Church of England home page Common Worship   Publications Site Map
    Psalm 16  
     
1
  Preserve me, O God, for in you have I taken refuge; •
    I have said to the Lord, 'You are my lord,
all my good depends on you.'
     
2
  All my delight is upon the godly that are in the land, •
    upon those who are noble in heart.
     
3
  Though the idols are legion that many run after, ¨
 their drink offerings of blood I will not offer,
      neither make mention of their names upon my lips.
     
4
  The Lord himself is my portion and my cup; •
    in your hands alone is my fortune.
     
5
  My share has fallen in a fair land; •
    indeed, I have a goodly heritage.
     
     
6
  I will bless the Lord who has given me counsel, •
    and in the night watches he instructs my heart.
     
7
  I have set the Lord always before me; •
    he is at my right hand; I shall not fall.
     
8
  Wherefore my heart is glad and my spirit rejoices; •
    my flesh also shall rest secure.
     
9
  For you will not abandon my soul to Death, •
    nor suffer your faithful one to see the Pit.
     
10
  You will show me the path of life;
in your presence is the fullness of joy •
    and in your right hand are pleasures for evermore.
     
    Psalm 17  
     
1
  Hear my just cause, O Lord; consider my complaint; •
    listen to my prayer, which comes not from lying lips.
     
2
  Let my vindication come forth from your presence; •
    let your eyes behold what is right.
     
3
  Weigh my heart, examine me by night, •
    refine me, and you will find no impurity in me.
     
4
  My mouth does not trespass for earthly rewards; •
    I have heeded the words of your lips.
     
5
  My footsteps hold fast in the ways of your commandments; •
    my feet have not stumbled in your paths.
     
6
  I call upon you, O God, for you will answer me; •
    incline your ear to me, and listen to my words.
     
7
  Show me your marvellous loving-kindness, •
    O Saviour of those who take refuge at your right hand
from those who rise up against them.
     
8
  Keep me as the apple of your eye; •
    hide me under the shadow of your wings,
     
9
  From the wicked who assault me, •
    from my enemies who surround me to take away my life.
     
10
  They have closed their heart to pity •
    and their mouth speaks proud things.
     
11
  They press me hard, they surround me on every side, •
    watching how they may cast me to the ground,
     
12
  Like a lion that is greedy for its prey, •
    like a young lion lurking in secret places.
     
13
  Arise, Lord; confront them and cast them down; •
    deliver me from the wicked by your sword.
     
14
  Deliver me, O Lord, by your hand •
    from those whose portion in life is unending,
     
15
  Whose bellies you fill with your treasure, •
    who are well supplied with children
and leave their wealth to their little ones.
     
16
  As for me, I shall see your face in righteousness; •
    when I awake and behold your likeness, I shall be satisfied.
     
    Psalm 18  
     
1
  I love you, O Lord my strength. •
    The Lord is my crag, my fortress and my deliverer,
     
2
  My God, my rock in whom I take refuge, •
    my shield, the horn of my salvation and my stronghold.
     
3
  I cried to the Lord in my anguish •
    and I was saved from my enemies.
     
     
4
  The cords of death entwined me •
    and the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me.
     
5
  The cords of the Pit fastened about me •
    and the snares of death entangled me.
     
6
  In my distress I called upon the Lord •
    and cried out to my God for help.
     
7
  He heard my voice in his temple •
    and my cry came to his ears.
     
8
  The earth trembled and quaked; •
    the foundations of the mountains shook;
they reeled because he was angry.
     
9
  Smoke rose from his nostrils
and a consuming fire went out of his mouth; •
    burning coals blazed forth from him.
     
10
  He parted the heavens and came down •
    and thick darkness was under his feet.
     
11
  He rode upon the cherubim and flew; •
    he came flying on the wings of the wind.
     
12
  He made darkness his covering round about him, •
    dark waters and thick clouds his pavilion.
     
13
  From the brightness of his presence, through the clouds •
    burst hailstones and coals of fire.
     
14
  The Lord also thundered out of heaven; •
    the Most High uttered his voice
with hailstones and coals of fire.
     
15
  He sent out his arrows and scattered them; •
    he hurled down lightnings and put them to flight.
     
16
  The springs of the ocean were seen,
and the foundations of the world uncovered •
    at your rebuke, O Lord,
at the blast of the breath of your displeasure.
     
     
17
  He reached down from on high and took me; •
    he drew me out of the mighty waters.
     
18
  He delivered me from my strong enemy, •
    from foes that were too mighty for me.
     
19
  They came upon me in the day of my trouble; •
    but the Lord was my upholder.
     
20
  He brought me out into a place of liberty; •
    he rescued me because he delighted in me.
     
21
  The Lord rewarded me after my righteous dealing; •
    according to the cleanness of my hands he recompensed me,
     
22
  Because I had kept the ways of the Lord •
    and had not gone wickedly away from my God,
     
23
  For I had an eye to all his laws, •
    and did not cast out his commandments from me.
     
24
  I was also whole hearted before him •
    and kept myself from iniquity;
     
25
  Therefore the Lord rewarded me
after my righteous dealing, •
    and according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.
     
26
  With the faithful you show yourself faithful; •
    with the true you show yourself true;
     
27
  With the pure you show yourself pure, •
    but with the crooked you show yourself perverse.
     
28
  For you will save a lowly people •
    and bring down the high looks of the proud.
     
29
  You also shall light my candle; •
    the Lord my God shall make my darkness to be bright.
     
30
  By your help I shall run at an enemy host; •
    with the help of my God I can leap over a wall.
     
     
31
  As for God, his way is perfect;
the word of the Lord is tried in the fire; •
    he is a shield to all who trust in him.
     
32
  For who is God but the Lord, •
    and who is the rock except our God?
     
33
  It is God who girds me about with strength •
    and makes my way perfect.
     
34
  He makes my feet like hinds' feet •
    so that I tread surely on the heights.
     
35
  He teaches my hands to fight •
    and my arms to bend a bow of bronze.
     
36
  You have given me the shield of your salvation; •
    your right hand upholds me
and your grace has made me great.
     
37
  You enlarge my strides beneath me, •
    yet my feet do not slide.
     
38
  I will pursue my enemies and overtake them, •
    nor turn again until I have destroyed them.
     
39
  I will smite them down so they cannot rise; •
    they shall fall beneath my feet.
     
40
  You have girded me with strength for the battle; •
    you will cast down my enemies under me;
     
41
  You will make my foes turn their backs upon me •
    and I shall destroy them that hate me.
     
42
  They will cry out, but there shall be none to help them; •
    they will cry to the Lord, but he will not answer.
     
43
  I shall beat them as small as the dust on the wind; •
    I will cast them out as the mire in the streets.
     
44
  You will deliver me from the strife of the peoples; •
    you will make me the head of the nations.
     
45
  A people I have not known shall serve me;
as soon as they hear me, they shall obey me; •
    strangers will humble themselves before me.
     
46
  The foreign peoples will lose heart •
    and come trembling out of their strongholds.
     
     
47
  The Lord lives, and blessed be my rock! •
    Praised be the God of my salvation,
     
48
  Even the God who vindicates me •
    and subdues the peoples under me!
     
49
  You that deliver me from my enemies,
you will set me up above my foes; •
    from the violent you will deliver me;
     
50
  Therefore will I give you thanks, O Lord, among the nations •
    and sing praises to your name,
     
51
  To the one who gives great victory to his king •
    and shows faithful love to his anointed,
to David and his seed for ever.
     
    Psalm 19  
     
1
  The heavens are telling the glory of God •
    and the firmament proclaims his handiwork.
     
2
  One day pours out its song to another •
    and one night unfolds knowledge to another.
     
3
  They have neither speech nor language •
    and their voices are not heard,
     
4
  Yet their sound has gone out into all lands •
    and their words to the ends of the world.
     
5
  In them has he set a tabernacle for the sun, •
    that comes forth as a bridegroom out of his chamber
and rejoices as a champion to run his course.
     
6
  It goes forth from the end of the heavens
and runs to the very end again, •
    and there is nothing hidden from its heat.
     
     
7
  The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; •
    the testimony of the Lord is sure
and gives wisdom to the simple.
     
8
  The statutes of the Lord are right and rejoice the heart; •
    the commandment of the Lord is pure
and gives light to the eyes.
     
9
  The fear of the Lord is clean and endures for ever; •
    the judgements of the Lord are true
and righteous altogether.
     
10
  More to be desired are they than gold,
more than much fine gold, •
    sweeter also than honey,
dripping from the honeycomb.
     
11
  By them also is your servant taught •
    and in keeping them there is great reward.
     
     
12
  Who can tell how often they offend? •
    O cleanse me from my secret faults!
     
13
  Keep your servant also from presumptuous sins
lest they get dominion over me; •
    so shall I be undefiled, and innocent of great offence.
     
14
  Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
be acceptable in your sight, •
    O Lord, my strength and my redeemer.
     
    Psalm 20  
     
1
  May the Lord hear you in the day of trouble, •
    the name of the God of Jacob defend you;
     
2
  Send you help from his sanctuary •
    and strengthen you out of Zion;
     
3
  Remember all your offerings •
    and accept your burnt sacrifice;
     
4
  Grant you your heart's desire •
    and fulfil all your mind.
     
5
  May we rejoice in your salvation
and triumph in the name of our God; •
    may the Lord perform all your petitions.
     
     
6
  Now I know that the Lord will save his anointed; •
    he will answer him from his holy heaven,
with the mighty strength of his right hand.
     
7
  Some put their trust in chariots and some in horses, •
    but we will call only on the name of the Lord our God.
     
8
  They are brought down and fallen, •
    but we are risen and stand upright.
     
9
  O Lord, save the king •
    and answer us when we call upon you.
     
© The Archbishops' Council of the Church of England, 2000-2004
All of the official Common Worship publications are being published by Church House Publishing.