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    Psalm 106  
     
1
  Alleluia.
    Give thanks to the Lord, for he is gracious, •
    for his faithfulness endures for ever.
     
2
  Who can express the mighty acts of the Lord •
    or show forth all his praise?
     
3
  Blessed are those who observe what is right •
    and always do what is just.
     
4
  Remember me, O Lord, in the favour you bear for your people; •
    visit me in the day of your salvation;
     
5
  That I may see the prosperity of your chosen
    and rejoice in the gladness of your people, •
    and exult with your inheritance.
     
     
6
  We have sinned like our forebears; •
    we have done wrong and dealt wickedly.
     
7
  In Egypt they did not consider your wonders,
    nor remember the abundance of your faithful love; •
    they rebelled against the Most High at the Red Sea.
     
8
  But he saved them for his name's sake, •
    that he might make his power to be known.
     
9
  He rebuked the Red Sea and it was dried up; •
    so he led them through the deep as through the wilderness.
     
10
  He saved them from the adversary's hand •
    and redeemed them from the hand of the enemy.
     
11
  As for those that troubled them, the waters overwhelmed them; •
    there was not one of them left.
     
12
  Then they believed his words •
    and sang aloud his praise.
     
     
13
  But soon they forgot his deeds •
    and would not wait for his counsel.
     
14
  A craving seized them in the wilderness, •
    and they put God to the test in the desert.
     
15
  He gave them their desire, •
    but sent a wasting sickness among them.
     
16
  They grew jealous of Moses in the camp •
    and of Aaron, the holy one of the Lord.
     
17
  So the earth opened and swallowed up Dathan •
    and covered the company of Abiram.
     
18
  A fire was kindled in their company; •
    the flame burnt up the wicked.
     
19
  They made a calf at Horeb •
    and worshipped the molten image;
     
20
  Thus they exchanged their glory •
    for the image of an ox that feeds on hay.
     
21
  They forgot God their saviour, •
    who had done such great things in Egypt,
     
22
  Wonderful deeds in the land of Ham •
    and fearful things at the Red Sea.
     
23
  So he would have destroyed them,
    had not Moses his chosen stood before him in the breach, •
    to turn away his wrath from consuming them.
     
24
  Then they scorned the Promised Land •
    and would not believe his word,
     
25
  But murmured in their tents •
    and would not heed the voice of the Lord.
     
26
  So he lifted his hand against them •
    and swore to overthrow them in the wilderness,
     
27
  To disperse their descendants among the nations, •
    and to scatter them throughout the lands.
     
28
  They joined themselves to the Baal of Peor •
    and ate sacrifices offered to the dead.
     
29
  They provoked him to anger with their evil deeds •
    and a plague broke out among them.
     
30
  Then Phinehas stood up and interceded •
    and so the plague was stayed.
     
31
  This was counted to him for righteousness •
    throughout all generations for ever.
     
32
  They angered him also at the waters of Meribah, •
    so that Moses suffered for their sake;
     
33
  For they so embittered his spirit •
    that he spoke rash words with his lips.
     
34
  They did not destroy the peoples •
    as the Lord had commanded them.
     
35
  They mingled with the nations •
    and learned to follow their ways,
     
36
  So that they worshipped their idols, •
    which became to them a snare.
     
     
37
  Their own sons and daughters •
    they sacrificed to evil spirits.
     
38
  They shed innocent blood, •
    the blood of their sons and daughters,
     
39
  Which they offered to the idols of Canaan, •
    and the land was defiled with blood.
     
40
  Thus were they polluted by their actions, •
    and in their wanton deeds went whoring after other gods.
     
41
  Therefore was the wrath of the Lord
    kindled against his people, •
    and he abhorred his inheritance.
     
42
  He gave them over to the hand of the nations, •
    and those who hated them ruled over them.
     
43
  So their enemies oppressed them •
    and put them in subjection under their hand.
     
44
  Many a time did he deliver them,
    but they rebelled through their own devices •
    and were brought down through their wickedness.
     
45
  Nevertheless, he saw their adversity, •
    when he heard their lamentation.
     
46
  He remembered his covenant with them •
    and relented according to the greatness of his faithful love.
     
47
  He made them also to be pitied •
    by all who had taken them captive.
     
     
48
  Save us, O Lord our God,
    and gather us from among the nations, •
    that we may give thanks to your holy name
    and glory in your praise.
     
49
  Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,
    from everlasting and to everlasting; •
    and let all the people say, Amen.
    Alleluia.
     
    Psalm 107  
     
1
  O give thanks to the Lord, for he is gracious, •
    for his steadfast love endures for ever.
     
2
  Let the redeemed of the Lord say this, •
    those he redeemed from the hand of the enemy,
     
3
  And gathered out of the lands
    from the east and from the west, •
    from the north and from the south.
     
     
4
  Some went astray in desert wastes •
    and found no path to a city to dwell in.
     
5
  Hungry and thirsty, •
    their soul was fainting within them.
     
6
  So they cried to the Lord in their trouble •
    and he delivered them from their distress.
     
7
  He set their feet on the right way •
    till they came to a city to dwell in.
     
8
  Let them give thanks to the Lord for his goodness •
    and the wonders he does for his children.
     
9
  For he satisfies the longing soul •
    and fills the hungry soul with good.
     
     
10
  Some sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, •
    bound fast in misery and iron,
     
11
  For they had rebelled against the words of God •
    and despised the counsel of the Most High.
     
12
  So he bowed down their heart with heaviness; •
    they stumbled and there was none to help them.
     
13
  Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, •
    and he delivered them from their distress.
     
14
  He brought them out of darkness and out of the shadow of death, •
    and broke their bonds asunder.
     
15
  Let them give thanks to the Lord for his goodness •
    and the wonders he does for his children.
     
16
  For he has broken the doors of bronze •
    and breaks the bars of iron in pieces.
     
     
17
  Some were foolish and took a rebellious way, •
    and were plagued because of their wrongdoing.
     
18
  Their soul abhorred all manner of food •
    and drew near to the gates of death.
     
19
  Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, •
    and he delivered them from their distress.
     
20
  He sent forth his word and healed them, •
    and saved them from destruction.
     
21
  Let them give thanks to the Lord for his goodness •
    and the wonders he does for his children.
     
22
  Let them offer him sacrifices of thanksgiving •
    and tell of his acts with shouts of joy.
     
     
23
  Those who go down to the sea in ships •
    and ply their trade in great waters,
     
24
  These have seen the works of the Lord •
    and his wonders in the deep.
     
25
  For at his word the stormy wind arose •
    and lifted up the waves of the sea.
     
26
  They were carried up to the heavens
    and down again to the deep; •
    their soul melted away in their peril.
     
27
  They reeled and staggered like a drunkard •
    and were at their wits' end.
     
28
  Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, •
    and he brought them out of their distress.
     
29
  He made the storm be still •
    and the waves of the sea were calmed.
     
30
  Then were they glad because they were at rest, •
    and he brought them to the haven they desired.
     
31
  Let them give thanks to the Lord for his goodness •
    and the wonders he does for his children.
     
32
  Let them exalt him in the congregation of the people •
    and praise him in the council of the elders.
     
     
33
  The Lord turns rivers into wilderness •
    and water springs into thirsty ground;
     
34
  A fruitful land he makes a salty waste, •
    because of the wickedness of those who dwell there.
     
35
  He makes the wilderness a pool of water •
    and water springs out of a thirsty land.
     
36
  There he settles the hungry •
    and they build a city to dwell in.
     
37
  They sow fields and plant vineyards •
    and bring in a fruitful harvest.
     
38
  He blesses them, so that they multiply greatly; •
    he does not let their herds of cattle decrease.
     
     
39
  He pours contempt on princes •
    and makes them wander in trackless wastes.
     
40
  They are diminished and brought low, •
    through stress of misfortune and sorrow,
     
41
  But he raises the poor from their misery •
    and multiplies their families like flocks of sheep.
     
42
  The upright will see this and rejoice, •
    but all wickedness will shut its mouth.
     
43
  Whoever is wise will ponder these things •
    and consider the loving-kindness of the Lord.
     
    Psalm 108  
     
1
  My heart is ready, O God, my heart is ready; •
    I will sing and give you praise.
     
2
  Awake, my soul; awake, harp and lyre, •
    that I may awaken the dawn.
     
3
  I will give you thanks, O Lord, among the peoples; •
    I will sing praise to you among the nations.
     
4
  For your loving-kindness is as high as the heavens •
    and your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.
     
5
  Be exalted, O God, above the heavens •
    and your glory over all the earth.
     
6
  That your beloved may be delivered, •
    save us by your right hand and answer me.
     
     
7
  God has spoken in his holiness: •
    'I will triumph and divide Shechem
    and share out the valley of Succoth.
     
8
  'Gilead is mine and Manasseh is mine; •
    Ephraim is my helmet and Judah my sceptre.
     
9
  'Moab shall be my wash pot,
    over Edom will I cast my sandal, •
    across Philistia will I shout in triumph.'
     
10
  Who will lead me into the strong city? •
    Who will bring me into Edom?
     
11
  Have you not cast us off, O God? •
    Will you no longer go forth with our troops?
     
12
  O grant us your help against the enemy, •
    for earthly help is in vain.
     
13
  Through God will we do great acts, •
    for it is he that shall tread down our enemies.
     
    Psalm 109  
     
1
  Keep silent no longer, O God of my praise, •
    for the mouth of wickedness and treachery
    is opened against me.
     
2
  They have spoken against me with a lying tongue; •
    they encompassed me with words of hatred
    and fought against me without a cause.
     
3
  In return for my love, they set themselves against me, •
    even though I had prayed for them.
     
4
  Thus have they repaid me with evil for good, •
    and hatred for my good will.
     
5
  They say, 'Appoint a wicked man over him, •
    and let an accuser stand at his right hand.
     
6
  'When he is judged, let him be found guilty, •
    and let his prayer be counted as sin.
     
7
  'Let his days be few •
    and let another take his office.
     
8
  'Let his children be fatherless •
    and his wife become a widow.
     
9
  'Let his children wander to beg their bread; •
    let them seek it in desolate places.
     
10
  'Let the creditor seize all that he has; •
    let strangers plunder the fruit of his toil.
     
11
  'Let there be no one to keep faith with him, •
    or have compassion on his fatherless children.
     
12
  'Let his line soon come to an end •
    and his name be blotted out in the next generation.
     
13
  'Let the wickedness of his fathers
    be remembered before the Lord, •
    and no sin of his mother be blotted out;
     
14
  'Let their sin be always before the Lord, •
    that he may root out their name from the earth;
     
15
  'Because he was not minded to keep faith, •
    but persecuted the poor and needy
    and sought to kill the brokenhearted.
     
16
  'He loved cursing and it came to him; •
    he took no delight in blessing and it was far from him.
     
17
  'He clothed himself with cursing as with a garment: •
    it seeped into his body like water
    and into his bones like oil;
     
18
  'Let it be to him like the cloak
    which he wraps around him •
    and like the belt that he wears continually.'
     
19
  Thus may the Lord repay my accusers •
    and those who speak evil against me.
     
     
20
  But deal with me, O Lord my God, according to your name; •
    O deliver me, for sweet is your faithfulness.
     
21
  For I am helpless and poor •
    and my heart is disquieted within me.
     
22
  I fade like a shadow that lengthens; •
    I am shaken off like a locust.
     
23
  My knees are weak through fasting •
    and my flesh is dried up and wasted.
     
24
  I have become a reproach to them; •
    those who see me shake their heads in scorn.
     
25
  Help me, O Lord my God; •
    save me for your loving mercy's sake,
     
26
  And they shall know that this is your hand, •
    that you, O Lord, have done it.
     
27
  Though they curse, may you bless; •
    let those who rise up against me be confounded,
    but let your servant rejoice.
     
28
  Let my accusers be clothed with disgrace •
    and wrap themselves in their shame as in a cloak.
     
29
  I will give great thanks to the Lord with my mouth; •
    in the midst of the multitude will I praise him;
     
30
  Because he has stood at the right hand of the needy, •
    to save them from those who would condemn them.
     
    Psalm 110  
     
1
  The Lord said to my lord, 'Sit at my right hand, •
    until I make your enemies your footstool.'
     
2
  May the Lord stretch forth the sceptre of your power; •
    rule from Zion in the midst of your enemies.
     
3
  'Noble are you on this day of your birth; •
    on the holy mountain, from the womb of the dawn
    the dew of your new birth is upon you.'
     
4
  The Lord has sworn and will not retract: •
    'You are a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.'
     
5
  The king at your right hand, O Lord, •
    shall smite down kings in the day of his wrath.
     
6
  In all his majesty, he shall judge among the nations, •
    smiting heads over all the wide earth.
     
7
  He shall drink from the brook beside the way; •
    therefore shall he lift high his head.
     
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