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