
		I will not endure.

9		My eyes are upon the faithful in the land, •
		that they may dwell with me.

10		One who walks in the way that is pure •
		shall be my servant.

11		There shall not dwell in my house •
		one that practises deceit.

12		One who utters falsehood •
		shall not continue in my sight.

13		Morning by morning will I put to silence •
		all the wicked in the land,

14		To cut off from the city of the Lord •
		all those who practise evil.

		Psalm 102

1		O Lord, hear my prayer •
		and let my crying come before you.

2		Hide not your face from me •
		in the day of my distress.

3		Incline your ear to me; •
		when I call, make haste to answer me,

4		For my days are consumed in smoke •
		and my bones burn away as in a furnace.

5		My heart is smitten down and withered like grass, •
		so that I forget to eat my bread.

6		From the sound of my groaning •
		my bones cleave fast to my skin.

7		I am become like a vulture in the wilderness, •
		like an owl that haunts the ruins.

8		I keep watch and am become like a sparrow •
		solitary upon the housetop.

9		My enemies revile me all the day long, •
		and those who rage at me have sworn together against me.

10		I have eaten ashes for bread •
		and mingled my drink with weeping,

11		Because of your indignation and wrath, •
		for you have taken me up and cast me down.

12		My days fade away like a shadow, •
		and I am withered like grass.


13		But you, O Lord, shall endure for ever •
		and your name through all generations.

14		You will arise and have pity on Zion; •
		it is time to have mercy upon her;
		surely the time has come.

15		For your servants love her very stones •
		and feel compassion for her dust.

16		Then shall the nations fear your name, O Lord, •
		and all the kings of the earth your glory,

17		When the Lord has built up Zion •
		and shown himself in glory;

18		When he has turned to the prayer of the destitute •
		and has not despised their plea.

19		This shall be written for those that come after, •
		and a people yet unborn shall praise the Lord.

20		For he has looked down from his holy height; •
		from the heavens he beheld the earth,

21		That he might hear the sighings of the prisoner •
		and set free those condemned to die;

22		That the name of the Lord may be proclaimed in Zion •
		and his praises in Jerusalem,

23		When peoples are gathered together •
		and kingdoms also, to serve the Lord.


24		He has brought down my strength in my journey •
		and has shortened my days.

25		I pray, 'O my God, do not take me in the midst of my days; •
		your years endure throughout all generations.

26		'In the beginning you laid the foundations of the earth, •
		and the heavens are the work of your hands;

27		'They shall perish, but you will endure; •
		they all shall wear out like a garment.

28		'You change them like clothing, and they shall be changed; •
		but you are the same, and your years will not fail.

29		'The children of your servants shall continue, •
		and their descendants shall be established in your sight.'

		Psalm 103

1		Bless the Lord, O my soul, •
		and all that is within me bless his holy name.

2		Bless the Lord, O my soul, •
		and forget not all his benefits;

3		Who forgives all your sins •
		and heals all your infirmities;

4		Who redeems your life from the Pit •
		and crowns you with faithful love and compassion;

5		Who satisfies you with good things, •
		so that your youth is renewed like an eagle's.


6		The Lord executes righteousness •
		and judgement for all who are oppressed.

7		He made his ways known to Moses •
		and his works to the children of Israel.

8		The Lord is full of compassion and mercy, •
		slow to anger and of great kindness.

9		He will not always accuse us, •
		neither will he keep his anger for ever.

10		He has not dealt with us according to our sins, •
		nor rewarded us according to our wickedness.

11		For as the heavens are high above the earth, •
		so great is his mercy upon those who fear him.

12		As far as the east is from the west, •
		so far has he set our sins from us.

13		As a father has compassion on his children, •
		so is the Lord merciful towards those who fear him.

14		For he knows of what we are made; •
		he remembers that we are but dust.

15		Our days are but as grass; •
		we flourish as a flower of the field;

16		For as soon as the wind goes over it, it is gone, •
		and its place shall know it no more.

17		But the merciful goodness of the Lord is from of old
		and endures for ever on those who fear him, •
		and his righteousness on children's children;

18		On those who keep his covenant •
		and remember his commandments to do them.


19		The Lord has established his throne in heaven, •
		and his kingdom has dominion over all.

20		Bless the Lord, you angels of his, •
		you mighty ones who do his bidding
		and hearken to the voice of his word.

21		Bless the Lord, all you his hosts, •
		you ministers of his who do his will.

22		Bless the Lord, all you works of his,
		in all places of his dominion; •
		bless the Lord, O my soul.

		Psalm 104

1		Bless the Lord, O my soul. •
		O Lord my God, how excellent is your greatness!

2		You are clothed with majesty and honour, •
		wrapped in light as in a garment.

3		You spread out the heavens like a curtain •
		and lay the beams of your dwelling place in the waters above.

4		You make the clouds your chariot •
		and ride on the wings of the wind.

5		You make the winds your messengers •
		and flames of fire your servants.

6		You laid the foundations of the earth, •
		that it never should move at any time.

7		You covered it with the deep like a garment; •
		the waters stood high above the hills.

8		At your rebuke they fled; •
		at the voice of your thunder they hastened away.

9		They rose up to the hills and flowed down to the valleys beneath, •
		to the place which you had appointed for them.

10		You have set them their bounds that they should not pass, •
		nor turn again to cover the earth.

11		You send the springs into the brooks, •
		which run among the hills.

12		They give drink to every beast of the field, •
		and the wild asses quench their thirst.

13		Beside them the birds of the air make their nests •
		and sing among the branches.

14		You water the hills from your dwelling on high; •
		the earth is filled with the fruit of your works.

15		You make grass to grow for the cattle •
		and plants to meet our needs,

16		Bringing forth food from the earth •
		and wine to gladden our hearts,

17		Oil to give us a cheerful countenance •
		and bread to strengthen our hearts.

18		The trees of the Lord are full of sap, •
		the cedars of Lebanon which he planted,

19		In which the birds build their nests, •
		while the fir trees are a dwelling for the stork.

20		The mountains are a refuge for the wild goats •
		and the stony cliffs for the conies.

21		You appointed the moon to mark the seasons, •
		and the sun knows the time for its setting.

22		You make darkness that it may be night, •
		in which all the beasts of the forest creep forth.

23		The lions roar for their prey •
		and seek their food from God.

24		The sun rises and they are gone •
		to lay themselves down in their dens.

25		People go forth to their work •
		and to their labour until the evening.


26		O Lord, how manifold are your works! •
		In wisdom you have made them all;
		the earth is full of your creatures.

27		There is the sea, spread far and wide, •
		and there move creatures beyond number, both small and great.

28		There go the ships, and there is that Leviathan •
		which you have made to play in the deep.

29		All of these look to you •
		to give them their food in due season.

30		When you give it them, they gather it; •
		you open your hand and they are filled with good.

31		When you hide your face they are troubled; •
		when you take away their breath,
		they die and return again to the dust.

32		When you send forth your spirit, they are created, •
		and you renew the face of the earth.


33		May the glory of the Lord endure for ever; •
		may the Lord rejoice in his works;

34		He looks on the earth and it trembles; •
		he touches the mountains and they smoke.

35		I will sing to the Lord as long as I live; •
		I will make music to my God while I have my being.

36		So shall my song please him •
		while I rejoice in the Lord.

37		Let sinners be consumed out of the earth
		and the wicked be no more. •
		Bless the Lord, O my soul.
		Alleluia.

		Psalm 105

1		O give thanks to the Lord and call upon his name; •
		make known his deeds among the peoples.

2		Sing to him, sing praises, •
		and tell of all his marvellous works.

3		Rejoice in the praise of his holy name; •
		let the hearts of them rejoice who seek the Lord.

4		Seek the Lord and his strength; •
		seek his face continually.

5		Remember the marvels he has done, •
		his wonders and the judgements of his mouth,

6		O seed of Abraham his servant, •
		O children of Jacob his chosen.

7		He is the Lord our God; •
		his judgements are in all the earth.

8		He has always been mindful of his covenant, •
		the promise that he made for a thousand generations:

9		The covenant he made with Abraham, •
		the oath that he swore to Isaac,

10		Which he established as a statute for Jacob, •
		an everlasting covenant for Israel,

11		Saying, 'To you will I give the land of Canaan •
		to be the portion of your inheritance.'

12		When they were but few in number, •
		of little account, and sojourners in the land,

13		Wandering from nation to nation, •
		from one kingdom to another people,

14		He suffered no one to do them wrong •
		and rebuked even kings for their sake,

15		Saying, 'Touch not my anointed •
		and do my prophets no harm.'


16		Then he called down famine over the land •
		and broke every staff of bread.

17		But he had sent a man before them, •
		Joseph, who was sold as a slave.

18		They shackled his feet with fetters; •
		his neck was ringed with iron.

19		Until all he foretold came to pass, •
		the word of the Lord tested him.

20		The king sent and released him; •
		the ruler of peoples set him free.

21		He appointed him lord of his household •
		and ruler of all he possessed,

22		To instruct his princes as he willed •
		and to teach his counsellors wisdom.


23		Then Israel came into Egypt; •
		Jacob sojourned in the land of Ham.

24		And the Lord made his people exceedingly fruitful; •
		he made them too many for their adversaries,

25		Whose heart he turned, so that they hated his people •
		and dealt craftily with his servants.

26		Then sent he Moses his servant •
		and Aaron whom he had chosen.

27		He showed his signs through their word •
		and his wonders in the land of Ham.

28		He sent darkness and it grew dark; •
		yet they did not heed his words.

29		He turned their waters into blood •
		and slew all their fish.

30		Their land swarmed with frogs, •
		even in their kings' chambers.

31		He spoke the word, and there came clouds of flies, •
		swarms of gnats within all their borders.

32		He gave them hailstones for rain •
		and flames of lightning in their land.

33		He blasted their vines and their fig trees •
		and shattered trees across their country.

34		He spoke the word, and the grasshoppers came •
		and young locusts without number;

35		They ate every plant in their land •
		and devoured the fruit of their soil.

36		He smote all the firstborn in their land, •
		the first fruits of all their strength.


37		Then he brought them out with silver and gold; •
		there was not one among their tribes that stumbled.

38		Egypt was glad at their departing, •
		for a dread of them had fallen upon them.

39		He spread out a cloud for a covering •
		and a fire to light up the night.

40		They asked and he brought them quails; •
		he satisfied them with the bread of heaven.

41		He opened the rock, and the waters gushed out •
		and ran in the dry places like a river.

42		For he remembered his holy word •
		and Abraham, his servant.

43		So he brought forth his people with joy, •
		his chosen ones with singing.

44		He gave them the lands of the nations •
		and they took possession of the fruit of their toil,

45		That they might keep his statutes •
		and faithfully observe his laws.
		Alleluia.

© The Archbishops' Council of the Church of England, 2000-2004
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